Hamnet author Maggie O’Farrell, Sir Lenny Henry and TV historian Kate Williams are among the headliners announced for this year’s Chester Literature Festival.

Wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassim, social historian Kate Goodman and Indian history expert William Dalrymple will also appear at the 2026 celebration of storytelling and the written word which takes place at Storyhouse from 12 May to 14 June.

Festivalgoers can expect a month of unmissable talks, performances, events and workshops in a wide-ranging programme packed with special guests from the world of literature, poetry, stage and screen.

And there is no better time to celebrate the power of books with 2026 designated National Year of Reading which is dedicated to encouraging reading for pleasure, wellbeing and connection.

On Saturday, 16 May journalist and broadcaster John Craven shares The Stories Behind the Headlines with Chester audiences.

Join the national treasure as he reflects with insight, nostalgia and warmth on more than 50 years at the forefront of British broadcasting, from presenting the pioneering Newsround which brought the world to generations of young people to covering national and world news and three decades on the BBC’s Countryfile.

Sir Lenny Henry comes to Storyhouse on Sunday, 17 May with a new live show which is part stand-up, part storytelling and part conversation (with himself).

The superstar comedian, impressionist, actor, author and fundraiser will trace the roles, characters and moments which have defined his remarkable 50-year career and will reveal what continues to inspire him now as he reflects on a life lived out loud.

Much-loved natural history storyteller Hamza Yassim visits on Tuesday, 19 May to talk about My Life Behind the Lens.

In his first ever live tour, the wildlife cameraman, presenter – and Strictly Come Dancing champion – will share his infectious sense of wonder and most precious memories, both in life and nature including his epic filming expeditions across the globe. Expect an evening of adventure, storytelling and stunning imagery.

Then on Wednesday, 20 May explore Living History with Ruth Goodman. While we all know what life was like for kings and queens, what was it like for the rest of us commoners?

The acclaimed historian, author and broadcaster behind hit shows like Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm and Tudor Monastery Farm will delve into the secrets, routines and remarkable ingenuity of our ancestors, sharing personal anecdotes from her immersive TV series and insights from her extensive research.

The event is part of a series co-produced by Storyhouse and HistFest.

World Poetry Slam champion, social media phenomenon – and new dad – Harry Baker brings his warmth, wit and wonder to new parenthood in Tender which visits the festival on Thursday, 21 May.

His delightful new anthology contains poems from the first 100 days of new life and celebrates all the euphoria, panic and vulnerability that come with it. Baker will share verse about introducing his baby to a horse for the first time and trying to work out if the GP really did drop them on purpose to test their reflexes. And there will be some non-baby bangers too.

And William Dalrymple makes his Chester Literature Festival debut on Wednesday, 10 June when he will talk about The Relentless Rise of the East India Company.

One of Britain’s greatest living historians and renowned for his meticulous research, William Dalrymple is revered across the globe for his ability to bring the extraordinary history of India to life. In this evening at Storyhouse, he will tell the story of more than 200 years of tumultuous colonial history, covert political machinations and bloody resistance.

Then on Thursday, 11 June, spend An Evening with Maggie O’Farrell who comes to Storyhouse in a special event hosted by Linghams Booksellers and Booka Bookshop to celebrate the publication of her new novel Land.

Inspired by the mapping of Ireland in the mid-19^th Century, the award-winning author and screenwriter of Hamnet weaves yet another tale that is at once intimate and epic: here a portrait of a family navigating a legacy of upheaval and survival with resilience and love.

TV historian, author and novelist Professor Kate Williams returns to the literature festival on Sunday, 14 June with her new book. From Cleopatra to Grace Kelly, REGINA is an epic history of royal women that shatters the myths we have built around them.

Williams is a royal expert, TV historian and professor of public engagement with history at the University of Reading. She is also the author of several acclaimed biographies including England’s Mistress, Young Elizabeth and Rival Queens. Her latest book, The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandal, is out now.

The 14 June matinee is also part of the series of events co-produced by Storyhouse and HistFest.

And in the evening of the same day, join ceramicist and Great British Pottery Throwdown judge Keith Brymer Jones and‘his partner in crime’ actor and designer Marj Hogarth as they share stories of clay, craft and bringing a building back to life in Us, Pots and a Welsh Chapel.

Fresh from filming the third series of Channel 4’s Our Welsh Chapel Dream, they will invite festival audiences behind the scenes of their creative partnership based on the restoration of Capel Salem, a grade II listed 19^th Century chapel in North Wales. This is an evening about more than restoration: it’s about what we make, why we make it and who we become in the making.

Chester Literature Festival is Storyhouse’s annual celebration of books, poetry and storytelling and remains one of the longest-running annual literature events in the country.

It was launched in 1989 by volunteer arts organisation Chester Arts 89 and city booksellers who programmed a week of literary activity including a reading by the niece of novelist DH Lawrence. This is the 15^th year the festival has been programmed by Storyhouse.

Storyhouse Creative Director Suzie Henderson said: “I am delighted that this years Literature Festival has such a fantastic programme bringing internationally acclaimed authors from such a wide range of genres to the stages at Storyhouse, there truly is something for everyone!  A great reminder in the National Year of reading that even if you think books might not be for you, your local library is a treasure trove of stories and ideas to excite and inspire.”

For more details on Storyhouse visit www.storyhouse.com