Tickets are now on sale for the book lovers’ event of the year – The Isle of Wight Literary Festival. You can now book your seats to hear from star names and top authors in many fields at the festival, which runs from 3rd-6th October in Cowes. Clare Balding, Susie Dent, Gyles Brandreth, Celia Imrie and Louise Minchin are among the celebrity wordsmiths signed up for the Northwood House-based festival. You can book your tickets through the festival website – www.isleofwightliteraryfestival.com. From 25th September they will also be available from Kendall’s Fine Art in Cowes. Several venues in Northwood House and around Cowes will be used for the festival. As a curtain-raiser, there is a jazz event in the Northwood House ballroom on Wednesday 2nd October, when the John Davidson Quartet will be entertaining. The literary offerings begin the next day, with BBC breakfast host Louise Minchin on stage at 15:20, followed by antiques expert Eric Knowles at 16:40. Highlights of the Friday schedule include veteran rock music author David Hepworth at 16:20 while on the Saturday, Gyles Brandreth takes to the stage at 12:40, former government minister Lord Norman Fowler is on at 15:20 and Celia Imrie and Fidelis Morgan will be talking about their latest book Meet Me at Rainbow Corner at 16:40. The festival closes on Sunday 6th October, with the highlights being national treasure Clare Balding talking about her latest book Isle of Dogs at 13:00 and word expert Susie Dent on stage at 14:20. Maggie Ankers, festival chairman, said:
“This is a wonderful programme of speakers, with a broad range of subjects and interest for everyone. “Book early to avoid disappointment.”
Gyles Brandreth gigs are notorious for being the most raucous live shows in the UK.
Dry ice, indoor pyrotechnics and a heaving moshpit full of flailing bodies as he opens by reading his latest works.
Expect stage diving, beer throwing, and his legendary show that makes Slipknot look like The Wombles.
Yes, despite his cuddly TV image, GB in the flesh is a whole different experience.
GillyBrandies as his fans are known are easily spotted with their metal studded leather and wool mixed outfits or pvc trousers and tea cosy hats.
I hope the literary festival have employed a few burly bouncers in case it all gets out of hand.
………tumbleweed …… tumbleweed …… tumbleweed
gfy
Got my tickets already. The late, great G.G. Allin’s got nothing on the Brandyman.
Brandreth manages to be simultaneously mind-numbingly boring, at the same time as being more irritating than pubic lice.
A rare skill indeed.
Well, I suggest you don’t go then.
He does have wit and a brain, so isn’t to everyone’s taste.