Lindsay was lucky enough to be raised in a house of stories, music and love of the ocean, and now lives in sight of the chillier Sussex Sea with her husband and two sons

She can’t wait to join the Costa Coffee Reading Room at CarFest North to read from her latest children’s book – a high stakes aquatic adventure called ‘My Friend the Octopus’. Join Lindsay and her puppets for a lively reading and dress-up.

‘My Friend The Octopus’

Twelve-year-old Vinnie Fyfe works in the tea-shop at Brighton aquarium, and waits for her milliner mother to return from Paris.

The arrival of a giant octopus changes her life for ever. Discovering a talent for art, Vinnie begins to draw the extraordinary beast.

She soon realises she can communicate with the octopus through colour and – as a gripping mystery begins to unfold – discovers what true courage really means …

LINDSAY’S READING IS AIMED AT 9+ CHILDREN, THEIR MUMS AND DADS

Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd & Sun 25th July

In 2016, Lindsey Cole was free diving in Indonesia when she cut her hand on a small piece of plastic. Finding the plastic issue upsetting, she decided she wanted to do something about it. Two years later, she swam the Thames as a mermaid to highlight how we’re choking our mermaids and their friends. Along the way, Lindsey rescued a REAL-LIFE cow, so has written about this in a compelling children’s adventure.

Meet real-life mermaid Lindsey (complete with her mermaid’s tail!) in the Costa Reading Room where she’ll be reading from her children’s adventure story as well as signing copies of her book and posing for photos.

LINDSAY’S READING IS SUITABLE FOR A FAMILY AUDIENCE INCLUDING YOUNG CHILDREN

Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd & Sun 25th July

Duncan is a children’s author and illustrator from Bristol, UK. He’s been obsessed with drawing ever since he could hold a felt tip in his clammy little fist and has fond memories of sprawling out on his parents’ living room carpet for hours on end, filling sketchbooks with his doodles.

Duncan’s debut picture book ‘The Bear Who Stared’ was nominated for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017. Since then, he’s written and illustrated titles for many publishers.

When not busy drawing kung-fu kicking llamas, heavy metal badgers, or starey bears, he can be found walking his dog Ivor around a muddy park or losing heavily to his daughter at various videogames.

Duncan will join us to read from both ‘The Bear Who Stared’ and his forthcoming children’s picture book ‘No Sleep For Bear’ as well as leading an illustration class.

DUNCAN’S READING & DRAWING CLASS IS SUITABLE FOR A FAMILY AUDIENCE INC YOUNG CHILDREN

Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd & Sun 25th July TIMES TBC

Dos Guitarras are an acoustic guitar duo who take classic rock hits and performing them in a flamenco style. Myles and Korben are two young lads who love their guitars and have created an insane live performance that will reimagine the way you think of flamenco guitar.

DOS GUITARRAS’ SET IS SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES.

Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd & Sun 25th July TIMES TBC

Fiona Longmuir was born in Scotland. Shortly after, she picked up a pencil and never really put it back down. She writes stories about stubborn, oddball kids, having a lot of personal experience in that area!

Fiona will join us in the Costa Coffee Reading Room to read from her recently released middle grade fiction ‘Looking for Emily’. If you like a one-of-a-kind mystery about a brilliant trio of protagonists, with an action-filled story, don’t miss this brilliant reading.

Fiona will also stay with us to sign copies of her book and pose for oddball photos!

FIONA’S NOVEL IS AIMED AT MIDDLE GRADE READERS

Fri 22nd, Sat 23rd & Sun 25th July

Join Helen in The Costa Coffee Reading Room where you’ll learn about how she became an author and began writing books. You’ll also get to create a big story together with her before she reads from her best-selling book ‘The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh’ and answers questions.

‘The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh’ is about Billy Plimpton, an eleven-year-old boy with a big dream.

He wants to be a stand-up comedian when he grows up: delivering pinpoint punch-lines and having audiences hang on his every hilarious word.

A tough career for anyone, but surely impossible for Billy, who has a stammer. How will he find his voice, if his voice won't let him speak?

After Helen’s reading, it’s over to you! Can you make the audience laugh by joining us on stage to tell everyone your favourite joke?

