Hay Festival 2019 Programme

Care is the thread that runs through the life of Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey. In this event he shares his own experiences as a carer and those of countless others he has met. His Why I Care: And Why Care Matters is a deeply personal story, shedding light on the often-invisible world of the millions of carers who form the backbone of our communities.

Aged four, Davey lost his father to cancer. When his mother also became ill with cancer, he and his brothers nursed her at home until she died when he was just 15. His grandfather passed away a few years later, and Davey and his brother then looked after their grandmother in old age. Now he and his wife care for their son, who has severe physical and learning disabilities, as well as raising their daughter.

Join Clive Anderson and guests for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy in this special live recording of Radio 4’s long-running variety show.

Two bird enthusiasts take us under their wing in this celebration of our feathered friends and our relationship with them.

Broadcaster, author and lifelong birder Jon Gower (Birdland) reminds us that birds are commonplace miracles that have inspired artists for centuries, from the symphonic song of the wren and the clack of a puffin’s beak to epic migrations and sunset murmurations. History and nature writer Adam Nicolson (Bird School) recently decided to redress his ignorance of bird life, observing nightingales, cuckoos, turtle doves, pheasants, robins and owls; where they nest, how they sing, how they mate and fight, what preys on them, what they are like as living things.

Our birds face climate threat and decline in biodiversity, and their call has in many ways fallen silent. Join Gower and Nicolson in conversation with presenter, actress and author Anni Llŷn, to find out more about the inhabitants of our skies and what can be done to restore their soundtrack.

From Ecuador and India to Canada, writer Robert Macfarlane explores the ancient idea that rivers are living beings; an idea that has taken on new relevance and urgency as we face a planet battling the effects of climate change. Sharing stories and insights from his new book Is a River Alive?, Macfarlane shifts our perspective, making us see that our fate is tied into that of our rivers.

Macfarlane, a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, is internationally renowned for his writing on nature, people and place. His bestselling books include Underland, Landmarks and The Wild Places, as well as a book-length prose-poem, Ness.

In collaboration with the artist Jackie Morris he co-created the internationally bestselling books of nature-poetry and art, The Lost Words and The Lost Spells. He is currently completing his third book with Morris: The Lost Birds.

In conversation with the writer and broadcaster, Horatio Clare.

In the closing months of the Second World War hundreds of thousands of Japanese, mostly civilians, died in a final outburst of atomic violence. Richard Overy rethinks how we should regard this. How did decisions to kill civilians and destroy cities become normalised; how were moral concerns blunted; and why did scientists, airmen and politicians follow a strategy of mass destruction?

He also engages with new scholarship showing how complex the effort to end the war was in Japan, where ‘surrender’ was an entirely foreign concept. Overy is Honorary Research Professor of History at Exeter and author of The Dictators and The Bombing War.

Historian and Intelligence Squared podcaster Helen Carr tells the story of the century beginning with the death of Edward I in 1307 and ending with the deposition of Richard II in 1399. Her thrilling account in Sceptred Isle is Britain seen through the lives of the last Plantagenets. She uncovers lesser-known voices and untold stories along the way, shedding new light on this pivotal period of English history.

Through the epic drama of regicide, war, the prolonged spectre of the Black Death, religious antagonism, revolt and the end of a royal dynasty, we encounter the human stories behind a fractured monarchy, the birth of the struggle between Europeanism and nationalism, social rebellion and a global pandemic.

Can women have it all? What does it mean to be a woman and a mother in the modern age? Passionate, funny and fierce, BRIT Award-winning Paloma Faith delves deep into the issues that face women today, from battling through the expectations of patriarchy to the Supermum myth.

She tackles the challenges of IVF and the early years of motherhood with characteristic humour and raw honesty. From questions about identity and motherhood, to how we need to embrace imperfection and the pleasures of being ‘selfish’, Paloma invites us into her own story, to explore how our bonds with our children evolve into adulthood.

Join Phil Wang and Susie Dent as they challenge special guests to invent new words to help create the new ultimate Unspeakable dictionary.

Spend a lively evening in the company of Alexander McCall Smith as he introduces the latest instalment of his series The Perfect Passion Company. In Looking For You, Katie Donald is eager to continue helping the lovelorn find connection, and with news of her expertise spreading, she’s inundated with people seeking her advice.

