CHELTENHAM.- Tens of thousands of book-lovers of all ages, including over 7,000 schoolchildren, will head to Cheltenham in October for the UK’s oldest literature festival, for ten days of literary celebration, discussion and debate. Around 1,000 speakers will take part in more than 550 events at the family-friendly Festival Village, in the heart of Regency Cheltenham, under the umbrella theme: Who Do We Think We Are? Sessions will cover key questions about British identity and celebrate Britain’s rich literary and cultural heritage.

The programme, announced today and available in full at cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature, brings together some of our brightest minds, most incisive commentators, literary greats, fresh new voices and stars of stage and screen. The diverse programme covers history, current affairs, visual art, sport, food, fashion, lifestyle, psychology, science and business as well as fiction, poetry and a Family programme packed with events and workshops for toddlers to teens.

Five Guest Curators will bring fresh perspectives and voices to the Festival. They are: Will Gompertz, BBC Arts Editor; Sarah Moss, novelist, travel writer and academic; Robin Niblett, Director of Chatham House; Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley; and Nikesh Shukla, author, editor and campaigner.

As well as the revamped Festival Village, a series of themed events and fine dining takes place in The Daffodil, a sumptuous art deco venue, and free after-hours comedy, spoken word and music at the Festival Club @ Hotel du Vin. On the first Saturday night of the Festival, last year’s highly successful Lit Crawl returns– transforming a bar crawl into a fast-paced night of free literary delights.

Festival theme: Who Do We Think We Are?
In a year of extraordinary political turmoil the Festival asks what it means to be British in 2017 - bringing the best and brightest thinkers to address the problems that divide us, debate the opportunities that lie ahead and ponder Britain’s place on the world stage. Giving voice to diverse communities, and celebrating a rich cast of eccentrics and national treasures, it will encompass food, art, fashion, comedy and examine cultural offerings from Grime to The Archers in a quest to find out what makes us what we are.

Robin Niblett of Chatham House brings together panels of international experts to debate the European political scene and British foreign policy; Rod Liddle muses on the status of the British stiff upper lip while ex-Arts Council boss Peter Bazalgette and former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan ask what makes us better humans?

Celebrating and interrogating our remarkable diversity are a raft of speakers: Juno Dawson and CN Lester on transgender politics; Sabrina Mahfouz brings together British Muslim women’s voices in Things I Would Tell You: Nikesh Shukla describes being considered ‘other’ in your home country; June Sarpong calls for the power of diversity to be harnessed as a force for good; and Alan Johnson and Hashi Mohamed discuss social mobility.

British food will be chewed over – from lunch at Claridges, via Nadiya Hussain’s British Food Adventure, to Queen Victoria’s favourite fare; Patrick Barkham explores the islanders of Britain; Simon Jenkins extolls Britain’s best railway stations; Marcus Brigstocke gives a shout-out to the liberal metropolitan elite and Philip Collins advises non-Brexiteers in What Should Remainers Do Now?

Fiction
Literary giant Salman Rushdie talks about his new novel, The Golden House; and there’s an interview with bestselling author Bernard Cornwell as he steps off the plane from the US. Discussing their new books are Paula Hawkins (Into the Water), Amit Chaudhuri (Friend of My Youth) and Roddy Doyle (Smile), while Alan Hollinghurst talks about his new novel, The Sparsholt Affair as well as celebrating The Line of Beauty.

Sarah Waters is this year’s recipient of The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence and the Festival celebrates the 2017 Man Booker Prize with its annual shortlist event. And this year the Festival will launch the Borough Press First Novel Prize.

Children’s author and illustrator Judith Kerr, creator of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and her writer son Matthew Kneale (English Passengers) talk about their highly creative family.

In a lavishly illustrated lecture, Sarah Dunant shows the paintings and places that inspired her latest novel, In The Name of the Family; International bestselling author Philippa Gregory reflects on her 30-year career and Joanne Harris raises a glass to Chocolat, the novel that captured the hearts and imaginations of book, film and chocolate lovers alike.

Alexander McCall Smith discusses three new novels to be published this autumn including The House of Unexpected Sisters, A Time of Love and Tartan and A Distant View of Everything. Ian Rankin talks to James Naughtie to mark Thirty Years Of Rebus – one of crime fiction’s best-loved characters. Former MI5 Director General Stella Rimington joins author Allan Mallinson and BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera to discuss how true to life spy novels and films really are and Minette Walters talks about ending her decade-long hiatus from writing and shifting genres with The Last Hours.

Classic Literature
Robert Harris and Mike Poulton talk to Mary Beard about their adaptation of Harris’ Cicero trilogy for the Royal Shakespeare Company while Edward St Aubyn discusses his contemporary reimagining of King Lear; John Carey introduces his new version of John Milton’s Paradise Lost; and Jenny Uglow looks at the great nonsensicalist Edward Lear. Michael Rosen tells the little known story of Émile Zola’s year in exile in London; comedian Viv Groskop looks for life lessons in The Anna Karenina Fix: Life Lessons From Russian Literature. The acclaimed biographer of Austen, Dickens and Hardy, Claire Tomalin turns her critical eye to another fascinating literary life: her own and in a specially-commissioned lecture, Harriet Walter (Brutus and Other Heroines) discusses playing Shakespeare’s male and female leading roles.

