Everything you need to know about the Hay Festival, 2018
Margaret Atwood The Canadian author’s 1985 dystopian masterpiece, The Handmaid’s Tale, has never been more relevant. With the second series of the acclaimed TV adaptation returning to British TV screens, she’ll be talking to Hay Festival director Peter Florence about the book and its legacy in the Tata Tent on Monday 28 May at 16:00. […]
Margaret Atwood
The Canadian author’s 1985 dystopian masterpiece, The Handmaid’s Tale, has never been more relevant. With the second series of the acclaimed TV adaptation returning to British TV screens, she’ll be talking to Hay Festival director Peter Florence about the book and its legacy in the Tata Tent on Monday 28 May at 16:00.
Robert Webb
The actor and comedian made waves last year with his first book, How Not to Be a Boy, which looks back on his bittersweet childhood in Lincolnshire and also has some wise words on masculinity’s pitfalls. The Peep Show star will be talking to Sarfraz Manzoor in the Tata Tent on Friday 25 May at 19:00.
Rose McGowan
The actress has become one of the most visible figureheads of the #MeToo movement after speaking out against abuse in the movie industry. She’ll be talking about her incendiary book, Brave – a raw, honest, and poignant memoir/manifesto which aims to empower people everywhere – with Laurie Penny on the Good Energy Stage on Saturday 2 June at 13:00.
Goldie
The charismatic drum ‘n’ bass pioneer will be talking to Gemma Cairney about his memoir All Things Remembered – an explosive story of abuse, revenge, graffiti, breakdancing, gold teeth, sawn-off shotguns, car crashes, hot yoga, absent fatherhood and redemption through reality TV. The event takes place on the Good Energy Stage on Sunday 27 May at 19:00.
Chelsea Clinton
The daughter of former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will present her illustrated book, She Persisted, which celebrates 13 women from around the world who have created change and shaped history – from JK Rowling to Malala Yousafzai. She’ll be talking to Alex Jones in the Oxfam Moot tent on Sunday 3 June at 11:30.
The BBC Tent at Hay
As well as recordings and live broadcasts of BBC shows, a number of events at the festival will offer an inside look at the latest BBC dramas and documentaries, including tips from some of our leading screenwriters and documentary makers. You can book tickets – mostly free – here.
David Walliams
He may have shot to fame alongside Matt Lucas as one of the comic brains behind Little Britain, but since the publication of his first novel, The Boy in the Dress, David Walliams has also seen ten years of success as a children’s author. He’ll be talking to Gemma Cairney about the inspiration for his best-loved characters, and reading excerpts from some of his books, in the Tata Tent on Saturday 26 May at 10:00.
Jilly Cooper
The much-loved author will be talking to Stephanie Merritt about her long career in literature, from her early years in journalism and her non-fiction books on class, marriage and animals, to becoming queen of the ‘bonkbuster’ with 80s classics Riders and Rivals. The event takes place in the Tata Tent on Thursday 31 May at 16:00.
Rupert Everett
The actor will be talking to Alan Yentob and previewing clips from his forthcoming film about Oscar Wilde’s last days, The Happy Prince, – as well as extracts from the BBC’s recent imagine… documentary about his life and work – in the Tata Tent on Saturday 27 May at 13:00.
Hay online
BBC Arts Digital will once again be bringing you daily highlights from the festival and making a number of events available to watch in full via BBC iPlayer. A range of articles will explore some of the big ideas and extraordinary stories being discussed at Hay – from artificial intelligence and neuroscience to the #Metoo movement and big tech’s impact on democracy.
Hay on radio and television
38 BBC shows will be recorded or broadcast live from the site – including BBC Two’s Front Row Late, BBC World News’ Talking Books, BBC Radio 4’s Today and Start the Week, BBC Radio 3’s The Essay and Free Thinking, plus a host of shows from BBC Wales and BBC Hereford and Worcester.