Hay Festival Anytime - Listen and watch writers and thinkers from Hay Festivals around the world

Start your day at Hay Festival with our daily news review. Join our leading journalists and special guests as they take us behind the headlines with insider perspectives, insights and an eye on what’s next. Strong coffee recommended! Among today’s guests are American literature and culture specialist Professor Sarah Churchwell, author of The Wrath to Come, and David Runciman, professor of politics at Cambridge University and author of Political Hypocrisy and The Confidence Trap, and Lionel Shriver, renowned journalist and author of We Need to Talk about Kevin and Mania. Chaired by The Independent chief books critic Martin Chilton.

Does a wilder landscape come at the expense of food self-sufficiency? Rewilding has become immensely popular, holding out the promise of a restored, wildlife-rich landscape as well as a way to help us meet our Net Zero targets. But with the UK now producing less than two-thirds of our food needs, and only half of our fresh vegetables, can we afford to transform yet more precious acres into a cross between nature reserves and wildlife theme parks? Or are the two in fact compatible: a network of rewilded zones helping to conserve vital pollinators and soil, soak up carbon and safeguard us from floods?

Minette Batters, former president of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, the Knepp Estate’s Molly Biddell and economist Dieter Helm talk to the Director of Positive News UK Martin Wright about effective rewilding and a future strategy for food production.

Travel back in time to the ’90s with author, broadcaster and educator Jeffrey Boakye for Kofi’s latest music-making adventure. After discovering a pirate radio station, Kofi can’t wait to get everyone involved with Clipper FM… but what does it mean when the radio station vanishes overnight? Expect music, mischief and lots of laughs!

Which dinosaur had teeth as big as a banana? Which dinosaur weighed the same as 10,000 cats? And what could a chicken possibly be doing in the Great Big Dinosaur Show?! Join poet Simon Mole and musician Gecko for their family show full of poems, raps and songs about all your favourite prehistoric protagonists – and some you haven’t heard of yet! Come and get your groove on to some Jurassic classics.

Political sketch writer John Crace returns to Hay Festival with his blisteringly hilarious tour through the whirlwind of post-Brexit Britain, from the ousting of Boris to the dawn of a new era… sort of. Another month, another prime minister – how many have we been through now? Despite all the nonsense that has spewed forth from Westminster over the past two years, Crace’s brilliantly lacerating political sketches have provided some desperately needed relief. In Depraved New World: Please Hold, the Government will be With You Shortly, he takes in everything from Partygate, BoJo’s farewell, Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s disastrous reign to the psychodrama of the Tory leadership contest(s), the return of Rishi Sunak, Suella Braverman’s hokey pokey and whatever lies ahead.

The American author whose We Need to Talk About Kevin won the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction discusses her latest novel at Hay Festival. What if calling someone stupid was illegal? In Mania, where the Mental Parity Movement has taken hold, everyone is equally clever, exams are discarded and children are expelled for saying the S-word. You don’t need a qualification to be a doctor. Best friends since adolescence, Pearson and Emory find themselves on opposing sides of this culture war. Radio personality Emory makes increasingly hard-line statements while Pearson believes the whole thing is ludicrous. As their friendship fractures, Pearson’s determination to cling onto the ‘old bigoted way of thinking’ begins to endanger her job, her safety and even her family.

Our panel assembles for a thought-provoking discussion that delves into the critical theme of preserving identity and heritage during times of war and conflict. Exploring the challenges inherent in safeguarding cultural treasures and articulating the profound importance of preserving collective history and culture, they show that community involvement and practical action are badly needed now. Nicoleta Cinpoes is Professor of Shakespeare Studies and Professor Lisa Stansbie is Pro Vice Chancellor Education, Culture and Society, both at the University of Worcester. Dr Sara Nesteruk is a filmmaker and senior lecturer in creative digital design at Manchester Metropolitan University. Philip Parr is Artistic Director of Parrabbola and Chair of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network.

