The Ilkley Literature Festival, the north’s longest-running literary celebration, has announced its highly anticipated 2025 programme. From Friday, October 3, to Sunday, October 19, the picturesque spa town of Ilkley will host an extraordinary array of household names, including politicians, authors, historians, comedians, and academics, across 17 days of thought-provoking events.
This year’s line-up is a literary feast, featuring global icons such as Wild Swans author Jung Chang, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, comedian Alan Davies, food critic Jay Rayner, actor Hugh Bonneville, and Poet Laureate Simon Armitage. Tickets go on general sale on Tuesday, August 26, with priority booking for Friends of the Festival starting Wednesday, August 20.
Festival Highlights
The festival opens with Nick Clegg, who will delve into the state of the internet and Big Tech’s impact, drawing from his book How to Save the Internet. Jung Chang follows with a moving evening recounting her family’s story and China’s history, bringing her epic personal narrative up to date.
Simon Armitage will captivate poetry lovers with readings from his latest collections, Dwell and New Cemetery. Meanwhile, national treasure Michael Palin will transport audiences to South America with tales from his Venezuelan travels, and Gyles Brandreth will celebrate the centenary of Winnie-the-Pooh with his book Somewhere, A Boy and A Bear.
Lady Hale, former President of the Supreme Court, will provide an eye-opening exploration of the British justice system, while Jo Hamilton, a sub-postmaster caught in the Post Office scandal, will share her harrowing story, immortalized in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Comedy and memoir enthusiasts can look forward to Alan Davies’ reflections on his stand-up career in White Male Stand-Up, and Mary Portas will offer insights into the retail world with I Shop, Therefore I Am. Hugh Bonneville, known for Paddington and Downton Abbey, will charm audiences with his memoir and debut children’s book, Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room.
Other notable appearances include Sir Tony Robinson introducing his fiction debut, BBC radio icons Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, and biographer Sonia Purnell discussing Pamela Churchill Harriman, one of the 20th century’s most influential women.
Themes and Strands
The 2025 festival explores a variety of themes, offering something for every literary taste:
- Doing Justice: Lady Hale and Jo Hamilton headline this theme, joined by Lee Lawrence, who examines racial injustice, and Tony Juniper, who explores the intersection of fairness and environmental sustainability.
- Novel Ideas: Celebrating storytelling, this strand features bestselling authors Rachel Joyce, Esther Freud, and Irvine Welsh, who will discuss Men in Love, the sequel to Trainspotting.
- The Dark Side of the Internet: Journalist James Bloodworth and Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr tackle toxic online subcultures and screen addiction.
- Talking Politics: Former Chief Whip Simon Hart, columnist Steve Richards, and Vince Cable explore UK politics, geopolitics, and globalisation.
- Food for Thought: Jay Rayner reflects on his career as a restaurant critic, Ruby Tandoh examines food culture, and Tim Spector OBE reveals the power of microbes.
- Soft Power: This strand re-examines overlooked historical figures, including Malachi Whitaker, a Bradford-born writer whose stories were once a BBC staple.
- Explore Moor: This theme connects audiences with the earth and landscape, featuring Mike Berners-Lee, TV presenter Anjana Khatwa, and poet Jason Allen-Paisant.
- In Verse: The Rising of the North: A celebration of northern poetry, this strand includes a reimagining of Tony Harrison’s controversial poem V. and showcases rising northern poets.
Big Ideas and Beyond
The festival also dives into pressing global issues, from climate change to philosophy and the science of politeness. Erica Morris, the festival’s director, expressed her excitement: “We’re looking forward to welcoming big names and exploring big ideas in Ilkley’s annual celebration of books, reading, and writing. There’s a huge range of fascinating subjects this year, from folklore to fermentation, geology to globalisation, and cavapoos to comedy. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to our beautiful spa town for what promises to be an entertaining and enlightening festival.”
Plan Your Visit
With such a diverse and star-studded programme, the 2025 Ilkley Literature Festival promises to be an unmissable event for book lovers and culture enthusiasts alike. To view the full programme and book tickets, visit www.ilkleylitfest.org.uk.