McCall Smith is author of the highly successful No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which has sold over 25 million copies. He’ll take us through his inspirations, share stories of his research into the world of matchmaking, and offer a look at his writing career. He’ll also discuss The Lost Language of Oysters, the latest novel in his hilarious von Igelfeld series, charting the mishaps of Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld and his colleagues at the University of Regensburg’s Institute of Romance Philology.

How can we protect ourselves from the pollution, chemicals and toxins that pervade our environment? And how important is nature to our lives? Proponent of Ecological Medicine Dr Jenny Goodman, nature connections researcher and writer Durre Shahwar and Oxford Professor of Biodiversity Kathy Willis connect the health of our planet with our own well-being.

Goodman (Getting Healthy in Toxic Times) seeks to understand how environmental factors affect our health, from pollution to toxins to radiation. Shahwar is co-editor of Gathering, an anthology on nature and climate by women of colour. Her research has explored how marginalised communities form connections with nature. Professor Willis (Good Nature) has dedicated her research to proving the link between the amount of green space in our lives and our better health, mood and longevity. In conversation with author, conservationist and award-winning broadcaster, Professor Ben Garrod.

Explore the complexity of rivers and the way they’re integral to the landscapes they run through. Our experts – Simone Lowthe-Thomas of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and author Robert Macfarlane – talk to the chair of the National Trust, René Olivieri, about how we get the balance right between sustainable approaches to environmental, agricultural and urban needs.

Craig aka Birdgirl, ornithologist, campaigner, founder of Black2Nature and author of We Have a Dream. Lowthe-Thomas works for the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority as Director of Nature Recovery and Climate Change. Macfarlane is internationally renowned for his writing on nature, people and place. His books include Underland, Landmarks and The Lost Spells, co-created with artist Jackie Morris. Olivieri previously served as the chair of organisations including the RSPCA and the Wildlife Trust.

Listen to Tree Oh! and become re-enchanted with nature. The Swedish music collective bring new music from their debut EP Our Urban Nature to Hay Festival, with roots in Swedish folk. Influences ranging from classical to Americana, pop and jazz blend with three voices singing in harmony to tell stories about our relationship with nature.

Alongside viola, flutes, ukulele and Celtic harp, this trio sings about nature in cities, enchanted gardens, mighty trees, the climate crisis, rising oceans, the legacy of colonialism and the need for new dreams. Tree Oh! comprises Anna Jonsson, Sara Nilsson and Nina Wohlert, musicians and environmentalists. They’re accompanied by readings from lyricist Andrew Simms of the New Weather Institute – an environmental campaigner and regular speaker at the Festival.

Music critic Kate Kennedy presents an evening of storytelling and music, looking at the lives of remarkable cellists who suffered persecution, and discussing her own relationship with the cello.

Berridge is a founder member of the Sacconi Quartet, who have won prizes at many international competitions. She accompanies the event with live cello performance. Author Kennedy’s latest book weaves her own complicated relationship with the cello together with interviews with contemporary cellists and the stories of cellists throughout history, including Lise Cristiani, the first female professional cello soloist, who undertook an epic and ultimately fatal concert tour of Siberia in the 1850s, taking with her one of the world’s greatest Stradivari cellos.

The American financier and former White House Communications Director shares a candid look at the wheels of power in the US. As a front seat commentator on the US/UK relationship, The Rest is Politics US podcast co-host takes a view of its twists, turns and possible futures, with political strategist and The Rest is Politics UK co-host Alastair Campbell.

Anthony Scaramucci is founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He also co-hosts the Open Book podcast, and is author of several books, most recently The Little Book of Bitcoin.

The global finance and Crypto entrepreneur was in the first generation of his Italian-American family to attend college, and his ascent in the financial industry and the world of politics has been both remarkable and hard-won. Scaramucci served briefly in President Trump’s White House team in 2016, before some strongly worded comments on members of the administration saw him leave after an 11-day tenure.

Start your day with an hour of movement and breathwork. Our daily yoga classes are brought to you by a collective of highly skilled practitioners, all local to Hay-on-Wye. Each practitioner has their own style, but whichever class you attend, you can expect a mindful, student-focused practice with clear cueing and functional sequencing. Blending movement, mantra, meditation and breathwork, the classes support detoxification and regeneration – physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Whether you need grounding and recharging before a busy day at the Festival, an opportunity to stretch and move your body, or simply an hour to focus on your breathing, these yoga classes are open and accessible to all. Practitioners will adapt to different levels of experience, providing options for deepening or softening within poses so that each student takes what they need from the practice. Beginners and experienced students are most welcome. Yoga mats are provided.

