Countdown star Carol Vorderman MBE is on the line-up for this year’s Clifton Village LitFest. Taking place between November 15-17, Clifton LitFest, or Literary Festival, is brought together by the Friends of Clifton Centre and Library, and this year’s event is a three-day celebration of the literary world.
It includes a vast array of speakers and musicians, across five venues, and has been put together by a dedicated committee. These venues include Christ Church, Clifton Library, Pavey House, The Clifton Club and Clifton High School.
Carol Vorderman will appear as the festival’s opening speaker this year, on Friday, November 15, at 4.30pm at Christ Church. Her 60-minute talk will give festivalgoers a chance to hear from her directly following the release of her new book Now What? On a Mission to Fix Broken Britain, as well as ask the ‘questions you want answered’.
Tickets for her talk will cost £12 and are available via the official LitFest website here. This is also how you can book your place on any of the other speaker events across the festival.
Organisers say: “We are delighted that Carol, much loved by the nation, and adored by her Clifton neighbours, will open the fifth Clifton LitFest, and we are so grateful to Carol for her support for our local library. Carol will be in conversation with Paula O’Rourke.”
Later on the Friday, another famous face takes to the microphone as this year’s keynote speaker. Chris Packham CBE is one of Britain’s well known authors, television presenters and wildlife and environmental campaigners. He will be in conversation with David Parker from 7pm until 9pm. Tickets for this event cost £15.
Among the line-up this year are names such as Dr Helen Doe, who was commissioned to write the history of the vital RNLI service, which this year celebrated its 200th anniversary. Director of Bristol Ideas Andrew Kelly will also be in attendance, looking back on the history and work of Bristol in the 1960s.
Clive Burlton will be talking about the modern Matthew of Bristol – the “iconic symbol of Bristol’s trading and seafaring heritage”. Plus there will be talks about prehistoric adventures, new factual and fictional novels, Covid-19, the National Trust, Hartcliffe housing estate, photography, ‘the women who built Bristol’, comedy, politics, and much much more.
You can find the full programme on the official webpage here.