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Rick Stein, Alan Johnson, David Owen, David Olusoga, Penelope Lively, and Ruby Wax join line-up

200 events now available to book

Rick SteinMore than 100 new events have been added to this year’s FT Weekend Oxford Literary festival line-up including celebrity chef Rick Stein, pictured right, on A Life in Food.

Historian and broadcaster David Olusoga talks about his role in the BBC’s much anticipated update of Kennneth Clark’s landmark documentary Civilisation, and ex-minister Alan Johnson discusses his multi-award-winning series of autobiographies and the future of the Labour Party.

Booker winners Ben Okri and Penelope Lively return to Oxford this year, and the festival also welcomes Man Asian Literary Prize winner Su Tong.

Ruby WaxComedian and writer Ruby Wax, pictured left, talks about her new manual for mental health, How to be Human.

Major speakers previously announced include Shakespearean actor Antony Sher, journalist and presenter Robert Peston, scientist Richard Dawkins, novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz, Spandau Ballet songwriter and actor Gary Kemp, biographer Claire Tomalin, poets Michael Longley and Wendy Cope,  former director of the National Gallery and British Museum Neil MacGregor, Archers actor Tim Bentinck, witchcraft expert Ronald Hutton, and children’s writers Judith Kerr, Lauren Child and Cressida Cowell.

Oxford debates issues of the day

Leading commentators and philosophers take part in a series of ‘Oxford debates’ at this year’s festival.

David OwenFormer Foreign Secretary David Owen, pictured right, and ex-diplomat Mariot Leslie discuss how a post-Brexit UK should look.

Lawyer and Christian campaigner Andrea Williams and humanist Stephen Law debate whether Christians are being prosecuted. Law also leads an interactive debate involving the audience on ‘how to raise good citizens’.

Journalists Matthew d’Ancona and Alice Thwaite look at how we can champion truth in a time of ‘alternative facts’ and lies.

The 2018 festival takes place between Saturday March 17 and Sunday March 25. You can book online through this website, in person at Oxford Visitor Information Centre, Broad Street, and at our telephone box office on 0333 666 3366*.

* A £1.50 agent’s booking fee applies to all bookings made at the visitor information centre and by phone.

 

FT Weekend Title partner BBC World Service International radio partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner University of Oxford New College Jewish Book Week Partner of Jewish programme Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme Irish Embassy, London Supporters of the Irish programme MIT Press MIT Press. Sponsors of the programme of American literature and culture The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Princeton University Press British Academy Festival academic partner Ian and Carol Sellars Emily Rose and James Marrow Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture George Warren Mary and Cecil Quillen Jesus College Worcester College Worcester College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Hilda’s College 11th St Hilda's day at the festival St Cross College St Cross College The Feathers Hotel Woodstock Macdonald Bear Hotel Woodstock Critchleys The Royal Society of Literature Royal Literary Fund Felicity Bryan Associates Oxford University Press Conference Oxford University of Oxford Mathematical Institute Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Said Business School Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner The Oxford Times Regional media partner Oxford Brookes University Oxford University Images Oxford University Images The Sheldonian Theatre Floris of London City Audio Visual Sloane Club British Humanist Association Schoolreaders Oxford City Council The Litmus Partnership K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography OX magazine History of War All About History Glyndebourne Chamberlain Evans Estate agents Steer Oxford Botanic Garden Cinnamon Kitchen Compassion in World Farming

FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

FT Weekend Title partner BBC World Service International radio partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner University of Oxford New College Jewish Book Week Partner of Jewish programme Italian Embassy Supporter of Italian programme Irish Embassy, London Supporters of the Irish programme MIT Press MIT Press. Sponsors of the programme of American literature and culture The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Princeton University Press British Academy Festival academic partner Ian and Carol Sellars Emily Rose and James Marrow Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture George Warren Mary and Cecil Quillen Jesus College Worcester College Worcester College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Hilda’s College 11th St Hilda's day at the festival St Cross College St Cross College The Feathers Hotel Woodstock Macdonald Bear Hotel Woodstock Critchleys The Royal Society of Literature Royal Literary Fund Felicity Bryan Associates Oxford University Press Conference Oxford University of Oxford Mathematical Institute Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Said Business School Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner The Oxford Times Regional media partner Oxford Brookes University Oxford University Images Oxford University Images The Sheldonian Theatre Floris of London City Audio Visual Sloane Club British Humanist Association Schoolreaders Oxford City Council The Litmus Partnership K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography OX magazine History of War All About History Glyndebourne Chamberlain Evans Estate agents Steer Oxford Botanic Garden Cinnamon Kitchen Compassion in World Farming