TikTok creators are sharing their passion for books with millions and reshaping the publishing world in the process. Join BookTokkers Coco Hagi and Ben Mercer and TikTok's Head of Creators Jo Burford alongside National Literacy Trust 's Jason Vit and author and journalist Tom Baldwin, for a dynamic look at what’s trending and how BookTok is changing how we tell stories and engage new audiences.

Enjoy a fast-paced, funny and interactive event with Jenny Pearson, the Laugh Out Loud Book Award-winning author of The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, The Incredible Record Smashers, Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List and The Boy Who Made Monsters. You’ll be amazed at the fascinating facts, wondrous World Records and astonishing achievements that Jenny packs into her stories. Settle in for funny videos, quick quizzes and lots of laughs.

Please bring your own notebook and pen or pencil to this event.

Journey back in time with author and poet Nikita Gill for an incredible, evocative event and discover the ancient Indian animal fables of the Panchatantra, which have been told and retold for thousands of years. You’ll meet mighty elephants and courageous mice, cunning crocodiles and clever monkeys, talkative tortoises and little lapwing birds – and each one imparts a different message that can inspire you in different ways. An event celebrating friendship, cleverness, love and wisdom.

Journalism is the pursuit of the truth, and that’s what Tom Burgis and Carole Cadwalladr have spent their careers working towards. But what happens when people don’t want the truth to get out? Burgis and Cadwalladr talk to writer Oliver Bullough about the society-changing work they have done, and how strategic lawsuits against public participation (known as SLAPPS) are increasingly being used to tie up journalists’ time and funds to stop their work.

For three years, Burgis followed a lead that produced his new book Cuckooland: Where the Rich Own the Truth. He hunted down oligarchs and traced vast sums of money flowing between multinational corporations, ex-Soviet dictators and the West’s ruling élites. Guardian writer Cadwalladr exposed Cambridge Analytica’s role in mass-harvesting data to influence elections in the UK and US. Bullough is author of Butler to the World: How Britain Became the Servant of Tycoons, Tax Dodgers, Kleptocrats and Criminals.

Marking the publication of Boakye's Musical World, George the Poet's Track Record, and a major British Library exhibition, Beyond the Bassline:Black British Music, curated by Dr Gray and Dr Riley, our expert panel reflect on music as a political and shaping force, and on six centuries of African musical contribution to the UK and the world.

Steep yourself in the lives of characters living against the beauty, magic and history of Rome, as Jhumpa Lahiri takes you into her new collection of short stories. In Roman Stories, we meet a man who recalls a summer party that awakens an alternative version of himself, a couple haunted by a tragic loss who return for consolation, and an outsider family who is pushed out of the block where they hoped to settle.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lahiri discusses the collection, her love of Italy and her work as a bilingual writer and translator. She has been writing fiction, essays, and poetry in Italian since 2015 and is the editor of The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories. Lahiri talks to Creative Producer Heather Marks.

Holly Jackson discusses her new novel The Reappearance of Rachel Price with TikToker Samantha Soar, giving us clues on how she crafts such fiendishly compelling crime thrillers. Holly is the UK’s Number One YA author of 2023 and the mastermind behind the bestselling series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (soon to be a major BBC 3 series).

Troy has fallen. After ten years of war, the Greeks make their way back to their own lands – but what homes now await them? Hay Festival President Stephen Fry is well known for his retellings of Greek myths – Mythos, Heroes and Troy are all bestsellers. Join him as he now directs his gaze to Odysseus, Agamemnon, Helen and Aeneas on their return from the Trojan War. The award-winning comedian, actor, presenter and director gives a pre-publication preview of the subjects of his next book.

‘The Singularity’ is how Silicon Valley likes to describe the ultimate break point in human history: when we will come face to face with machines that have minds of their own. But what if this has already happened? Hundred of years ago, human beings started building the artificial entities that now rule our world. They are called states and corporations: immensely powerful robots, able to take decisions and act for themselves. They have made us richer, safer, healthier and more capable – and they may yet destroy us. David Runciman distils for us over 300 years of thinking about how to live with artificial agency in The Handover: How We Gave Control of Our Lives to Corporations, States and AIs. Runciman is Professor of Politics at Cambridge University and host of the Past Present Future podcast. He talks to writer and journalist Sarfraz Manzoor.

