As a dramatic actor, Eddie picked up a Tony nomination for best actor in 2003 for her performance in A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg on Broadway. She was seen recently acting alongside Dame Judi Dench, playing Edward VII to Judi’s Queen Victoria, in Stephen Frears’ Victoria & Abdul.

Eddie is also one of the most original and respected comedians of her generation, having picked up two Emmys in 1999 and is now performing standup in four languages and has to date performed in forty five countries.

Eddie has therefore been unusual in developing a stellar reputation as a dramatic actor and as a standup comedian.

In the twenty years that she has worked for the Telegraph, Bryony Gordon has become one of the paper's best-loved writers. She is the author of the bestselling The Wrong Knickers plus The Sunday Times Number One bestsellers You Got This and Mad Girl which were both nominated for British Book Awards. She is the presenter of the Mad World podcast and in 2016 she founded Mental Health Mates, now a global peer support network which encourages people with mental health issues to connect and get out of the house. In 2017 she won the MIND Making A Difference Award for her work in changing the perception of mental health in the media. She lives in South London with her husband and daughter, and their two guinea pigs.

Francesca Simon spent her childhood on the beach in California and started writing stories at the age of eight. She has since written over 60 books, and wrote her first Horrid Henry book in 1994. Horrid Henry has gone on to conquer the globe; his adventures are published in 27 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2009, in one of the proudest moments of her career, Francesca was awarded a Gold Blue Peter badge. Her opera with composer Gavin Higgins, THE MONSTROUS CHILD, based on her novel, premiered at the Royal Opera House in 2019. Her cantata THE FAERIE BRIDE, also with Gavin Higgins, premiered at the Aldeburgh Music Festival in 2022. She was appointed MBE in the 2023 New Year Honours. Francesca is also a passionate ambassador for children’s literacy, a 500 Words judge, and is a former trustee of the World Book Day charity.

Rachel Horne is your favourite News Presenter waking you up each morning on Chris Evans Breakfast Show! Rachel has worked for multiple different BBC outlets including Breakfast With Frost, BBC Radio Five Live and Newsbeat on BBC Radio 1. In January 2019 she joined Virgin Radio UK alongside Chris Evans as a breakfast show newsreader. She is also an avid book reader, runner & recipe maker.

Adele Parks MBE is the author of 22 bestselling novels including the Sunday Times bestsellers Both Of You and One Last Secret. Over four and a half million UK editions of her work have been sold and her books have been translated into 31 different languages. Adele’s Sunday Times Number One bestsellers Lies Lies Lies and Just My Luck were shortlisted for the British Book Awards and have been optioned for development for TV. She is an ambassador of the National Literacy Trust and the Reading Agency: two charities that promote literacy in the UK. In 2022 she was awarded an MBE for services to literature. Her new book Just Between Us is out 17 August 2023.

Bradford born and bred, award-winning presenter Anita Rani is one of the most recognisable faces on British TV. She is a lead presenter on Country­file, hosts Woman's Hour on Radio 4 every week and regularly presents on Radio 2. Anita is well known for her work on Channel 4, Channel 5, the BBC and most recently with Netflix. She is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR.

BEN MILLER is a star of film, television, and stage, best known for his role as Bough in the JOHNNY ENGLISH feature films alongside Rowan Atkinson and being one half of the eponymous comedy duo behind the BAFTA winning THE ARMSTRONG AND MILLER SHOW (BBC) with Alexander Armstrong; as well as starring as Richard Poole in the hugely popular DEATH IN PARADISE (BBC).

Ben is a bestselling children’s author and was the 9th biggest bestselling Children’s Fiction Author in 2021. Beloved by families around the UK his books include The Day I Fell Into A Fairytale, How I Became a Dog Called Midnight and The Boy Who Made the World Disappear. His latest titles The Night We Got Stuck in a Story and Secrets of a Christmas Elf are due to publish this Autumn (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books).

