Line-up confirmed

Cuckfield Bookfest 2026 celebrates its tenth anniversary this autumn, Friday to Sunday, October 2-4, with a special evening event featuring award-winning actress and Celebrity Traitors star Celia Imrie on October 14.

Sheila Mortimer, head of programming, Cuckfield Bookfest, said: “Set in the charming village of Cuckfield, the festival brings together an exceptional range of voices from fiction, history, politics, crime and nature writing.

“Kicking off the weekend for supper on Friday, October 2 at Ockenden Manor will be Sir Jeremy Hunt, whose recent book Can We Be Rich Again? sets out a credible case for optimism when it comes to the future of Britain’s economy and a roadmap of how we might get there.

“Political and historical writing is well represented this year. Alwyn Turner explores Britain between the wars in A Shellshocked Nation, Paul O’Keeffe gives us a front-row view of the Battle of Trafalgar, while Oliver Bullough, investigative journalist and Guardian contributor, unravels the dark mechanics of global money laundering in Everybody Loves Our Dollars. For royal watchers, Catherine Mayer examines the lives and battles of royal women from Anne Boleyn to Meghan in Divide & Rule.

“Tim Spector, co-founder of ZOE, takes the stage on Saturday, October 3 to discuss Ferment and the science of gut health and the evening culminates with Prue Leith exploring the trials and taboos of growing older. Palaeontologist Steve Brusatte, author of the Sunday Times Book of the Week The Story of Birds, opens Sunday.

“Children are well served with Anne Brusatte in My Grandparents Were Dinosaurs, which promises to delight young visitors aged four to nine. Also Matt Newnham, with his Space Ranger Fred and the Great Galactic Bake Off, award-winning children’s literature author and poet, Eilish Fisher and Jessie Burton with her new children’s book Hidden Treasure.

“Crime fiction is a strong thread throughout the weekend. Abir Mukherjee, best-selling author of the award-winning Wyndham & Banerjee series, brings his latest thriller The Pinnacle. Andrew Hunter Murray, writer, broadcaster and Private Eye contributor, presents Bad Deeds, and Louisa Treger and Lottie Moggach appear together in a session on historical crime with A Fatal Love and Mrs Pearcey respectively.

“Bookfest 2026 also celebrates a remarkable array of non-fiction. Juliet Nicolson explores long-buried secrets in The Book of Revelations: A History of the Secrets Women Keep and Tell. Stephen McGinty recounts the lasting impact of the Dunblane tragedy in One Morning in March, in conversation with broadcaster Julian Worricker. Nature writing is brought to life by Harriet Rix (The Genius of Trees) and Richard Negus (Words from the Hedge), in conversation with Ruth Pavey.

“Further highlights include Patrick Gale, one of our most highly regarded novelists, reading from Love Lane in this year's Big Book Group session; Alexander Larman on the remarkable second act of David Bowie's career in Lazarus; Damian Barr, who appeared at the very first Bookfest in 2017, returning with The Two Roberts. Kate Mosse joins us with Autumn, a love-letter to Sussex exploring folklore, nature and creativity, and a session with father-and-son authors Greg and Felix Mosse, whose latest books span cosy village mystery and epic fantasy.”

Kate Mosse – Autumn: The Story of a Season with Steven Gale is in The Queen's Hall,

Cuckfield on Saturday, October 3, 4-5pm.

Sheila added: “This 10th anniversary festival brings together some of the most compelling writers working today – across fiction, history, politics, crime, nature and biography. We are thrilled to welcome Celia Imrie in our special standalone event, and to celebrate our anniversary with a programme that truly has something for everyone."

Tickets at https://www.ticketsource.com/cuckfieldbookfest/ Discover all events and find out more at www.cuckfieldbookfest.co.uk.

Cuckfield Bookfest is a Community Interest Company (CIC). The festival is almost entirely run by volunteers and sponsored by local companies and organisations, individual benefactors and festival friends. Festival Dates: October 2 to Sunday 4 2026, with special events including Celia Imrie on October 14.