Helen’s books are aimed at 9-13 year olds

Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th July

If you LOVE True Crime, join us in The Costa Coffee Reading Room to meet a man who has worked on some of the most disturbing psychopath cases of recent times with people society would rather forget. Dr Mark Freestone will read from ‘Making a Psychopath’ and take us into this unseen world as well as talking to us about what it was like to help create Killing Eve's Villanelle.

Dr Mark Freestone has worked in prisons and forensic mental health services for over 15 years as a researcher and clinician, including in the High Secure Category A prison estate, which houses some of the UK’s most notorious and high-risk criminals. He has also worked at Rampton and Broadmoor Special Hospitals as part of the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) Programme.

MARK’S TALK & READING IS SUITABLE FOR ADULT AUDIENCES

Sat 23rd and Sun 24th July

Want to learn how to write for TV? Join the creator of ITV & Netflix worldwide smash hit ‘Marcella’ and up & coming screenwriters to discuss how to create an award-winning TV show.

Nicola Larder is a Drama Executive Producer. She co-created the globally successful, International Emmy Award winning, NETFLIX ORIGINAL drama ‘Marcella’. It has been shown in over 200 territories globally on Netflix. It stars ANNA FRIEL. It has also been remade in France, retitled ‘Rebecca’ for TF1. Nicola originated the concept on which SKY ONE/NOW TV drama, ‘Cobra’ was based. Produced by NEW PICTURES and show run by BEN RICHARDS, it has currently run for 2 series.

Carlo & Sachin Kureishi have writing in their DNA. Carlo is ++++ and Sachin is an equally talented twin brother and the elder by 15 minutes! Sachin is currently writing for Channel 4/Lime Pictures’ ‘Holly Oaks’.

THIS PANEL IS AIMED AT TEENS & ABOVE

Sat 23rd & Sun 24th July

Would you like to see and understand the world as you never did before? Helen Czerski can help!

Helen is the author of ‘Storm in a TeaCup’, a book in which she unravels string theory, fluid dynamics and biophysics. Science is not just for specialists and academics! She’ll tell us what is it that helps both scorpions and cyclists to survive and what makes popcorn pop! She knows what raw eggs and gyroscopes have in common (something all of us need to know!). She’ll tell us this and why it matters to know such facts as she explores the patterns and connections that illustrate the grandest theories in the smallest everyday objects and experiences.

Helen’s next book ‘Blue Machine’ about the physical nature of the global ocean, will be published in 2023.

PS Don’t forget to ask her about what it was like meeting a polar bear in the Arctic and what it’s like to hang out with penguins in Antartica.

HELEN’S READING & TALK: FAMILY CONTENT

Sun 25th July PM 45-60

Bryony Gordon

Bryony is a celebrated English journalist and author, and the founder of Mental Health Mates. Having had her own struggles with mental health, Bryony had a revelatory experience in 2016. She wanted to find a way of bringing people together to find their ‘we,’ instead of experiencing the loneliness and isolation that she had so often felt herself. She took to Twitter and invited anyone and everyone to join her in Hyde Park to walk and talk without fear or judgment. Apprehensive as to whether anyone would show up, she arrived to find 20 people waiting for her. From that point, Mental Health Mates was born and has continued to develop and grow. Bryony comes to CarFest to divulge her experiences, stories, and general views on wellness this Summer.

Dapper Dave

Dave, most famous for his role on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, is a comedy actor, writer, and presenter. In 2009, the short film CGI-Brows, which Dave starred in, won the People's Choice Award in the Virgin Media Shorts competition. David went on to write and perform a series of sketches for Channel 4's Big Brother's Big Mouth and performed numerous sketch comedies for BBC Comedy Feeds and Channel 4's Comedy Blaps. In 2013 he was one of the regular presenters on the Hat Trick Productions comedy YouTube channel Bad Teeth and in 2015 he starred in ITV's The Delivery Man alongside Darren Boyd and Brotherhood on Comedy Central.

Helen Czerski is a British physicist and oceanographer and television presenter. She is a Research Fellow in the department of mechanical engineering at University College London. She was previously at the Institute for Sound and Vibration Research at the University of Southampton.

Georgia, also known as Toff, is a British media and television personality. She is best known for appearing on E4 reality television series Made in Chelsea from 2014 and winning the seventeenth series of ITV's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! As well as being a huge presence on social media, with over 1.8 million followers on Instagram, Toff is also the author of several books, including her inspirational, positivity-filled memoir, ‘Always Smiling: The World According to Toff’, which was published in 2018.

