The 2026 programme will feature award-winning novelist Joanne Harris, acclaimed scientist and founder of ZOE, Tim Spector, BBC broadcaster Sophie Raworth, the unofficial ‘Poet Laureate of the Internet’ Brian Bilston, bestselling historian Professor Tracy Borman OBE and award-winning children’s writer and illustrator Lauren Child.
Comedian and author Cally Beaton, music journalist and broadcaster David Hepworth, bestselling nature writer Tristan Gooley, TV presenter and gardening writer Kate Bradbury and Shaun Usher, curator of the viral Letters Live series, have also been confirmed as speakers alongside talented local writers.
The line-up so far brings together a diverse mix of voices from the world of art, literature, science, politics, sport, history, poetry, music and comedy for the festival, which will take place from 24 April to 3 May next year.
‘We hope announcing these early events will give people a taste of the energy and variety that we are bringing to the 2026 Festival,’ said festival director Claire Allen. ‘We are thrilled to be welcoming such a brilliant group of writers, thinkers and performers to Guernsey.
‘This year’s programme has been shaped more closely than ever by audience insight. We have worked hard to build a line-up that speaks to all kinds of readers, drawing on the feedback from the survey we carried out earlier in the year.
‘We’re also thrilled to support the National Year of Reading in 2026. Books open doors to our passions, helping us explore what we love in greater depth. Reading isn’t a solo sport – it’s a way to connect, learn and discover the world around us. We can’t wait to celebrate the joy of books and reading for pleasure as part of next year’s festival.’
The full 2026 programme, including writing workshops, family and school events as well as community engagement and outreach activities, will be unveiled in the new year alongside details of the WriteStuff competition for students in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
Tickets will initially be on sale with exclusive access and priority booking for Guernsey Literary Festival patrons and members, before going on general release next February.
Find out more about supporting the festival, gifting a membership and updates, by visiting guernseyliteraryfestival.com.
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