Cheltenham unveils star-studded lineup

Sir Tim Berners-Lee will join Ian McEwan, Joanna Lumley and Richard Osman at Britain’s longest-running literary festival

Star-filled line-up for Cheltenham Literature Festival

Britain's Cheltenham Literature Festival has announced a star-studded lineup for October, bringing together novelists, actors and policy voices. Ian McEwan and Richard Osman will discuss their latest books on stage, while Jens Stoltenberg, the former NATO secretary-general, is set to appear in what organizers call a global program. Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the world wide web, will discuss his forthcoming memoir, and Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister and Meta executive, will discuss radical reforms to detoxify big tech. Dame Joanna Lumley joins the roster, along with Penny Lancaster and Ben Elton, who will be interviewed by Richard Curtis about Elton's forthcoming autobiography What Have I Done?, due to be released on the eve of the festival.

The program blends literature, politics and technology to appeal to a wide audience and reflect current debates. Organizers say the festival remains the country’s longest-running literary event and continues to adapt to readers' interests, signaling its ongoing relevance in a changing media landscape.

The lineup signals a shift toward talks that cross borders between culture, power and policy. Hosting figures like Stoltenberg and Clegg alongside novelists invites broader audiences but raises questions about balance between art and public life. The inclusion of tech and international politics on a literary stage shows where public discourse expects to meet the page. Critics may worry about an overstuffed schedule, but supporters say the format keeps literature relevant in a changing world.

Highlights

The festival keeps inviting readers to think beyond the page.