Rob Pope

Rob is a British veterinarian, athlete, and charity fundraiser. He’s one of Britain’s best known ultrarunners - the term used for those who find their fun beyond the marathon distance. Host of the weekly podcast, Red Bull: How to be Superhuman, Rob speaks to athletes who have undertaken seemingly superhuman feats of endurance, finding out how these athletes found the strength to push themselves to the limits of their physical and mental potential. He strives to inspire and motivate people to go out and discover their own limits.

Louise Minchin

Louise is a British television presenter, journalist, and former news presenter. She presented the UK’s most watched Breakfast programme BBC Breakfast on BBC One for 20 years. With a passion in endurance sport, Louise is the host of the top-rated podcast, Push Your Peak, during which she sits down with superhumans who have done extraordinary things, to learn what it takes, mentally and physically - to go again (and again).

Chris & Simon Donald

Viz comics is a British adult comic magazine founded in 1979. It is the best-selling comic book in Britain, a scabrous, scatological, satirical take on British society that has been running for coming up to 45 years. Newcastle-born brothers, Chris and Simon Donald set up the comic from a bedroom, watching it rise to huge success in the early 90’s.

Jonny Meah

Jonny Meah is one of the most exciting young presenters in the industry. At just 27 years old, Jonny can be heard on Heart – the biggest commercial radio station in the U.K. You may have also seen him on BBC One, presenting on flagship shows such as The One Show and Morning Live, Sunday Morning Live, and Inside Out. On top of this, Jonny has presented a ground-breaking documentary, with millions of views on YouTube, voiced for big names such as ITV, Radio 1, MTV and many more; he is also a regular host at the historic SSE Wembley Arena.

Dr Kit Chapman is an award-winning journalist and adventurer. With more than a decade of experience writing for titles such as Nature, New Scientist, Chemistry World, Physics World and the Daily Telegraph, his work has taken him to more than 60 countries as he seeks amazing tales from the cutting edge of science. He has interviewed more than a dozen Nobel prize winners, been inside the world's fastest computer and once convinced an Oscar-winning actress he was a cyborg! Kit has a PhD in the history and philosophy of science from the University of Sunderland and a master’s degree in pharmacy from the University of Bradford. His first book ‘Superheavy’ was listed as one of Publisher's Weekly's top 10 science books for Fall 2019 and a finalist for the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science books.

Dr Alex George

Alex is on a mission to make mental health education compulsory in schools and has become prolific throughout the UK in his campaigning with charities such as YoungMinds, Anna Freud Centre & Mind, to lobby the government to change policy and ensure mental health sits alongside the likes of Maths and English on the curriculum. Alex is a resident presenter on ITV’s Lorraine, has presented for Watchdog and appeared on Celebrity Masterchef. Alex has a hugely successful podcast, The Waiting Room, and a rapidly growing audience on YouTube & TikTok. He is also a fully qualified Level 3 PT. Across his platforms, Alex has become a leading voice in mental and sexual health and uses his platform to make health and medicine more accessible to millennials and beyond.

Kate Thornton

Kate is an English journalist and radio & television presenter, best known as the first presenter of The X Factor and for presenting daytime shows including Loose Women and This Morning. Kate also has her very own Spotify podcast, White Wine Question Time which brings together well-known friends, three glasses of wine and three thought-provoking questions. Discover the friendships behind the entertainment headlines and listen in on their conversations for a side to the celebrities you've never heard before.

Kate Lawler

Kate is an English TV personality, presenter, model, and DJ. Kate has recently written her own book, ‘Maybe Baby: On the Mother Side’. It is the story of her journey from parentally undecided to early motherhood, via raging hormones, sleepless nights, emergency hospital trips, mum guilt, unspoken regrets, and post-natal depression. The book is not a parenting manual. It won’t tell you what to pack in your hospital bag, or how to get your baby to sleep. It may not help you with feeding or dealing with tantrums. But it will show you that you’re not alone – and that it’s perfectly possible, and maybe even normal, to love your child with all your heart while also feeling lost, alone, and resentful.