Please contact Clare Fry at hello@larchwoodstudio.com with any questions relating to these classes. As capacity is limited, we recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing, and alert your practitioner at the start of class if you have any injuries.

Legend has it that Hay Castle was built in a day by a giantess called Matilda who hurled a stone across the Wye at the end of construction. Find out about this story and more with this entry ticket that also allows you to visit the castle as many times as you like for a year. Explore Matilda’s room, the castle’s costumes and cellars, and the Richard Booth Archive, and make your way right to the top for amazing views from the viewing platform.

This ticket allows you to visit the Castle at a time of your choice on the day selected, and also gives you entry into the 20th Century Welsh Artists exhibition on the second floor.

Come to the Family Garden for a pizza masterclass with Kitchen Garden Pizza. In this one-hour session your imagination and creativity will be fed along with your belly! You’ll get your hands messy with freshly grown and foraged ingredients, make and top your own dough and observe the pizzaioli at work at the wood-fired oven.

Dairy-free and gluten-free options available.

Join us for an exclusive guided tour led by one of our passionate volunteer guides during Hay Festival 2025. Our knowledgeable guides will take you on a captivating journey through the castle, revealing tales of medieval knights, royal intrigue and the castle’s remarkable restoration. As you explore the castle you’ll gain unique insights into the lives of those who once called this place home. The tour also offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, providing the perfect backdrop for your visit.

Guided tours run daily at 11am and 2pm. Tour price includes entry into the Castle for a year including the current exhibition: 20th Century Welsh Artists.

Come to the Family Garden for a pizza masterclass with Kitchen Garden Pizza. In this one-hour session your imagination and creativity will be fed along with your belly! You’ll get your hands messy with freshly grown and foraged ingredients, make and top your own dough and observe the pizzaioli at work at the wood-fired oven.

Dairy-free and gluten-free options available.

Join us for an exclusive guided tour led by one of our passionate volunteer guides during Hay Festival 2025. Our knowledgeable guides will take you on a captivating journey through the castle, revealing tales of medieval knights, royal intrigue and the castle’s remarkable restoration. As you explore the castle you’ll gain unique insights into the lives of those who once called this place home. The tour also offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, providing the perfect backdrop for your visit.

Guided tours run daily at 11am and 2pm. Tour price includes entry into the Castle for a year including the current exhibition: 20th Century Welsh Artists.

Get the story of Alexei Navalny, the man who became the sole political threat to Vladimir Putin, directly from his wife Yulia Navalnaya. Russian opposition leader, anti-corruption campaigner and political prisoner, Navalny won international recognition and respect. His many international honours included the Sakharov Prize, the European Parliament’s annual human rights prize.

In this extraordinary event, Navalnaya speaks to political strategist Alastair Campbell about her husband’s life and political fight, and his book Patriot, which he began writing after he was poisoned by the Russian security services in 2020. Patriot also contains Navalny’s prison diaries, written before his 2024 death in a brutal Siberian prison.

Gain a unique and heartfelt insight into the healing nature of our relationship with animals from Jay Griffiths, author of Wild: An Elemental Journey, Kith: The Riddle of the Childscape and Pip Pip: A Sideways Look at Time.

She discusses the evidence showing that animals can heal us, drawing on Indigenous knowledge, scientific discoveries and history to explore how animals can have a role in every level of healing, from the individual to the collective.

In conversation with writer, editor and producer Kathryn Tann, Griffiths tells stories from her new book How Animals Heal Us, including that of a pot-bellied pig who saved her owner’s life, and lions who guarded a girl from kidnappers.

Local historian Elizabeth Bingham and Hay resident Mary Morgan return to the Festival following previous years’ popular talks on local churches, castles, monuments and memorials. This year they turn to the history and workings of watermills, the world’s first source of mechanical power.

They take an illustrated look at some of the old mills near Hay, previously used for grinding grain, to give flour for bread and grist for animals, as well as for fulling cloth and making paper. Some are still working, some are ruined, and some have been restored or converted into homes, cafés or hydro-generating projects.

