The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival 2024 programme announced

The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival 2024 celebrates its 75th anniversary with a must-see line-up that includes Judi Dench, Trevor McDonald, Ian Rankin, Richard Ayoade, Elif Shafak and many more. From 4 to 13 October, the Gloucestershire spa town will bring 75 years of literary milestones to life and reflect on the legacy of the world's longest-running literature festival, while looking to the future. 

With a jam-packed programme of 400+ events over 10 days, the Festival returns with the best new voices in fiction and poetry alongside literary greats, political debates fresh from the party conference season, a vibrant family and schools programme, and performances and literary happenings scattered across the town. 

The Festival will continue to lead the way in celebrating the written and spoken word, with an array of thought-provoking discussions and exploration of emerging trends across politics, culture and lifestyle. World-famous names will sit alongside brand-new voices, emphasising the Festival’s commitment  to look towards – and help create – the future. 

Image collage (left to right) Trevor McDonald by Nick Cregan Millie Seaward, Brendan O'Hea and Judi Dench by Sarah Jane Field, Clare Leslie Hall.

Cheltenham Literature Festival 2024 lineup

Adrian Chiles | Alan Hollinghurst | Alexander Armstrong | Alison Steadman | Amber Guinness  Amy Jeffs | Ann Cleeves | Anna James | Anton du Beke | Arthur Parkinson | Asako Yuzuki Ashley-John Baptiste | Bettany Hughes | Bob Mortimer | Carol Vorderman | Caroline Quentin Caitlin Moran | Celia Imrie | Craig Brown | Dan Snow | David Nicholls | Dharshini David

Dina Macki | Elif Shafak | Emma Freud | Fern Britton | Fearne Cotton | Floella Benjamin
Fred Sirieix | Gemma Styles | Geoff Hurst  | Geri Halliwell | Harriet Walter | Ian Rankin
Jodi Picoult | John Torode | Jordan Stephens | Judi Dench | Julian Clary | Justin Webb
Kate Mosse | Katy Hessel | Katherine Rundell | Kapka Kassabova | Laura Whitmore
Lionel Shriver | Lisa Faulkner | Liz Earle | Lorraine Kelly | Lynda La Plante | Marina Hyde
Mary Beard | Matt Haig | Matthew Syed | Mehreen Khan | Michael Lewis | Michael Palin
Mike Batt | Mike Tindall |  Miranda Hart | Miriam Margolyes | Monty Don | Nandini Das
Neneh Cherry | Norman Ackroyd | Nussaibah Younis | Paddy O’Connell | Pam Ayres

Patrick Grant | Paula Hawkins | Peter Frankopan | Prue Leith | Rachel Joyce | Richard Ayoade Richard Coles | Richard Osman | Rick Astley | Robert Harris | Robin Niblett | Rupert Everett Russell Watson | Sally Phillips | Sathnam Sanghera | Simon Armitage | Tracy Chevalier
Trevor McDonald | William Dalrymple | Zandra Rhodes | Zeinab Badawi

GUEST CURATORS:

Ann Morgan | Danielle Jawando | Joelle Taylor | Rónán Hession | Virginia Nicholson

FAMILY AND YOUNG ADULT PROGRAMME:

Adam Stower | Adeola Sokumbi | Alice Roberts | Andy Darcy Theo | Annemarie Anang
Ashley Thorpe | Ben Miller | Catherine Rayner | Cornelia Funke | Craig Glenday
Cressida Cowell | David Roberts | Elle McNicoll | Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé | Frank Cottrell-Boyce Greg Jenner | Hamza Yassin | Harriet Muncaster | James Fox | Jenny Pearson
Jodie Lancet-Grant | Jordan Lees |  | Josh Silver | Kathleen Glasgow
Katie Kirby | Kes Gray and Jim Field | Krystal Sutherland | Kwame Alexander
Laura Ellen Anderson | Laura Nokes | Lauren Child | Leigh Hodgkinson | Mariajo Ilustrajo

Marije Tolman | Max Boucherat | Michael Rosen | Moira Buffini | Nadia Shireen | Neill Cameron Onjali Q. Rauf | Pari Thomson | Preet Chandi | Robin Stevens | Roopa Farooki | Russell Kane Sam Sedgman | Sharna Jackson | Simon Mole | Tim Budgen | Tolá Okogwu

Image collage (left to right) Barbara Kingsolver by Evan Kafka, Amber Guinness by Saghar Setareh, Anthony Seldon.

There is also a commitment to widening accessibility to the arts. At least 25% of the programme is free, including drop-in family events and activities in The Wild Wood and there are events for everyone to enjoy in The Huddle and The Snug thanks to the support of the Benefact Group, VOICEBOX, and as part of the Lit Crawl in venues across Cheltenham. The Festival also inspires over 12,500 school children with a love of books through its Literature for Schools programme, in line with Cheltenham Festivals’ year-round mission to bring joy, spark curiosity, connect communities and inspire change.  

New venues for 2024 include The Snug and The Hush, where visitors can join book clubs, be immersed in crafts, join in with lively post-event debates or rest and contemplate new thoughts or ideas. There is also a series of events and unique dining experiences hosted at The Nook on Five, Cheltenham’s spectacular rooftop restaurant; and Dunkertons Taproom will host street food vendors, vibrant discussion, lively quizzes and captivating cabaret. VOICEBOX once again brings young voices and ideas to the forefront through a free programme of talks, workshops, panels, music, comedy and more. Featuring well-known names and emerging talent and covering topics including mental health and wellbeing, activism, and inclusivity, the full, free line-up will be announced early September.

Image collage (left to right) Richard Ayoade by Magnolia Pictures, Sally Phillips by Pip Sabah, Adrian Chiles by Alicia Canter.

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS 

The Festival looks to celebrate its 75^th anniversary by exploring some of the most famous works of literature published since 1949, examining how societal and technological advances have evolved and changed, and asking what discoveries have been made – and what the next 75 years might look like.  

A number of literary anniversaries are celebrated as part of 75^th programming, including George Orwell’s 1984 and Nancy Mitford’s Love in a Cold Climate. In the current affairs strand, 75 years of NATO are examined. Looking forward, there are talks on ‘Being Human in the Age of AI’, and the future of the NHS; and the implications of the numerous political elections across the world in 2024 are interrogated via multiple events. A special anniversary event, Future 75, will bring together thought leaders and creatives for an evening of short talks on a range of topics, as speakers set out their vision for the future. 

Significant figures in the development of The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival – from its beginnings up to the present day – are celebrated, as are the local surroundings and community. John Moore, founder and driving force behind the Festival, is recognised with a literary walking tour inspired by his Brensham Trilogy, set in and around Tewkesbury. Mark Cummings shares his love of Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds in his new book, Glorious Gloucestershire, and is joined by Pam Ayres who shares tales of her life living in and loving the Cotswolds. 

2024 marks the fourth year of the Festival’s five-year theme, ‘Read the World’, which will see participants and Festival directors from all over the world joining live events digitally and in-person to share ideas and learn from each other. Ann Morgan returns as the Festival’s literary explorer in residence, with events including an interview with popular South Korean translator and debut novelist Anton Hur. 

Booking for the Festival opens to Cheltenham Festivals Members on Thursday 29 August and public booking opens on Thursday 5 September.

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For more unmissable events in Cheltenham check out our helpful guide - Cheltenham Festivals & Major Events Guide