Among the speakers newly confirmed for 2026 are barrister and author Rob Rinder; filmmaker and environmental storyteller Colin Butfield; behavioural scientist Paul Dolan; journalist and historian Helen Lewis; disaster recovery expert Lucy Easthope; award-winning scientist Daisy Fancourt; former BBC journalist and now Bloomberg Editor-at-Large Mishal Husain; and veteran broadcaster Edward Stourton.

These join the early headliners announced at the end of last year, including Joanne Harris, Tim Spector, Sophie Raworth, Professor Tracy Borman, Lauren Child, Cally Beaton, David Hepworth, Tristan Gooley, Kate Bradbury and Shaun Usher.

Festival Director Claire Allen said:

"We’re delighted to share the full programme for the 2026 Guernsey Literary Festival. This year’s Festival reflects such a broad range of interests across our audience, while staying true to our core purpose of celebrating books, ideas and the power of reading.

“With the National Year of Reading as a guiding theme, we’re excited to be creating opportunities for people of all ages to discover stories, share experiences and connect through reading. That work wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and partners, and we’re incredibly grateful for their continued support.

"We can’t wait to welcome audiences to this year’s Festival, and based on recent years, we expect tickets to sell out quickly."

Reflecting the Festival’s commitment to variety and different ways of engaging with books, the programme also includes a specially curated lunch at the Old Government House Hotel with chef and food writer Georgina Hayden, inspired by recipes from her latest book MEDesque. 

Sport, health and wellbeing also feature, with events including Paul Sinton Hewitt, founder of parkrun, sharing the story of how a simple idea grew into a global movement, and broadcaster and endurance athlete Vassos Alexander, speaking about his passion for cold-water swimming and reflecting on the physical and mental benefits of pushing personal limits. 

Memoir takes centre stage with Rory Cellan-Jones, discussing Sophie from Romania, a moving and deeply personal account of family life, resilience and living with Parkinson’s disease, and Jono Lancaster, who shares his powerful personal story in Not All Heroes Wear Capes, reflecting on identity, difference and turning adversity into strength. 

Fiction highlights will include Booker Prize–shortlisted author Ben Markovits, discussing The Rest of Our Lives; Loretta Rothschild, presenting her debut Finding Grace, Patrick Gale, sharing his latest novel Love Lane; and Anna Brook-Mitchell launching her eagerly awaited debut Motherfaker, set in Guernsey.

The Festival programme also includes a Business Breakfast event with Ben Chu, Policy and Analysis correspondent at BBC Verify, drawing on his book Exile Economics, as well as an appearance by economist Carl Benedikt Frey, examining why some societies flourish while others fall behind during periods of rapid technological and economic change. 

Local history is vividly brought to life through a series of talks celebrating the Channel Islands’ wartime stories and literary heritage. Authors Duncan Barrett and Nuala Calvi discuss their book Blitz Kids, which features Guernsey native John Le Page, who spent the war years on the mainland with his family. Mavis Pope’s memoir, Looking Back to Alderney, offers a moving account of her childhood in Alderney during the German Occupation.

Local writers are celebrated throughout the programme, with events featuring a “Local Voices” panel event with Jill Bray, Kelly Priaulx and RJ Verity, alongside talks with Anna Stothard discussing her latest novel Follow Her and Jane Mosse revealing her absurdities of living as a royal double.

Poetry plays a central role in the 2026 programme, with internationally acclaimed poet and performer John Agard appearing for a special reading, courtesy of Renaissance One, and chairing the judging panel of Poems on the Move,  the annual Guernsey International Poetry Competition. He is joined by one of the UK’s most beloved and hilarious poets, Brian Bilston.

The Festival’s commitment to nurturing young readers and writers continues with the WriteStuff Awards, celebrating original writing by children and young people from schools across the Bailiwick and with the launch of Time & Tide, the inaugural Guernsey Short Story Anthology, featuring 20 winning stories inspired by island life

To mark the National Year of Reading, the Festival will host a dedicated panel discussion, bringing together Lauren Child and Sir Terry Waite, chaired by Toby Lichtig of The Times Literary Supplement, exploring how books can transform lives, strengthen communities and drive change.

Festival Chairman Rob Shepherd said:

"The Guernsey Literary Festival continues to grow in ambition and reach, while remaining deeply rooted in the island and its community. The 2026 programme reflects both the calibre of speakers the Festival now attracts and its commitment to education, access and participation. We’re excited to welcome audiences and authors alike for what will be another brilliant year.”

Tickets will go on sale to members on Monday 9 February at 10am, before general sale on Saturday 14 February at 10am.