Some of the biggest names in literature, television, sport and entertainment are heading to Ilkley this autumn as the programme for the 2026 Ilkley Literature Festival is unveiled.
The north's longest-running literary festival will return from Friday, October 2nd to Sunday, October 18th, with 17 days of events featuring household names including:
- Simon Armitage
- Samira Ahmed
- Kate Atkinson
- Reeta Chakrabarti
- Andrew Davies
- Mark Foster
- Dame Margaret Hodge
- Zahra Joya
- Si King
- Judy Murray
- Rachael Stirling
and Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
Tickets go on general sale on Tuesday, August 25th, while Friends of the Festival will have priority booking from Wednesday, August 19th.
The festival will open with acclaimed screenwriter Andrew Davies, the man behind adaptations including House of Cards, Pride & Prejudice, Bleak House and Bridget Jones.
He will discuss his new memoir, An Unsuitable Boy.
Younger readers are also being catered for, with Dame Jacqueline Wilson introducing her new book Esme Pepper and reflecting on her career spanning more than 120 children's books.
The opening weekend will also feature Labour Peer Dame Margaret Hodge, who will discuss five decades in politics through her memoir Battleaxe, while Afghan journalist Zahra Joya will tell the story of her fight for women's rights in The Vanishing Girl of Kabul.
Actress Rachael Stirling will share stories about her mother, legendary actress Diana Rigg, while five-time Olympian and six-time World Champion swimmer Mark Foster will discuss his memoir, My Double Life.
Poetry will once again be a major part of the festival, with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage reading from his new translation of the epic poem Gilgamesh.
Comedy poet Brian Bilston will also bring his distinctive humour to the festival with his new collection How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside.
Yorkshire-born author Kate Atkinson returns to her native county with her new book Our Noble Selves, set in post-war Britain.
Broadcaster and Radio 4's Front Row presenter Samira Ahmed will explore how The Beatles' first film, A Hard Day's Night, became an enduring cinematic classic, following a screening.
Tennis coach and former Strictly contestant Judy Murray will discuss her crime novel Game, Set & Murder, while Hairy Biker Si King will introduce his first solo cookbook, Proper Home Cooking, following the death of his close friend and television partner Dave Myers.
As part of the National Year of Reading, the festival will also introduce a series of book club-style events, including the Page Turners Classic Fiction Club, celebrating novels ranging from Wuthering Heights to The Wasp Factory.
Erica Morris, Chief Executive of Word Up North, the producer of Ilkley Literature Festival, said:
“We’re looking forward to welcoming some of today’s most exceptional writers, thinkers and entertainers to Yorkshire this autumn.
"The festival has been encouraging curiosity, open dialogues and a shared love of words for over half a century.
"This year, as part of the National Year of Reading, we’re putting readers at the heart of the programme with a series of book club-style events - Page Turners Classic Fiction Club - celebrating some of the most compelling novels ever written from Wuthering Heights to The Wasp Factory.
"From dedicated fans to first-time readers, you can be sure of a warm Yorkshire welcome at Ilkley Literature Festival.”
The festival was established in 1973 and is described as the second-oldest literary festival in the UK.
It attracts audiences of more than 14,000 each October, bringing nationally and internationally recognised writers together with emerging and mid-career talent.
The festival has also commissioned a number of special projects over the years, including the 50-mile Stanza Stones Poetry Trail across the Pennines from Marsden to Ilkley, created in partnership with Simon Armitage.
The official bookseller for this year's festival is The Grove Bookshop.
Tickets for Friends of the Festival are available from Wednesday, August 19th, with general ticket sales opening on Tuesday, August 25th.
The full programme and ticket information are available from the Ilkley Literature Festival website, or by calling the box office on 01943 816714.
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