Join him on the Author’s Stage as he takes you through his latest next bestseller The Night We Got Stuck in a Story.

Craig David MBE is a critically acclaimed British singer-songwriter. Across his 22 year career, he's collaborated with everyone from Sting to Kano to Diplo to KSI, while also becoming one of the biggest DJs in Ibiza via his TS5 sound system. Craig has received 14 Brit Award nominations, two Grammy nominations, four MOBO awards, three Ivor Novellos honouring his song writing, and most recently an MBE for his services to music.

One of the best-selling UK artists of all time, Craig found overnight success as a teenager and has gone on to sell over 15m records worldwide. But his status left no place for feelings of insecurity, so he pushed them down, cultivating an unrelenting positivity and a reputation as a man who always had a smile on his face.

Throughout his career spanning over 22 years, Craig has met with beautiful times and tough times, with success he has met failure, with adulation he has met humiliation. He has been surrounded by people, yet at the same time felt deeply lonely.

What's Your Vibe? is a book of lessons learned from an extraordinary life. For the first time, Craig shares his honest reflections on everything from his rapid rise to fame in 1999 with his first album ‘Born to Do It’; to the series of events that led to his move to Miami, away from the limelight, and the impact that had on his career as well as his sense of self; re-inventing himself and his music with his incredibly popular TS5 shows; and how he has learned to truly connect to his inner purpose - mentally, physically and spiritually.

This is a story of resilience, self-love and reinvention, from a man on his own continuous journey to becoming his true self. By sharing the story of how he has learned to tune back in and rediscover his honest vibes, the good ones and the wonky ones, and reconnect with his inner purpose, Craig hopes to help others tune into their best life.

Carrie and David Grant have been regular fixtures on our television screens for decades. They were vocal coaches and judges on Fame Academy, judged the BAFTA award-winning Glee Club and have been part of several BBC primetime entertainment shows. Alongside co-authoring a bestselling vocal coaching book, Carrie has also written for various books on subjects such as mental health, child psychology and autism. Their broader services to society have also been recognised with MBEs: David for services to music and Carrie for services to music, media and charity. For the past ten years they have run a parent support group and Carrie has been involved in several campaigns and Parliamentary white papers across health and education.

Russell Foster is Professor of Circadian Neuroscience, Director of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi) and Head of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology at the University of Oxford. He frequently contributes to newspapers, television and radio, including an appearance on Desert Island Discs, and has co-written four popular science books - this is his first as sole author.

In the twenty-first century, we increasingly push our daily routines into the night, carrying out work, exercise and our social lives long after dark. But we have forgotten that our bodies are governed by a 24-hour biological clock which guides us towards the best time to sleep, eat and think.

In Life Time, Professor Russell Foster shares his life's work, taking us on a fascinating and surprising journey through the science of our body clocks. Using his own studies, as well as insights from an international community of sleep scientists and biologists studying circadian rhythms, he illustrates the surprising effects the time of day can have on our health, including:

- how a walk outside at dawn can ensure a better night's sleep

- how eating after sundown can affect our weight

- the extraordinary effects the time we take our medication can have on our risk of life-threatening conditions, such as strokes

In the modern world, we have neglected an essential part of our biology. But with knowledge of this astonishing science, we can get back into the rhythm, and live healthier, sharper lives.

Melanie Sykes is an author and speaker with twenty-six years of experience in the entertainment industry. In recent years Melanie has been using her profile to pursue humanitarian work, including raising awareness about the impact of misogyny in the media, discussing her advocacy of cannabis as medicine, talking about environmental issues, sharing her understanding of Autism as a neurodivergent woman and adding to these conversations through her online magazine ‘Frank.’

