News

Looking back on the 2024 Festival, it’s almost impossible to decide who enjoyed it most. Was it the speakers themselves? There were 35 of them, each with a very different tale to tell, all fascinating and all inspirational in the telling. But then what about the interviewers, including our dedicated Festival Associates? It certainly looks […]

As often happens, speakers change their plans after our brochure has been printed. Luckily, however, we are almost always able to find a suitable replacement. The following speakers will not after all be appearing at Wells this year: Marianna Spring, Zeinab Badawi, Michael Taylor. But we do have excellent replacements for all of them: Rafael […]

Not long until the 2024 Festival kicks off but as we warm up for the starting line there has been some unexpected movement on the field and, in true championship style, we have a few last minute changes  in the line-up. Charlie Taylor the well-known BBC Radio Somerset radio presenter, cricket commentator and podcaster will […]

The 2024 Festival starts on Friday 18 October but if you were in Cedars Hall on 11 July, you might well have thought it had already begun! Those who were lucky enough to be invited to a packed Cedars Hall enjoyed a foretaste of what lies ahead. Mike Gunton, Creative Director of the BBC Natural […]

With only a few months left until this year’s Festival gets under way, activity behind the scenes is already evident. For a start, entries are flying into our International Competitions. The closing date for all four categories is 30 June – so get creating as soon as you can. The prize money is extremely generous! […]

The 31st Wells Festival of Literature is now over but it has left us some wonderful memories, every one of them different. Wes Streeting, who led the way with the opening event, featured on many ‘Top Ten’ lists.  So did Robin Ince, Chris Patten and Emily Kenway – all of them appearing on that first […]

As a Festival of Literature our chief passion, obviously, is for words! But there are occasions when figures speak louder and, as the countdown to the opening of the Festival gathers momentum, we thought we would share some of those numbers: 1 venue, 35 events, 36 speakers, 12 interviewers, 15 Competition Prizewinners, 18 sponsors, 5738 […]

Tania Branigan has now been shortlisted for two of the most prestigious prizes in the business: the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction and the equally influential Cundill History Prize. This is a magnificent achievement, particularly for a debut work, and we are looking forward to Tania’s event with renewed anticipation!  But Red Memory is by […]

When the speakers were announced a few months ago the Festival seemed a long way off. Even when tickets went on sale in July it seemed too easy to ‘wait until summer was over’. Summer is well and truly over and sadly there are too many would-be ticket-buyers who are now regretting those moments of […]

The programme is confirmed and made public; the brochure has appeared and can be picked up almost anywhere; ticket sales have got off to a racing start.  What more is there to say? A brilliant addition to the line-up – that’s what! Richard Mainwaring, the ‘frequency guy’ who made an unforgettable impact with Everybody Hertz at last year’s […]