The lineup
Who's speaking at Hay Festival 2026?
The full announced lineup for Hay Festival 2026. Names without a full profile are open to claim.
Bear Grylls Adventurer
David Miliband CEO, IRC
David Olusoga Historian, University of Manchester- ETEmma Thompson Actress, Norwich University of the Arts
John Thornhill Innovation editor, Financial Times
Malala Yousafzai Education activist, Nobel laureate, author and film producer, Malala Fund
Marcus du Sautoy Mathematician / broadcaster, University of Oxford- MMMariana Mazzucato Economist
Nicola Sturgeon Politician, Government of Scotland- RMRobin Morgan Comedian
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Tim Berners-Lee Inventor of the World Wide Web, World Wide Web Consortium- APAlex Payne Rugby broadcasterIs this you? Claim →
- ARAlice Roberts Anthropologist / broadcasterIs this you? Claim →
- AZAndy Zaltzman Is this you? Claim →
- AFAnna Foster Journalist and presenterIs this you? Claim →
- ABAntony Beevor HistorianIs this you? Claim →
- AKAthena Kugblenu Stand-up comedianIs this you? Claim →
- BGBannau Brycheiniog National Park Guides Is this you? Claim →
- BEBarbara Erskine AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- CPChloe Petts Is this you? Claim →
- CHClaudia Hammond Is this you? Claim →
- CAClive Anderson Is this you? Claim →
- CCCressida Cowell Children's authorIs this you? Claim →
- DCDallas Campbell PresenterIs this you? Claim →
- DFDawn French Comedian / actressIs this you? Claim →
- EFEmerald Fennell Oscar-winning writer and directorIs this you? Claim →
- ECEmma Corfield-Walters Owner of independent bookshop BookishIs this you? Claim →
- GHGeorgina Hayden ChefIs this you? Claim →
- IMIan McEwan AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- JBJames Dean Bradfield Manic Street PreachersIs this you? Claim →
- JHJames Haskell Former rugby internationalIs this you? Claim →
- JBJeremy Bowen JournalistIs this you? Claim →
- JCJoseph Coelho Children's author and performance poet, Waterstones Children's Laureate 2022–24Is this you? Claim →
- JCJung Chang AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- KBKate Bliss Antiques expert and television presenterIs this you? Claim →
- KRKatherine Rundell AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- KCKeith Cameron AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- KPKiri Pritchard-Mclean Is this you? Claim →
- LDLaura Dockrill AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- LSLauren Salter Sports journalistIs this you? Claim →
- MOMaggie O'Farrell AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- MAMaria Alyokhina Pussy Riot founder member and authorIs this you? Claim →
- MBMary Berry Food writerIs this you? Claim →
- MHMatt Haig AuthorIs this you? Claim →
- MMMichael McIntyre ComedianIs this you? Claim →
- MTMike Tindall Rugby playerIs this you? Claim →
- MMMiriam Margolyes ActressIs this you? Claim →
- NWNicky Wire Manic Street PreachersIs this you? Claim →
- NDNicola Davies Children's Laureate WalesIs this you? Claim →
- OBOliver Bullough Investigative journalistIs this you? Claim →
- PBPoorna Bell Journalist and authorIs this you? Claim →
- PLPrue Leith Chef / TV personalityIs this you? Claim →
- RBRachel Burden Is this you? Claim →
- STSandi Toksvig Comedian / broadcasterIs this you? Claim →
- SPSara Pascoe ComedianIs this you? Claim →
- SPSerhii Plokhy Professor of Ukrainian History at HarvardIs this you? Claim →
- SASimon Armitage Poet LaureateIs this you? Claim →
- SBStephen Bush Is this you? Claim →
- TATom Allen Comedian and presenterIs this you? Claim →
- TRTony Robinson Actor and authorIs this you? Claim →
We have 60 announced speakers for Hay Festival 2026. Missing someone, or is this your event?
Frequently asked
- Who's speaking at Hay Festival 2026?
- 60 announced speakers, including Bear Grylls, David Miliband, David Olusoga, Emma Thompson, and John Thornhill.
- What does Hay Festival 2026 cover?
- Topics include Innovation, Human Rights & Justice, Social Justice & Equity, Adventure & Exploration, Climate Action & Net Zero, and Digital Transformation.
What this lineup's speakers cover
The topics this edition's speakers are known for.
Industries represented
The sectors this edition's speakers come from.
Similar events
Other editions that drew the Hay Festival 2026 crowd