Rob Delaney is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is widely known as the co-creator and co-star of the critically acclaimed Channel 4 and Amazon Prime comedy Catastrophe, which broadcasts in over 130 countries around the world. In 2016, Rob was nominated for a Primetime Emmy alongside his co-creator, Sharon Horgan, for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. In 2018, Catastrophe was nominated for a BAFTA TV Award for Best Scripted Comedy and in 2016 won the BAFTA TV Craft Awards for Best Comedy Writing. The final series aired internationally earlier in 2019.

In 2018, Rob was a breakout star as the fan favourite “Peter W.” in Deadpool 2 – the newest (and beloved) member to the X-Force who has no powers but “just responded to the ad.” Also in 2018, Rob hosted Comedy Central UK’s Rob Delaney’s Stand Up Central, an eight-episode stand-up comedy showcase. In 2019, Rob is set to appear opposite Charlize Theron in the highly anticipated Lionsgate feature, Fair & Balanced. Other on-screen credits include the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Remake) The Hustle, Comedy Central’s Key & Peele, Burning Love, and FX’s Trust.

In 2013, Rob’s first novel and bestselling memoir, Rob Delaney: Mother Wife Sister Human Warrior Falcon Yardstick Turban Cabbage was released by Spiegel & Grau in the US, and by Little Brown in the UK.

In 2012, Rob was named one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch. He’s also been listed as one of The Funniest People on Twitter on such sites as the Rolling Stone, Huffington Post, Vice Magazine, Paste Magazine, Comedy Central, and Funny or Die.

Rob’s debut one hour special, Rob Delaney: Live at the Bowery Ballroom, is available on Netflix and from Comedy Central Records. He currently resides in London and regularly performs stand up across the world.

Scott Walker has probably one of the most difficult jobs in the world. When pirates have hijacked a ship, when a criminal gang has kidnapped someone, when an entire company's future is being held to ransom from a cyber-attack, Scott is the person who gets called in. He has successfully negotiated more than 300 such incidents using the principles in this book.

His methods, centred in empathy, active listening, trust-based influence and emotional control, will help you achieve the outcome you want. Regardless of whether you're an executive in a multi-national organisation, the owner of a small business, a local sports team coach or running the family household, you're negotiating every single day, whether you realise it or not.

Learn the skills Scott uses to resolve life or death kidnappings all over the world - from the Niger Delta, China and the Philippines to the Middle East, Europe and Latin America - and how to apply them to your own personal and professional lives.

The proven techniques in this book enable you to develop a powerful negotiators mindset so you can influence and persuade anyone, on anything, at any time. Order Out of Chaos provides tools that cut straight to the most effective way of communicating, particularly in times of crisis, change and uncertainty.

Tim Peake was the first British ESA astronaut to visit the International Space Station, where his work on its Principia mission captured the hearts and minds of millions.

His extraordinary career has seen him as an army officer in Northern Ireland, flying helicopters across the globe, as a combat search and rescue instructor providing support in the aftermath of the Bosnian War, and eventually supporting Special Forces operations in Afghanistan. In 2009, he was selected as an ESA astronaut where he was assigned to the world-renowned Principia mission. His Principia mission included a spacewalk to repair the Station’s power supply, helping dock two spacecrafts, and driving a rover across a simulated Mars terrain from space. He carried out over 250 scientific experiments during his mission and engaged more than 2 million schoolchildren in educational outreach projects during his time in space.

An ambassador for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Tim is a bestselling author and an inspirational communicator of science to audiences of all ages. His books include Hello, Is This Planet Earth; Ask an Astronaut, The Astronaut Selection Test Book, and his remarkable and inspiring autobiography Limitless. This spring, he is on his UK theatre tour, regaling previously unheard tales from space to inspire the new generation in STEM.

James Nestor is an author and journalist who has written for Scientific American, Outside Magazine, BBC, The New York Times, The Atlantic, National Public Radio, The San Francisco Chronicle, Surfer's Journal, and more. His book, Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What The Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves, was a finalist for the PEN American Center Best Sports Book of the Year and a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art was released in 2020 and has sold over two million copies worldwide to date, becoming an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller.

