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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 University of Oxford BBC World Service International radio partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Worcester College Worcester College: Festival college partner Irish Embassy, London Supporters of the Irish programme Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press Massachusetts Institute of Technology 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 Head of Zeus The Macdonald Randolph Hotel The festival hotel Italian Cultural Institute HM Government of Gibraltar Festival green room sponsor Gibunco Group Sponsor of Gibraltar Lecture British Academy BBC Four Television Broadcast media partner Earthwatch Europe Ian and Carol Sellars Emily Rose and James Marrow Jill Dunsmore New College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Jesus College St Hilda’s College St John’s College St John's College The Queen’s College The Queen's College Exeter College Exeter College Hertford College Keble College Keble College Oxford Brookes University Said Business School University of Oxford Mathematical Institute Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design The Royal Society of Literature Royal Literary Fund Princeton University Press Felicity Bryan Associates University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Conference Oxford Oxford University Images Oxford University Images The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Press Floris of London Critchleys City Audio Visual Bayard Presse Eynsham Hall Macdonald Bear Hotel Sloane Club Ashmolean Museum British Humanist Association The Story Museum Oxford City Council The Litmus Partnership K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography OX magazine Liaison Financial Services Steer

FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival partners & sponsors

FT Weekend Title partner University of Oxford BBC World Service International radio partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Worcester College Worcester College: Festival college partner Irish Embassy, London Supporters of the Irish programme Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press Massachusetts Institute of Technology 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 Head of Zeus The Macdonald Randolph Hotel The festival hotel Italian Cultural Institute HM Government of Gibraltar Festival green room sponsor Gibunco Group Sponsor of Gibraltar Lecture British Academy BBC Four Television Broadcast media partner Earthwatch Europe Ian and Carol Sellars Emily Rose and James Marrow Jill Dunsmore New College Lincoln College Lincoln College St Cross College St Cross College Jesus College St Hilda’s College St John’s College St John's College The Queen’s College The Queen's College Exeter College Exeter College Hertford College Keble College Keble College Oxford Brookes University Said Business School University of Oxford Mathematical Institute Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies The Oxford Times Regional media partner BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design The Royal Society of Literature Royal Literary Fund Princeton University Press Felicity Bryan Associates University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Conference Oxford Oxford University Images Oxford University Images The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Press Floris of London Critchleys City Audio Visual Bayard Presse Eynsham Hall Macdonald Bear Hotel Sloane Club Ashmolean Museum British Humanist Association The Story Museum Oxford City Council The Litmus Partnership K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography OX magazine Liaison Financial Services Steer