Gallery
Ian is an English poet, journalist, playwright, and broadcaster. He is known for his strong and distinctive Yorkshire accent and his incisive, friendly interview style on programmes such as BBC Radio 3's The Verb. He lives in Darfield, the village of his birth.
Edwina Currie
Edwina Currie is a British writer, broadcaster and former politician. She is now a well-known author. Her eleven books include five non-fiction: "Life Lines", published in 1989, on her time as Health Minister; "What Women Want" (1990), essays on women's role; "Three Line Quips" (1992), wit from the House of Commons; "Diaries 1987-92" published 2002 and “Diaries II 1992-1997” (2012) which give a unique insider's view of life in Westminster during the year of Prime Ministers Thatcher and Major
Louise Beech
Louise's debut novel, How to be Brave, was a Guardian Readers' pick in 2015 and a top ten bestseller on Amazon. The Mountain in my Shoe longlisted for the Guardian's Not The Booker Prize 2016.
Caroline England
Caroline writes domestic psychological thrillers. Her debut novel, BENEATH THE SKIN, known also as THE WIFE’S SECRET in eBook, was published by Avon HarperCollins in October 2017. Her second novel, MY HUSBAND’S LIES, followed in May 2018 and became a Kindle top ten bestseller. BETRAY HER, was published by Piatkus of Little, Brown Book Group, in July 2020. TRUTH GAMES followed in June 2021.
Liz Fenwick
Award winning author Liz Fenwick - expat expert, wife, mother of three, dreamer turned doer has been dubbed 'The queen of the contemporary Cornish novel' by the Guardian
Ruth Millington
Ruth is Head of Careers at Sotheby's Institute. Art historian, critic and author. She is featured as an art expert on radio and TV, including Radio 4's Today programme, ITV News, Sky Arts, BBC Breakfast and Woman's Hour.
Hilary Benn
Hilary Benn MP in conversation. Hilary Benn served in the Cabinet for over seven years and subsequently as Shadow Foreign Secretary. He is the Member of Parliament for Leeds Central and comes from a family of deep political pedigree.
Matthew Parris
Matthew Parris is a British political writer and broadcaster, formerly a Conservative Member of Parliament. He was born in South Africa to British parents.
Bert is an experienced and accomplished poet who for some time has been quietly and unassumingly spreading the poetry word as teacher, mentor, workshop leader, poet-in-residence, and reader. He has three collections of poetry published: ‘Thought-Apples' with Offa's Press, ‘Singing Puccini at the Kitchen Sink’ and most recently ‘JUST ASKING’.
Andrey Yakutin is a professional videographer with direct experience of the war in the Ukraine including the Donbas region where he operated as a news camera man. He and his daughter, Ksenia, will share their experiences of the last few years that have taken them from Donbas to Ashbourne.
See the full programme for Litfest '22 here
And take a look at a selection from our 2019 Gallery to give you a flavour of what to expect!