Dapper Dave

Dave, most famous for his role on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, is a comedy actor, writer, and presenter. In 2009, the short film CGI-Brows, which Dave starred in, won the People's Choice Award in the Virgin Media Shorts competition. David went on to write and perform a series of sketches for Channel 4's Big Brother's Big Mouth and performed numerous sketch comedies for BBC Comedy Feeds and Channel 4's Comedy Blaps. In 2013 he was one of the regular presenters on the Hat Trick Productions comedy YouTube channel Bad Teeth and in 2015 he starred in ITV's The Delivery Man alongside Darren Boyd and Brotherhood on Comedy Central.

Richard Jones

Richard is a British music producer, songwriter, bass guitar player and founding member of the rock band The Feeling. Prior to The Feeling signing to Island records in 2005 Jones worked primarily as a session bass guitarist and toured as a member of Sophie Ellis-Bextor's band in 2001–2003 to promote her 2001 album Read My Lips, which was where the couple would begin their romance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Richard and his wife Sophie broadcasted live weekly "Kitchen Disco" concerts featuring themselves and their family, streamed live from their kitchen on Instagram. According to Sophie, Richard came up with the concept and films, edits, and deals with the technical aspects of the broadcasts as well as appearing wearing animal masks.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Sophie is an English singer and songwriter. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s, as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, she went solo, achieving success in the early 2000s. were a means of virtual escapism for many, and became weekly moments of united sequined catharsis for the hundreds of thousands tuning in. Now as we emerge into the world again, Sophie is embarking on the Kitchen Disco Tour for 2022, bringing together all the camp and frivolity of her original show to live stages across the country. The Live Kitchen Disco Tour will bring the virtual to life, cooking-up classic glitter ball staples and Sophie’s own dancefloor-beckoning bangers from across her seven albums, as well as a variety of well-known classics including Our House by Madness and My Favourite Things from the Sound of Music, in a thoroughly domestic Studio-54 sensation for disco divas of all ages.

Diane Louise Jordan

Diane is a British TV presenter and actress. She is extremely well-recognised across the UK for her roles in Blue Peter and Coronation Street. Diane is a Christian and can currently be seen presenting BBC One’s religious programme, Songs of Praise. She also is vice-president of Action for Children, sits on the Council of the Prince’s Trust and is a trustee for the BBC’s Children in Need.

Anna Cookson

Award winning presenter and journalist Anna Cookson has worked for some big names in TV and Radio., from BBC Radio 1 to LBC and QVC. You can hear her every morning on BBC Radio Kent's breakfast show, from 6-9am. Anna's debut novel, The Sound of Your Soul, is out now. She's currently working on her second.

Emma Haslett and Gabriella Griffith met while working as business journalists, where they bonded over their fondness for bright lipstick and their loathing for confusing corporate doublespeak. They launched their podcast, Big Fat Negative, in August 2018, to wrangle the equally confusing doublespeak surrounding infertility and IVF and debunk some myths while they were at it. The podcast, which mixes a humorous take on infertility with expert interviews, has received wide acclaim, with mentions on BBC Woman's Hour, the Telegraph, The Metro, and Refinery 29.

Kate Silverton

Kate is an English journalist. She formerly worked as a broadcaster and newsreader for the BBC. Generally a main presenter for the BBC, Kate was seen regularly presenting the BBC News at One and BBC Weekend News, as well as making occasional appearances on the BBC News Channel and BBC World News. Since then, Kate has recently written her own book, ‘There's No Such Thing As 'Naughty': The Groundbreaking Guide for Parents with Children Aged 0-5’. In her book, the mum to two young children, journalist and children's mental health advocate shares her ground-breaking new approach to parenting under-fives that helps to make family life so much easier and an awful lot more fun!

Diane Louise Jordan

Diane is a British TV presenter and actress. She is extremely well-recognised across the UK for her roles in Blue Peter and Coronation Street. Diane is a Christian and can currently be seen presenting BBC One’s religious programme, Songs of Praise. She also is vice-president of Action for Children, sits on the Council of the Prince’s Trust and is a trustee for the BBC’s Children in Need.

Michael James Wong

As an author, speaker, community leader and meditation leader, Michael is one of the leading figures in the modern mindfulness movement. Founder of the app, ‘Just Breathe’, Michael has dedicated himself to increasing the value of mindfulness and meditation in daily life.