Bloco Fogo are a Samba Reggae Funk drumming band based in Kent, UK 

As a community band, they travel far and wide to bring our vibrant performances to numerous gigs and events across the UK. From summer fêtes to bonfire parades, and to the big stage at the London New Year’s Day Parade, Thames Festival, and the Lord Mayor’s Show. Bloco Fogo have also travelled further afield to perform at events and festivals in Jersey, Ireland, Germany, Mallorca and in Holland. With their repertoire encompassing Brazilian, Cuban, and African rhythms, ensuring a taste of international flavour to each and every performance. 

Funkin’ Souled Out will be playing 70s classic soul and funk! Expect to hear some Chic, Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Aretha and Ra. Join them and hear them playing funk music really well! 

APPALACHIAN DANCE TEAM 

Kinickerbocker dance is a style of tap dance on wooden boards which originated from the Lancashire Mills when people wore clogs.  During the potato famine when mass migration occurred to the US, the dance and its music was taken from Northern England and Ireland and mixed with American traditional music especially the banjo from Slave plantations and developed the rhythm and blues music now associated with the dance.  

The Outta Puff Daddys is an over 40’s, dance crew from Brighton. Using their performances and social profile to spread joy, positivity and encourage change in society’s approach to mental health…one dad-dance step at a time! 

Paul JUKEBOX (crew Leader / Artistic Director) also engages in talks to share my story, his experience of depression and how Paul’s strategies have not only supported his own mental health but impacted positively in other areas of Paul’s life too. 

Shewton Silver Band is a friendly contesting brass band, based about 30 miles away from the festival site, near Stonehenge in Wiltshire. The band has historic roots having been in existence since the 1830’s. We play at a wide range of events across Wiltshire and Hampshire ranging from fetes, concerts and private parties to formal marches, church services and festivals. 

At Car Fest, Shrewton Silver Band will be one of the roving entertainment groups playing at a number of sites across the festival grounds, including the StarFest stage. Look out for them in their Hawaiian shirts and leis! They will be entertaining the crowds with a range of well-known up-beat pop and brass pieces that everyone knows!

‘The Headliners’ are based at Studio S Dance in South Cheshire. They love all kinds of different dance styles and genres at Studio S,but place a huge emphasis on the enjoyment of dance, and strongly believe that dance is for everyone.  

Children are welcome to join their classes as soon as they can walk and we love to see them grow and develop, often going from strength to strength becoming accomplished, confident dancers and having great fun on their dance journey together. With no age limit Studio S encourages people of all ages to come and join the fun.  

At CarFest 2023 Studio S will be sharing some of their dances and hoping that some CarFesters will see dance in a way they perhaps didn’t expect too! They particularly love blending different dance genres into the same piece, where routines have been described as ‘breaking dance norms’. With eclectic taste in music, they hope to deliver performances suitable for all tastes and ages.

Esther Rantzen

Dame Esther is an English journalist and television presenter, who presented the BBC television series That's Life! for 21 years, from 1973 until 1994. She works with various charitable causes, and founded the charities ChildLine, promoting child protection, which she set up in 1986, and The Silver Line, designed to combat loneliness in older people's lives, which she set up in November 2012. Esther has been recognised for her contribution to television and society. She was awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting in 1991, a CBE for services to children in 2006, and in the 2015 New Year Honours, was made a Dame for services to children and older people through ChildLine and The Silver Line. She is Patron for the charity Operation Encompass and a Trustee for the charity Silver Stories both charities created and run by husband-and-wife David Carney-Haworth OBE and Elisabeth Carney-Haworth OBE.

Adrian Mills

Adrian Mills (born 16 July 1956) is a British television presenter and actor. He appeared on That's Life! with Esther Rantzen for seven until 1994. Since then, he has presented talk show Central Weekend Live, reported for BBC viewer feedback programme Bite Back and appeared as a location reporter on the TV series Surprise, Surprise, and in later years was a host on Getaways, TV Travel Shop. Sky Travel, Cruise First, and the LBC radio travel clinic. All this adds to his interest in travel writing and photography. For two years, he co-presented the number one programme The AM Show and is a regular contributor to LBC and Talk Radio.