The rewilder and the ecologist discuss the rival demands of reintroducing extinct species and of managing invasive ones. Britain’s favourite maverick rewilder Gow (Bringing Back the Beaver) has played a significant role in the reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver, the water vole and the white stork in England. He’s currently working on a reintroduction project for the wildcat, and in Hunt for the Shadow Wolf makes the case for the return of the wolf. Ecologist and environmental writer Warwick is well-known for his role as spokesperson for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. In Cull of the Wild he investigates the ethical and practical challenges of one of the greatest threats to biodiversity: invasive species, which the UN Convention on Biological Diversity ranks as a major threat on a par with habitat loss, climate change and pollution. In conversation with Nicola Cutcher, investigative journalist, documentary maker, and freelance writer.

Damian Collins, the Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe and Nick Thomas-Symonds the Labour MP for Torfaen, leave Westminster behind to discuss their new biographies of David Lloyd George and Harold Wilson, and the unique perspectives brought by Members of Parliament as political historians. Lloyd George and Wilson were born outside of the establishment but rose to become the leading public figures of their time. The Welshman made the transition from social reformer to war leader, and in the process invented modern government. Wilson guided Britain through turbulent economic times in the 1960s and ‘70s, becoming the only 20th century leader to win four general elections.

Rivals in the Storm and Harold Wilson: The Winner reassess these two mercurial Prime Ministers who both fascinated and infuriated their contemporaries.

Wowza! The nation’s favourite rapping teacher and the star of the Sky Kids’ smash Wonder Raps is back. So grab your hats, shades, chains and raps and get ready to read and rhyme with MC Grammar LIVE! MC Grammar uses rap to teach kids cool facts about the world. Set to earworm tunes, his fun, comedic raps help you learn by stealth.

Prepare for excitement with World Record-breaking adventurer ‘Polar’ Preet Chandi, who was named 2023 Explorer of the Year by the Scientific Exploration Society. Her first book for young people is a must-read if you love to explore. Preet shares tales of her own expeditions around the world, giving practical advice on how to plan your own exploits (even on your own doorstep). She covers everything from how to camp in the wild, navigate through a new landscape and master bushcraft skills – it’s guaranteed to inspire you to a half term full of activity!

Please bring your own notebook and pen or pencil to this event.

American novelist James Baldwin is often called one of the best writers of the 20th century, and his writing, from essays to fiction to critiques, is still popular. But why is Baldwin still so well-read? And what makes his work – much of it rooted in his own experiences as a gay Black man who grew up in poverty in New York’s Harlem – so relevant still, to so many people? Our panel of experts take a look at Baldwin’s life and work, and address why his voice still resonates.

Mendez’s debut novel Rainbow Milk was shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize and the Polari Prize, among others. Irenosen Okojie’s novel Butterfly Fish and her short story collections, Speak Gigantular and Nudibranch, have won and been nominated for multiple awards. David Olusoga is a historian and the author of Black and British: A Forgotten History. Colm Tóibín’s most recent novel is The Magician, and he is the current Laureate for Irish Fiction. They talk to Creative Producer Heather Marks.

Fungi can change our minds, heal our bodies – and help us avoid environmental disaster. They are key players in most of nature’s processes. Biologist Merlin Sheldrake, author of the award-winning Entangled Life, takes us on a mind-altering journey into their spectacular world, and reveals how these extraordinary organisms transform our understanding of our planet and life itself. Sheldrake is a research associate of Vrije University, Amsterdam, and sits on the advisory board of the Fungi Foundation and the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks. Sheldrake talks to Dr Glyn Morgan, Curatorial Lead at the Science Museum.

