John Cleese, Michael Palin, Dame Mary Berry, Lord Heseltine & Graham Norton join Henley Literary Festival’s most exciting line-up yet

Hugh Bonneville, Oti Mabuse, Ben Youngs, Donna Ashworth, Sathnam Sanghera, Joanna Page, Emily Gravett and Phil Tufnell also announced ahead of next month’s on-sale.

A pair of Pythons, the country’s most popular poet, and a nonagenarian national treasure will join sport stars, crime writers, children’s authors and some of TV’s most familiar faces at this autumn’s Henley Literary Festival.

The latest speakers announced for the October Festival 3rd-12th October, plus a pop-up day in November include John Cleese on Fawlty Towers, Sir Michael Palin on Venezuela and Dame Mary Berry marking her 90th birthday. Graham Norton returns to the Festival after an online event during Lockdown, while Strictly dancer Oti Mabuse appears for the first time. 

Events for children will include Paddington star Hugh Bonneville, the UK’s best-selling poet Donna Ashworth, award-winning author-illustrator and designer of this year’s programme cover Emily Gravett and farmer Kaleb Cooper.

Empireland author Sathnam Sanghera returns to Henley with Empireworld, in conversation with Gary Younge, while Lord Heseltine comes back to his old constituency to reflect on his life with Simon Walters of The Independent, who are again the Festival’s news partner. MENOLicious co-authors Mariella Frostrup and Belles Berry will share food and health tips for anyone navigating the changes of midlife.

Gavin & Stacey star and local resident Joanna Page will discuss her autobiography Lush! while her sitcom co-star Larry Lamb will join All Creatures Great & Small actor turned bestselling novelist Carol Drinkwater. Sport sessions at the Festival will include England men’s most-capped rugby player Ben Youngs with his much-anticipated memoir and Test Match Special favourite Phil Tufnell with a timely look at the Ashes.

Thrillers loom large, including an evening hosted by crime fiction aficionado and Olympic icon Dame Katherine Grainger, as well as Death in Paradise and Marlow Murder Club creator Robert Thorogood joining Jeremy Vine with his first crime novel Murder on Line One.

Henley Literary Festival director Harriet Reed said: “From the menopause, farming and the impact of Empire to much-loved sitcoms, record-breaking sports stars and wonderful children’s authors and illustrators we are so excited to share our most eclectic line-up and yet – with some lovely surprises to come when the full programme arrives next month!” 

The Festival features over 120 events at venues across Henley-on-Thames, with previously announced speakers including Michael Morpurgo, Denise Lewis, Raymond Blanc, Mary Beard, Ben Okri, Joanna Lumley, Simon Armitage and Cressida Cowell.

The full programme will be revealed early next month, with tickets on sale to Gold and Platinum Friends on July 4, Friends of the Festival on July 8 and general public on July 14.

To find out about further supporting the Festival by becoming a Friend please visit henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk/memberships or call 01491 575 948.