Hugh Bonneville, James Naughtie and Prue Leith line up at Petworth Literary Week

Hugh Bonneville, James Naughtie, Prue Leith, Jenni Murray, George Alagiah, Jenny Eclair and David Suchet are among the big names lining up at Petworth Festival’s Literary Week 2019.
Prue LeithPrue Leith
Prue Leith

A number of events have sold out already.

Among the highlights will be a visit from Prue Leith, currently in the limelight because of her role on The Great British Bake Off.

Prue has enjoyed a remarkable career over many decades. She has run her own restaurants, catering and cookery school businesses; she has held board memberships of companies such as Halifax, Safeway, Whitbread, Woolworths, and Belmond (ex-Orient Express) Hotels; and pursued a deep involvement with education: she chaired the first of the companies charged with turning round failing state schools and was chairman of the School Food Trust, responsible for the improvement of school food and food education.

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For the Petworth Festival she talks to journalist Mandy Morton about her entire, wide-ranging career which has also included publishing 13 cookbooks, a memoir, Relish: My Life on a Plate, and eight novels.

The full programme is:

Saturday, October 26:

Rachel Reeves in conversation with Gerry Foley, 2.30pm, Leconfield Hall

Steve Richards – The Prime Ministers, 5pm, Leconfield Hall

James Naughtie in conversation with Douglas Rae, 7.30pm, Seaford College

Sunday, October 27:

Max Hastings - Chastise: The Dambusters Story, 3pm, Seaford College

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Hugh Bonneville in conversation with Olivia Cole, 7.30pm, Seaford College

Monday, October 28 :

Jenni Murray in conversation with Gerry Foley, 12, St Mary’s Church

A N Wilson – Prince Albert, 3pm, St Mary’s Church

George Alagiah – The Burning Land, 7.30pm, St Mary’s (sold out)

Tuesday, October 29:

Steve Jones in conversation with Matthew Stadlen, 12, Leconfield Hall

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Vic Marks in conversation with Mark Church, 3pm, Leconfield Hall

Jenny Eclair in conversation with Stewart Collins, 7.30pm, Leconfield Hall

Wednesday, October 30:

Pat Davies and Christian Lamb in conversation with Simon Robinson, 12, Leconfield Hall

Sophia Money-Coutts in conversation with Olivia Cole, 2.30pm, Leconfield Hall

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Charles Moore – Margaret Thatcher, 5pm, Leconfield Hall (sold out)

Lynne Truss in conversation with Simon Brett, 7.30pm, Leconfield Hall

Thursday, October 31:

David Whitehouse – Apollo 11: The Whole Story, 12, Leconfield Hall

Tom Holland in conversation with Claire Armitstead, 2.30pm, Leconfield Hall (sold out)

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Jonathan Glancey – The Journey Matters, 5pm, Leconfield Hall

Mike Read in conversation with Stewart Collins, 7.30pm, Leconfield Hall

Friday, November 1:

Prue Leith in conversation with Mandy Morton, 12, st Mary’s Church

Jonathan Rugman in conversation with Matthew Stadlen, 2.30pm, St Mary’s Church

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Tristram Hunt – V&A: Preserving the past, curating the future, 7.30pm, St Mary’s Church (sold out)

Saturday November 2. Christopher Tugendhat in conversation with Stewart Collins, 12, Leconfield Hall

Amelia Gentleman in conversation with Matthew Stadlen, 2.30pm, Leconfield Hall

David Suchet in conversation with Stewart Collins, 7.30pm, Midhurst Rother College

Sunday November 3:

The Petworth Poetry Breakfast, 11am, Leconfield Hall

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Tickets can be bought online at www.petworthfestival.org.uk and on 01798 344576 (Mon to Sat, 10am-1pm).

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