Eddy Temple Morris

Eddy is a British DJ, record producer and TV presenter. Eddy is an effortless and engaging public speaker who has spoken in contexts as varied as university music lectures, to Gary Numan asking Eddy to make a speech on his behalf before he accepted a Silver Clef Icon Award in 2019. Eddy has hosted, presented, and anchored many press launches, gigs, festival stages and awards ceremonies. He is also a huge advocate of injecting positivity into people’s daily lives, through his Good News segment on his daily show on Virgin Radio.

Giovanna Fletcher

As an author, actress, blogger, vlogger, presenter, and mother of 3, Giovanna has succeeded in all that she’s tried her hand at. As author and presenter of the book and podcast, ‘Happy Mum, Happy Baby’, Giovanna has shared her experiences and encouraged others to be confident in themselves as a parent, celebrating how putting a focus on being a happy and confident mum can really make for a happy baby. Her newest novel, ‘Walking on Sunshine’ follows three friends Vicky, Zaza and Mike who have each reached a defining (and longed for) point in their lives. However, rather than feeling happy and fulfilled they individually find themselves asking ‘is this it?’

Kate Thornton

Kate is an English journalist and radio & television presenter, best known as the first presenter of The X Factor and for presenting daytime shows including Loose Women and This Morning. Kate also has her very own Spotify podcast, White Wine Question Time which brings together well-known friends, three glasses of wine and three thought-provoking questions. Discover the friendships behind the entertainment headlines and listen in on their conversations for a side to the celebrities you've never heard before.

Ben Miller

Ben is an English comedian and actor. He rose to fame as one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller. He is also known for playing the lead role of DI Richard Poole in the first two series of the BBC crime drama Death in Paradise, and for portraying James Lester in the ITV science-fiction series Primeval. Ben is also the author of several novels, including the most recent one ‘How I became a dog called midnight’, published in 2021, a body-swap comedy crossed with a compelling adventure as George and his dog Midnight magically take on each other’s identities.

Alex Horne

Alex Horne is an award-winning comedian, author and podcaster, long-established as a key figure in the British comedy scene. He is the creator and co-host of the BAFTA and National Comedy Award-winning hit TV Show, Taskmaster, which first aired on Dave before graduating to Channel 4 in 2020. With over 100 episodes, an Emmy-nomination and a Royal Television Society and Broadcast Award for Best Entertainment Programme under its belt, Taskmaster is a gem of British programming. Alex is also the creator and frontman of The Horne Section, a six-piece band of multitalented musicians.

Sarah Ockwell-Smith is a well-known parenting expert and a highly regarded popular childcare author who specialises in the psychology and science of parenting, ‘gentle parenting’ and attachment theory, with a particular interest in child sleep. She has authored 13 parenting books, translated into over 30 languages, which have sold almost half a million copies. After graduating with an honour’s degree in Psychology (specialising in child development); she embarked on a five year career in Pharmaceutical Research and Development (working with clinical trial data), until she became pregnant with her first child in 2001. After the birth of her firstborn, Sarah retrained as an Antenatal Teacher, Hypnotherapist, Infant Massage Instructor and Doula. Since 2005, she has worked with thousands of families, providing expert advice and support. Sarah runs regular parenting workshops and webinars and offers coaching for parents via email. She also offers gentle sleep training advice to parents of under five-year-olds. Sarah also offers a range of services for media and corporations.

Shakira Akabusi is a fitness expert, public speaker, social influencer and the founder of StrongLikeMum. Mum to four kids, Shakira is passionate about empowering women to build confidence and positivity during pregnancy and postpartum. Alongside encouraging women to balance motherhood with a healthy lifestyle, Shakira is on a mission to shatter the stereotypes surrounding motherhood, in particular body image and mental wellbeing. She has a wealth of experience speaking, writing and leading workshops for brands such as Vogue Global, Women’s Health Magazine, Adidas UK and Virgin Start-Ups. Combining her expertise of pre and postnatal fitness with her personal parenting experience, Shakira connects with her audience across her social platforms. Shakira is proud of bringing together a growing community of women through StrongLikeMum, all of whom support one another to achieve their goals in sports, business, lifestyle and all areas of parenthood.