Poetry
There’s a rare chance to see two of the country’s best-loved poets in conversation when Scottish Laureate Jackie Kay and Lemn Sissay discuss race, identity and what it really means to truly belong and give solo performances of their new work. Leading poets John Burnside, Michael Symmons Roberts, Daljit Nagra and Pascale Petit present new collections while we welcome the stars of the next generation: Kayo Chingonyi, Andrew McMillan, Luke Wright, Hollie McNish, Rob Auton, Inua Ellams, Anthony Anaxagorou and Sabrina Mahfouz. Harry Enfield and Alison Steadman perform war poetry from Shakespeare to the present day selected by Allie Esiri, whilst literary critic Erica Wagner, poet Clare Pollard and Faber Poetry Editor Matthew Hollis discuss the landmark publication of Volume One of The Letters of Sylvia Plath.

Stage and Screen
Russell Brand shares his experiences of fourteen and a half years of recovery from addiction, while comedians Matt Lucas (Little Me: My Life From A–Z...), Sarah Millican (How To Be Champion) and Peep Show star Robert Webb (How Not to be a Boy) talk equally candidly about their lives; Emma Freud interviews actor Bill Nighy and also meets swinging sixties cultural icon Twiggy; Michael Parkinson sits on the other side of the interviewer’s chair, this time occupied by his son Mike. The Archers’ Timothy Bentick reveals all about life on radio’s longest-running soap opera; Armando Iannucci and BBC Radio 3’s Clemency Burton-Hill discuss classical music; legendary folk singer Peggy Seeger discusses a rich life at the forefront of folk and protest, as documented in her memoir, First Time Ever, and Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt reveals her new book, Me Life Story: Sofa, So Good.

There’s a glimpse behind the scenes of Netflix’s lavish royal drama The Crown with key production staff and a well-known actor from the series and a unique opportunity to view guitarist Brian May’s personal snapshots in 3D from over four decades with Queen including moments from backstage, on the road and on stage.

Michael Whitehall, witty agent father of Jack Whitehall presents his memoir, Backing Into the Spotlight joined by his friend and presenter of Channel 4’s Countdown Nick Hewer; Richard Osman invites the audience to play along with The World Cup Of Everything, comedian Andy Hamilton presents his debut novel The Star Witness; music journalist David Hepworth (Uncommon People: The Rise and Fall of the Rock Stars) fronts a rock and roll brunch and Jeremy Vine divulges what he has learnt from his listeners.

Art & Design
Responding to the Festival’s key theme “Who Do We Think We Are?” is BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz, one of this year’s five Guest Curators. In The Story of British Art, Gompertz selects 10 key artists – from Blake to Banksy – through which he charts British art and social history including the Pre-Raphaelites, Gainsborough, Turner, David Hockney, Martin Parr and Tracey Emin and the YBAs.

Architect Richard Rogers discusses the power of buildings in creating a better and fairer society; Peter Brookes talks satire with David Aaronovitch; and Tristram Hunt, former politician and new Director of the V&A, talks about his role. Drawing on his experience of learning to paint again following his stroke in 2013, Andrew Marr tackles the subjects of inspiration, creativity, politics, beauty and form. Sotheby’s director Philip Hook takes the lid off the world of art dealing, and the Bolton Forger, Shaun Greenhalgh, discusses his astonishing story.

History/Historical fiction
Distinguished historian Simon Schama introduces the second instalment of The Story of the Jews; Alison Weir reveals how historical Queens wielded and secured their power; and in the Festival Lates strand, comedian Natalie Haynes delivers a stand-up show exploring what ancient civilisations can offer modern life. Historians Peter Snow and his wife Ann MacMillan (War Stories) share stories of ordinary people caught up in the turmoil of war; Charles Spencer (To Catch A King) and Linda Porter (Royal Renegades) discuss the repercussions following the 1649 execution of Charles I.

Current Affairs
The cast of experts on America, Russia and China convened by Robin Niblett, head of the internationallyrenowned think tank Chatham House, are joined by agenda-setters including Justin Webb and Nick Robinson celebrating 60 years of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme; Newsnight’s Evan Davis; Andrew Marr; Peter Hennessy and John Sergeant.

John Witherow, Editor of The Times gives a rare interview talking about his role; MPs Jess Phillips and Jacob Rees Mogg discuss unlikely political friendships; the last British governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten talks about his autobiography; debut novelist Vince Cable (Open Arms) and Stanley Johnson (Kompromat) give the inside scoop on two of this year’s hottest political thrillers while political strategist Alastair Campbell gives a candid interview. We hear from Gary Younge, author of Another Day in the Death of America and from Financial Times columnist Tim Harford on modern economics.