Is the myth that there is no Welsh art really true? Peter Lord doesn’t think so, and in a new exhibition at the National Library of Wales he’s combined his substantial collection with items from the National Art Collection at the National Library of Wales for the first time in order to tell the story of Welsh art and artists.

Lord punches back at the allegation made by Dr Llewelyn Wyn Griffith in the 1950s that there is no Welsh art, and talks through some of his collection of art and artefacts.

Lord worked for 15 years as a practising artist, and in 1986 turned to writing about Welsh art history. He has published extensively in both English and Welsh languages, broadcast on television and radio, and curated many exhibitions. His books include The Visual Culture of Wales and The Tradition.

Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken are delighted to invite you to their new BBC Radio 4 podcast.

In What’s Up Docs? they debate everyday health and wellbeing dilemmas and search for the best solutions. They want to make sense of the constant barrage of information we receive from newspapers, social media, and even other podcasts! They want to know whether to go for testosterone replacement OR how to avoid heavy metals in our diets, how can they get more willpower and what can they do about dodgy knees. And can they get rid of bad breath?!

Together with a guest expert, they examine the latest research, psychological insights, and data. In this episode, prepare to cheer up as they explore the science of the smile.

Come to the Family Garden for a pizza masterclass with Kitchen Garden Pizza. In this one-hour session your imagination and creativity will be fed along with your belly! You’ll get your hands messy with freshly grown and foraged ingredients, make and top your own dough and observe the pizzaioli at work at the wood-fired oven.

Dairy-free and gluten-free options available.

Come to the Family Garden for a pizza masterclass with Kitchen Garden Pizza. In this one-hour session your imagination and creativity will be fed along with your belly! You’ll get your hands messy with freshly grown and foraged ingredients, make and top your own dough and observe the pizzaioli at work at the wood-fired oven.

Dairy-free and gluten-free options available.

The anthropologist and broadcaster sheds fresh light on how people have lived in Britain, by examining the stories of the dead. Her three books on burial, Ancestors, Buried and Crypt, revive characters from the past, starting with the earliest Britons and journeying through the Roman occupation and on to the Middle Ages.

From the murky world of prehistory to Roman graveside feasts, and from richly furnished Anglo Saxon graves to a pit of murdered Vikings, she shows that the information we can extract from archaeological human remains represents an essential tool for understanding our own history.

Professor Alice Roberts was a presenter on Channel 4’s Time Team, and went on to write and present The Incredible Human Journey, Origins of Us and Ice Age Giants on BBC2. She is also presenter of Digging for Britain.

Artists and activists Led By Donkeys share the journey of their five years of resistance against those in power in Britain.

Led By Donkeys was founded in early 2019 when four friends, motivated by the “thermonuclear hypocrisy of our political overlords”, started going out at night to paste up guerrilla billboards of the leading Brexiters’ historic tweets. Mixing art and activism, they have created some of the most memorable images of our political age, and continue to protest. Hear directly from the group, and be inspired to take your own political action. They talk to writer Oliver Bullough.

Joanne Harris returns to the world of Chocolat with the long-awaited story of Vianne. Twenty-five years after the publication of the Whitbread-shortlisted novel – adapted for film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp – the author discusses her prequel, set six years before Vianne opens her scandalous chocolaterie in the small French village of Lansquenet.

Sylviane Rochas scatters her mother’s ashes in New York and lets the changing wind blow her to the French seaside town of Marseille. For the first time in her life, Vianne holds the future in her own hands. As she discovers the joy of cooking for the first time, making recipes her own with the addition of bittersweet spices, she realises that it possesses its own, dangerous magic in this town full of secrets…

If you think the outlook is bleak, come and hear some much-needed new perspective on our prospects as Isabel Losada and Sumit Paul-Choudhury discuss their good vibes with Director of Positive News Martin Wright.

In The Joyful Environmentalist Losada gets right on with the solutions. Looking for every single way we can take care of the planet, she addresses how we live and work, travel, shop, eat, drink, dress, vote, play, volunteer, bank – everything. She advocates doing this wholeheartedly, energetically and joyfully, until we’re all fully equipped to be part of the pollution solution.

Astrophysicist-turned-journalist Sumit Paul-Choudhury’s The Bright Side is a deep dive into the power and science of optimism. Irrational though it might seem, optimism is central to the human psyche: without it we would never have survived the unpredictable and often hostile world we evolved into – and it may have lessons for us yet.