Charlie Higson

Charlie Higson is a successful author, actor, comedian and writer for television and radio. He wrote the phenomenally successful Young Bond series which has now sold over a million copies in the UK and has been translated into over 24 different languages. The series began with SilverFin and was followed by Blood Fever, Double or Die, Hurricane Gold and By Royal Command. All five novels entered the children’s bestseller charts in the top five.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Frank is an English screenwriter, novelist and occasional actor, known for his children's fiction and for his collaborations with film director Michael Winterbottom. He has achieved fame as the writer for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony and for sequels to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car, a children's classic by Ian Fleming. He has won two major British awards for children's books, the 2004 Carnegie Medal for Millions, which originated as a film script, and the 2012 Guardian Prize for The Unforgotten Coat.

Francesca Simon

Francesca and started writing stories from the age of eight. She then went to Yale and Oxford Universities to study medieval history and literature. She threw away a lucrative career as a medievalist and worked as a freelance journalist, writing for the Sunday Times, Guardian, Mail on Sunday, Telegraph, and Vogue (US). It was reading so many stories to her son Joshua, that encouraged her to start writing children’s books and many of Francesca’s stories have been inspired by real life situations. One of Francesca’s most successful and irrepressible creations has been the famous (or should that be infamous) Horrid Henry, who first appeared in 1994. Horrid Henry has gone on to conquer the globe and his adventures are published in 31 languages, and have sold over 21 million of copies worldwide. Francesca is one of the nation’s most popular authors and has written over fifty books for children of all ages. When she is not writing, Francesca is often encouraging and inspiring young writers and has judged many writing competitions for schools.

Jonny Meah

Jonny Meah is one of the most exciting young presenters in the industry. At just 27 years old, Jonny can be heard on Heart – the biggest commercial radio station in the U.K. You may have also seen him on BBC One, presenting on flagship shows such as The One Show and Morning Live, Sunday Morning Live, and Inside Out. On top of this, Jonny has presented a ground-breaking documentary, with millions of views on YouTube, voiced for big names such as ITV, Radio 1, MTV and many more; he is also a regular host at the historic SSE Wembley Arena.

Helen Sanderson

Helen is a psychotherapist, interior designer and one of the UK’s most well-respected clutter experts, appearing regularly on TV, radio and podcasts. Her book, The Secret Life of Clutter, has been described as ‘a love letter to clarity’. Helen helps people create beautifully organised, clutter-free homes and live more mindful and meaningful lives. She works with her clients holistically to uncover what their homes reveal about their psyches and what is blocking them from letting go and moving on. Her ethos is to work with compassion, and to empower people to take positive action to support change. This leads to life-changing shifts, which leave people with a new-found clarity, and homes they love, that love them back.

Diane Louise Jordan

Diane is a British TV presenter and actress. She is extremely well-recognised across the UK for her roles in Blue Peter and Coronation Street. Diane is a Christian and can currently be seen presenting BBC One’s religious programme, Songs of Praise. She also is vice-president of Action for Children, sits on the Council of the Prince’s Trust and is a trustee for the BBC’s Children in Need.

Bryony Gordon

Bryony is a celebrated English journalist and author, and the founder of Mental Health Mates. Having had her own struggles with mental health, Bryony had a revelatory experience in 2016. She wanted to find a way of bringing people together to find their ‘we,’ instead of experiencing the loneliness and isolation that she had so often felt herself. She took to Twitter and invited anyone and everyone to join her in Hyde Park to walk and talk without fear or judgment. Apprehensive as to whether anyone would show up, she arrived to find 20 people waiting for her. From that point, Mental Health Mates was born and has continued to develop and grow. Bryony comes to CarFest to divulge her experiences, stories, and general views on wellness this Summer.

Dapper Dave

Dave, most famous for his role on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, is a comedy actor, writer, and presenter. In 2009, the short film CGI-Brows, which Dave starred in, won the People's Choice Award in the Virgin Media Shorts competition. David went on to write and perform a series of sketches for Channel 4's Big Brother's Big Mouth and performed numerous sketch comedies for BBC Comedy Feeds and Channel 4's Comedy Blaps. In 2013 he was one of the regular presenters on the Hat Trick Productions comedy YouTube channel Bad Teeth and in 2015 he starred in ITV's The Delivery Man alongside Darren Boyd and Brotherhood on Comedy Central.