When do friends become enemies? And how intertwined are love and murder? Authors Lisa Jewell and Alex Michaelides discuss these questions and more as they celebrate their latest books. Jewell’s None of This is True follows podcaster Alix Summers, who meets her birthday twin Josie at her local pub, and soon discovers that Josie has a story to tell. As Alix records Josie’s strange and complicated life for a podcast, Alix begins to uncover some deeply hidden secrets. In Michaelides’ The Fury, reclusive ex-movie star Lana Farrar invites a small group of her closest friends for a weekend away on her small private island. There, old friendships conceal violent passions and resentments, and in 48 hours, one of the party will be dead.

In a world where trust in leaders falters and difficult conversations seem dangerous, Dr Anwen Elias, Co-director of the Centre for Welsh Politics and Society, and Dr Jennifer Wolowic, Principal Lead of Aberystwyth University Dialogue Centre, are launching ‘Doing Democracy Differently’. This project builds on current trends in participatory democracy and asks us to embrace our greatest resource – human creativity. Imagine community-led photography, collage and art shaping policies and institutions directly. Doing Democracy Differently aims to become a rallying call to transform the landscape of democracy, weaving together active citizenship, artistic expression and public policy. Join Elias and Wolowic as they embark on a journey to redefine how democracy unfolds.

Gus Casely-Hayford dives into the power of creativity - its ability to inspire makers, creators and innovators everywhere whether that is through fashion, design or art. As the V&A builds up to opening V&A East in 2025, Gus talks about how it will create new possibilities for everyone, the new art scene in East London and the changes he hopes creative opportunity will bring in the coming year.

Peep through the lens of an undercover teen journalist following the lives of Gen Z’s rich and famous… In conversation with the internet’s resident librarian Jack Edwards, award-winning author Benjamin Dean (The King is Dead) draws on his previous career as a celebrity journalist, examining the dark underbelly of showbiz. Come and get the low-down on his deliciously dark and addictive thriller.

On the face of things, Abel is Hollywood’s latest teen star, but in fact he’s on a mission to expose the entertainment industry and the part it played in his brother’s ‘accidental’ death. He soon discovers that beneath the glittering surface of fame lies a darker world of secrecy, scandal and murder.

It’s election year in both the UK and the US, which means politicians trying to win our vote, endless scandals and arguments, and a search for the people and parties we think are going to work for us. Join the Observer’s Carole Cadwalladr, US historian Sarah Churchwell and television journalist Matt Frei for a round table discussion with journalist Matthew D’Ancona. They look at the contenders on both sides of the Atlantic, the challenges facing the new governments and what the implications of the elections are at home and abroad.

Want to grow your own food but have no idea where to start? Or perhaps you think you don’t have enough space? Whatever your concern, this panel will help you take the first steps in your journey to become more self-sufficient. Chef Sam Cooper and gardener Huw Richards share practical advice on growing your own, discussing DIY projects, growing skills and ideas for how to make the most of homegrown fruit and vegetables. Peter Wohlleben draws on his experiences of moving with his wife, Miriam, from the city to a remote forest lodge in the early 1990s, where they learnt how to plant and rotate crops and tend to the needs of their animals and environment. Their experiences are recounted in their book Our Little Farm. In conversation with Kitty Corrigan, a free-lance journalist with a special interest in rural and environmental issues.

Learn lessons in life, work, love and more with Channel 4’s Cathy Newman, as she shares inspiration and wisdom from some of the world’s most acclaimed and influential women. Newman’s latest book The Ladder: Life Lessons from Women Who Scaled the Heights & Dodged the Snakes is inspired by her show on Times Radio, and brings together discussions between women, from politician Nicola Sturgeon to scientist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell and filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab.