Alastair Stewart

Alastair Stewart OBE is an English journalist and newscaster. Formerly presenting for ITV News, he joined GB News as a presenter in 2021. He has won the Royal Television Society's News Presenter of the Year award twice. Stewart joined Southern Television in 1976 then joined ITN in 1980 where he served three years with Channel 4 News and then went on to become a main newsreader with ITV News. He remained in this role for more than 35 years, making him the longest-serving male newsreader on British television, having worked in both local and national news for 44 years.

Shaparak Khorsandi

Shaparak is an Iranian-born British comedian and author. Shaparak established herself as one of the country’s finest comedians in 2006 with her sell out Edinburgh show, Asylum Speaker. This show lead to the publication of her childhood memoirs, “A Beginner’s Guide To Acting English“, her best-selling literary debut. Shaparak’s career has taken her to all corners of the globe, she has appeared on countless TV & Radio shows including Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Have I Got News For You, QI, Just a Minute & other flagship radio 4 programmes. She will be joining our all-star comedy cast at StarFest this year.

Sally Phillips

Sally is a multi-award-winning British actress, comedian, and producer. She is best known for her work in the comedy television series I’m Alan Partridge, Jam and Jerusalem, Miranda, Taskmaster and Veep. She started her comedy career in the Oxford Revue and completed 9 Edinburgh Fringe runs. Her talent in acting is undeniable, which only adds to the fact that she is utterly hilarious!

Ronni Ancona

Ronni Ancona is an actress, impressionist, comedienne and writer. Her comedy career started on the comedy circuit, and she won the TimeOut Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1993. She worked extensively in TV and radio before becoming a name in the BAFTA-winning Big Impression for which she won a British Comedy Award and Variety Club Award. She is the director, alongside fellow StarFest team member, Sally Phillips, and veteran Nick Hamson, of the production company Captain Dolly. Ronni is a legend in the fields of both comedy and drama, and we’re lucky to have her!

Harriet Thorpe

Harriet is an English actress, known for her roles in the British sitcoms, The Brittas Empire (1991–97) and Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012) and has also starred in the West End musicals, Cabaret (2006), Wicked (2008) and Mamma Mia! (2010). Harriet’s skills in both comedy and drama are undeniable and are a huge reason for the success of the sitcoms she was a part of. We can’t wait to see her at StarFest!

Rachel Horne

Rachel is a Northern Irish newsreader and journalist. She presented the BBC children's news programme Newsround from 2002 until 2006. She also presented BBC News' business bulletins on the BBC News Channel and travel news on weekday mornings on BBC Radio 2 in March to December 2018. She joined Virgin Radio UK as a breakfast show newsreader in January 2019. She has been married to comedian Alex Horne since 2005.

Melanie C:

Melanie C first became a household name as a member of The Spice Girls, the bestselling girl band of all time. Since the band separated, Melanie has had a successful solo career, achieving over 3 million album sales, two Number 1 singles and six Top 10 singles. She has just released a brand new album and has written her first autobiography, which will hit the shelves later this year.

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).

Eddie Izzard

Hailed as the foremost stand up of a generation. Star of stage and screen. Tireless supporter of charity. Runner. Political campaigner. Fashion icon. Human. Eddie is all these things and more. Eddie is hailed as an activist, and has proved herself on my occasions, having completed 43 marathons in 51 days in 2009 for Sport Relief, and 27 in 27 days in 2016 in South Africa in honour of Nelson Mandela. Eddie’s had her own experiences with mental health, having been very open about them over the past couple of decades. She will be sharing her insightful views with CarFest visitors this Summer.