Rob Pope

Rob is a British veterinarian, athlete, and charity fundraiser. He’s one of Britain’s best known ultrarunners - the term used for those who find their fun beyond the marathon distance. Host of the weekly podcast, Red Bull: How to be Superhuman, Rob speaks to athletes who have undertaken seemingly superhuman feats of endurance, finding out how these athletes found the strength to push themselves to the limits of their physical and mental potential. He strives to inspire and motivate people to go out and discover their own limits.

Ages: 3-7

Hannah’s early relationship with reading and writing got off to a rather bumpy start when she was diagnosed with dyslexia at 5 years old. While her friends were playing, she was in extra English lessons!

Fast forward to adulthood and Hannah graduated from university as a counsellor and has since worked counselling young people. It was during this time, Hannah wondered why more books for children didn’t promote talking about feelings. Therefore, Hannah decided to put pen to paper and created 2 adventures about a little chameleon called Conker who can’t change colour like his friends to show how he is feeling. She has also recently released ‘Climb’, which follows Hetty, a little elephant determined to prove her worth.

Join Hannah as she reads from her books followed by a special art activity to help you to embrace your own unique AWESOMENESS.

Friday 26^th August & Saturday 27^th August

Ages: 8+

Still unsure how it happened, Maz Evans is the author of the bestselling ‘Who Let The Gods Out?’ and VI Spy series, which have sold to 19 countries worldwide and received over 20 awards.

Join us for Maz’s Mythological Mayhem: the Who Let The Gods Out? show - an epic dose of mythological mayhem for all the family.

Friday 26^th August, Sat 27^th August

Ages: Middlegrade

If you like a one-of-a-kind mystery about a brilliant trio of protagonists, with an action-filled story, don’t miss this brilliant reading of Fiona’s recently released middle grade fiction ‘Looking for Emily’.

Fri 26^th August, Sat 27^th August & Sun 28th August

Ages: Adult

Anna & Matt are the insanely popular husband and wife coupe behind ‘Parenting the sh*t out of life’, 'Where's My Happy Ending?: Happily Ever After & How to Get it' and the recently released ‘Underbelly’. Join them in the Costa Reading Room to discuss what it’s like to write as a husband and wife duo and why they wrote ‘Where’s My Happy Ending?’.

What does it take to make it to forever in the muddy waters of modern romance?

They’ll also be signing copies of their books.

Friday 26^th August, Saturday 27^th August

She’s the next Beyonce… our fave female solo singer/rapper is back! Tunnnnneeeees!

Sat 27^th August

For those who dare to be different, let Festival Faces give you a fabulous sparkly, glitter festival make-over! Unleash the SASS thanks to our team of 4 fabulous MUAs (Make –Up Artists!)

Saturday 27^th August & Sunday 28^th August

Ages:0-5

Alastair wants to introduce you to Inch and Grub- 2 squabbling cavemen!

Join Alastair to practice your best Caveman noises, hear him read from his book and take part in fun games inspired by Inch & Grub. After the reading, Alastair will be available to sign copies of his book and pose for Cave-manny photos!

Saturday 27^th August & Sunday 28^th August

Aled Jones MBE & Illustrator Rosie Brooks will join the Costa Coffee Reading Room to read from their Bobby Dean series of books, after which Rosie will run an illustration master class.

Aled has been a household name since singing ‘We’re Walking In The Air’ as a boy-Soprano. Since then, he’s continued to entertain. We’re thrilled he’s joining us at CarFest South and is bringing fab friend and illustrator Rosie Brooks with him. Rosie has worked for a long list of international clients not least Aled Jones and Sir Paul McCartney! The former Beatle asked Rosie to paint an electric guitar for him. He has played his Rosie guitar on tour ever since, including the now historic Glastonbury headline set in June 2022.

Saturday 27^th August & Sunday 28^th August

How exactly does a great TV drama/documentary make it to screen? Where do producers find stories and how do they create them, so they’re eventually turned into TV shows millions of people globally watch? Join 2 industry experts for their insight.

Saturday 27^th August

Ages: 13+

Would you like to see and understand the world as you never did before? Helen Czerski is the author of ‘Storm in a TeaCup’, a book in which she unravels string theory, fluid dynamics and biophysics. Helen will show that science is not just for specialists and academics!

Helen has also met a polar bear in the Arctic and hung out with penguins in Antartica.

Sunday 28^th August.