It’s been 40 years since Arthur Scargill led the National Union of Mineworkers on one of the largest strikes in British history. Vilified by Margaret Thatcher’s government and eventually broken, Britain’s mining communities were changed forever. Academic Robert Gildea and husband-and-wife team Amanda Powell and Richard Williams reflect on the strike and its lasting impacts. Gildea’s Backbone of the Nation: Mining Communities and the Great Strike of 1984–85 explores mining communities from South Wales to Fife, drawing on interviews with miners and their families for this groundbreaking new history. Gildea is Professor Emeritus of Modern History at the University of Oxford. Powell and Williams both reported on the strike when it happened, and revisit it in their book Coal and Community in Wales. Award-winning journalist Powell’s account of key events and press photographer Williams’ striking images offer an in-depth look at life in the South Wales coalfield before and after the strikes.

A middle-aged dentist with dreams of being an artist can’t stop painting mouths; a tortured Imam is in a romantic entanglement with a local vicar; an octogenarian mourns the death of the husband she thought she knew and a troubled teenager’s nudes have been leaked on the internet. Hear Nathan Newman discuss their book How to Leave the House, in which tenderness, wit and humour are found in the stories of a disparate group of characters, centred around a young man waiting for the extremely embarrassing package he ordered to arrive. Newman is a writer and filmmaker based in London whose short stories have been published in literary journals in the US and university anthologies in the UK. They talk to the internet’s resident librarian, Jack Edwards.

This year’s Christopher Hitchens Lecture is delivered by Matt Frei, lead presenter of Channel 4 News’ award-winning global coverage. Frei takes an in-depth look into America, analysing whether and how the country can still be saved from itself. His book Only in America chronicled the presidency of George W Bush, and he has interviewed five American presidents, including Trump. While based in the US he presented the BBC Radio 4 programme Americana.

Colm Tóibín reunites us with the heroine of his 2009 novel, Brooklyn, in his sequel Long Island. We find Eilis Lacey 20 years on, in the 1970s, living with her husband, Tony Fiorello, and children on Long Island, rather too close to her Fiorello in-laws. A shocking piece of news propels Eilis back to Ireland, to a world she thought she had long left behind and to ways of living, and loving, she thought she had lost. Tóibín is the current Laureate for Irish Fiction. His previous novels include The Master, The Testament of Mary and House of Names. His work has been shortlisted for the Booker multiple times, and has won both the Costa Novel Award and the Impac Award. He talks to Hay Festival President Stephen Fry.

Join WOW (Women of the World) founder Jude Kelly for an evening of optimism, determination and laughter, exploring the exasperating and confusing journey towards gender equity, covering everything from money, sex, race and food to ageing. Extremely and equally suitable for men!

WOW is a network of arts festivals that celebrate the achievements of women and girls as well as highlighting the obstacles that face them. It was founded by Kelly, former Artistic Director of London’s Southbank Centre, in 2010.

Historian Corinne Fowler brings rural life and colonial rule together, sharing the ways in which the British Empire transformed rural lives, offering opportunity and seeking exploitation. She shows how the booming profits of overseas colonial activities directly contributed to enclosure, land clearances and dispossession in the UK, and how these histories continue to have an impact. Fowler’s most recent book is Our Island Stories: Country Walks through Colonial Britain, and she is Professor of Colonialism and Heritage in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. She co-authored the 2021 National Trust report on its country houses’ historical links to the British Empire, and is also author of Green Unpleasant Land: Creative Responses to Rural England’s Colonial Connections. She talks to Oscar Guardiola-Rivera, author and Professor of Human Rights and Political Philosophy at Birkbeck University, London.

NATO this year marks its 75th anniversary, and discussions around its purpose, achievements, faults and usefulness have never been louder. Journalist Peter Apps takes a look at the history of NATO, from the Korean War to the pandemic, the Berlin and Cuba crises, and the chaotic evacuation from Kabul.

Peter Apps is global defence correspondent for Reuters news agency and is currently on sabbatical as executive director of the Project for Study of the 21st Century (PS21). Apps reported from Sri Lanka during the civil war between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels. In September 2006, he broke his neck in a minibus crash while covering the conflict, leaving him largely paralysed from the shoulders down. He returned to work in a wheelchair nine months later, using voice recognition software to resume his writing career. Of the 20 or so countries he has reported from, more than half have been since the injury.