This year’s Chester Literature Festival boasts a stellar line-up of big names from the world of books, stage and screen.

The full 2026 programme can now be announced, with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Corinne Bailey Rae, Celia Imrie, Nigel Planer and lexicography legend Susie Dent among the latest names to be revealed.

They will join Hamnet author Maggie O’Farrell, Sir Lenny Henry, TV historian Kate Williams, wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassim, social historian Kate Goodman and Indian history expert William Dalrymple.

The celebration of storytelling and the written word takes place at Storyhouse from 12 May to 14 June.

Tickets for all events are on sale now.

Festivalgoers can expect a month of brilliant 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.

The festival opens on Tuesday, 12 May when acclaimed writer, broadcaster and passionate food campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall celebrates the publication of his new book High Fibre Heroes.

Fearnley-Whittingstall is determined to help us all eat more fibre, and he wants to do that in simplest, most effective and delicious way possible. Find out how in this inspiring evening in the Storyhouse Theatre. A book is included in the ticket price.

On Saturday, 16 May Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae will be ‘in conversation’, talking about her enchanting and exuberant new children’s picture book Put Your Records On, which celebrates music’s unique power to soothe or energise us when we need it the most.

The event is organised by independent bookshops Booka and Lingham’s Booksellers and the ticket price includes a book.

There will also be a free drop-in Local Authors Fair in the Garret Theatre from 2-4pm where writers will be able to sell their books, meet the reading public and network with fellow authors. There will also be readings of excerpts, poems and stories.

Then on Sunday, 17 May join Andrea McLean will be interviewed by Radio Merseyside’s Lisa Marrey to mark the release of her unflinchingly honest and brilliantly enlightening new book Shameless.

When McLean left her high-profile role as the longest-serving host of Loose Women to follow her dreams, she soon learned failure can happens to anyone, along with stomach-clenching shame – but also that it doesn’t have to define us. The ticket price includes a copy of her book.

Sir Lenny Henry also 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.

On Saturday, 23 May there is a chance to spend the afternoon in the company of actress and author Celia Imrie as she engages in a lively conversation about her latest historical novel – Meet Me at Rainbow Corner – with long-time collaborator, writer, director and historian Fidelis Morgan.

Set in London, the delightful novel brings to life the vibrant world of Rainbow Corner, the famous social club for American servicemen where men and women gathered to dance, and more, during the Second World War. The afternoon is part of the Storyhouse and HisFest series of events.

What do you get if you cross Jane Austen’s most famous novel with a bunch of buffoons? The answer is Pride and Prejudice…But Funny which comes to the Garret Theatre on Friday, 29 May.

Then enjoy an exquisite fusion of poetry and music on the afternoon of Sunday, 31 May when poet, author and raconteur Chris Tutton and international award-winning harpist Lucy Nolan join forces to present the captivating Imaginary Landscapes.

Meanwhile 31 May also sees actor and writer Nigel Planer visit Storyhouse. A founding figure of the 80s alternative comedy scene, and much-loved hippy Neil in The Young Ones, he will bring his memoir Young Once to life in a warm, sharply funny live show of storytelling which promises to be both mischievous and moving.

The event, presented by Edge Street Live, will also include an audience Q&A.

Storyhouse hosts a Spoken Word Open Mic Night on Wednesday, 3 June. The evening, which is a new regular event, will bring together a vibrant mix of spoken word and live literature from a talented bill of open mic nights from the local area.

With more than 500,000 followers on social media and a host of sell-out shows across the country, Brian Bilston is one of the UK’s most popular poets. Now he is coming to the 2026 Chester Literature Festival, appearing on Thursday, 4 June with his latest book How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside. Get ready for an evening of comedy and laughter.

Then on Friday, 5 June, Storyhouse hosts a special Crime and Thriller Panel featuring local author – and Sunday Times best-selling novelist – Caroline Corcoran along with Sean Watkin and CL Taylor. Each will talk through their writing inspirations and introduce the audience to their chilling new reads for this summer.

Fancy following in our authors’ footsteps? Then a pair of two-hour workshops on Saturday, 6 June are a must-attend. In the How to Write a Book Workshop, Caroline Corcoran returns, this time with Caroline Hulse, to provide participants with practical methods, tips and tricks to get your words on to a page in a format which will make agents and editors take notice. The event concludes with a Q&A.

In the afternoon, the How to Get Published Workshop will demystify the industry and help you get your work in front of the right people. From perfecting your submission to crafting a compelling synopsis, to approaching an agent and choosing the right publisher, the workshop will offer practical guidance and tried and tested strategies.

Meanwhile later the same day, Edge Street Live presents John Robb – best-selling author, musician, journalist, Louder than War music website boss, Louder than Words and Louder than War Live festival boss, eco champion, vegan behemoth and punk rock warlord…Robb is all these things and more, and his upcoming autobiography will cover all this as well as his adventures in punk and post-punk.

There are also a trio of festival events taking place in the Garret Theatre on Sunday, 7 June.

Popular local historian Chris Fozzard returns after appearing at the LitFest last year, this time to talk about Chester’s historic papers in Old News – Tragedy and Comedy in the Early Chester Press, sharing a wealth of fascinating stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Then Jenna Carr will share brilliant tips on travelling effectively with children in Yes, You Can Travel With Kids. Learn how to plan cost-effective adventures on realistic budgets, discover perfect destinations at home and abroad and hear about how to keep kids entertained in an afternoon of relatable anecdotes and empowering travel hacks.

And finally, Chester Humanists present Desert Island Books. A good book provides focus and enrichment – some seize our imagination and take us on wild adventures, some inspire in us new strength, and some stay in the memory long after they are read. In this panel events, Chester Humanists post questions about and explore the books that matter most to members of the Chester community.

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.

Susie Dent is Word Perfect on Saturday, 13 June. Britain’s best wordsmith (and novelist) is back with a new collection of facts and stories from the wonderful world of words. Prepare to be educated and entertained with the aid of some funny and insightful examples which show just how unpredictable, wayward utterly magical our mother tongue can be.

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: “We’re delighted to unveil the full programme for this year’s Chester Literature Festival, especially in the National Year of Reading. Books are at the centre of what we do at Storyhouse – not only through the festival but through our library, which sits at the heart of our building and our community.

“The festival brings together an extraordinary range of writers, performers and thinkers for a month of talks, events, workshops and performances that celebrate books, poetry and storytelling in all their forms. We’re looking forward to welcoming audiences into Storyhouse to celebrate the joy of reading.”

For more details on Storyhouse visit www.storyhouse.com