Chris Evans

The creator of and mind behind CarFest, Chris is an English television presenter, radio DJ and producer for radio and television. Presenting and hosting a plethora of shows, both on TV and radio, including his current breakfast show on Virgin Radio, Chris is known for his charisma and energy, as well as for his commitment to several charitable causes. As he does each year, he will be gracing the stage at CarFest, to chat with our incredible guests.

James Haskell

James is one of the most well-known rugby players in the country, having racked up 77 international caps, as well as playing all around the world for the British and Irish Lions. Having retired in 2019 James is pursuing a career as a Podcaster, Presenter, and professional DJ. Alongside these, he spends a large amount of his time speaking on several topics from straight after dinner work, to serious motivation and leadership. James has transcended just being a rugby player. James is also a Sunday Times Bestselling Author for his smash hit autobiography “What A Flanker”. He has also published some best-selling fitness and nutrition books Perfect Fit, Cooking for Fitness and Rugby Fit.

Sophia Franklin

Sophia is confident, fun, and quick-witted presenter, voice over artist, broadcast journalist and producer, obsessed with music, news, politics, good outfits, showbiz, food, wine, and podcasts. Sophia is the Monday news presenter on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, producer, and presenter of the Times Daily World Briefing, and freelance as a newsreader for talkSPORT, talkRADIO and Times Radio. She is also passionate about music, and this has led her to interview a huge number of names. Her career has given her the knowledge, the experience, and the scope to make great conversation at CarFest this summer!

Humza Arshad

Humza Arshad MBE is an actor, comedian, and writer. Famous for the web series ‘Diary of a Badman’ and ‘Badman’, his YouTube videos have raked up over 100 million views, making him one of the most popular comedians in the UK. More recently, Humza, along with comedy writer, Henry White, has created the ‘Little Badman’ series of novels, which follow 11-year-old rapper Humza Khan. The three already published books have been highly celebrated, with Penguin Random House buying the series in 2018. The next book, ‘Little Badman and the Rise of the Punjabi Zombies’ is to be released in July and will be a hot topic of discussion when Humza comes to visit us at CarFest.

Nina Warhurst

Nina is an English journalist, newsreader, TV presenter and actress. A regular face on BBC Breakfast since 2018, Nina is the programme’s Business Presenter, and often fills in as anchor on the famous ‘red sofa’. Nina is happiest running around a factory or a farm, delivering the latest economic news in a high-vis jacket and wellies. Her work as a political correspondent means she’s interviewed three Prime Ministers – two of them at Downing Street. Journalism has taken Nina all over the world, making her a perfect host.

Lydia grew up in the Roman city of Lincoln and from there, developed an appetite for historical detail from around the world. Lydia decided to study modern foreign languages at Durham University to help her research into women in history from around the world and has lived in many places such as Paris, Madrid and Salamanca! Along with her passion for fashion and travel, her research and experience have greatly contributed to creating ‘Hysterical Herstories’.

Emma Guns

Emma is an experienced beauty, health and lifestyle writer, presenter and brand consultant.

She is the host of The Emma Guns Show featuring interviews with celebrities, brand creators, editors and authors. The podcast launched in April 2016 and has already charted in the Top 10 on iTunes in the arts chart and has been featured in Stylist, Metro and Cosmopolitan in print and The Coveteur and Get the Gloss online.

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.

Oscar Leonard

Oscar is a London based actor, he has recently graduated from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. He has always had a passion for all kinds of literature, and finds every opportunity to tell important stories through his roles.

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.

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

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.

Author of ‘The Flexible Body’ and ‘Stretch’, Roger has created a hive of information and mentoring aimed at increasing flexibility and reducing the pain and discomfort associated with certain movements. Having made his own self-discoveries regarding difficulties getting into certain positions and achieving certain movements, Roger has aimed to change the way people all over the world approach movement.

Georgie is a personal trainer and blogger, and the founder of GS Wellness, a one stop shop for all pillars of wellness. From nutrition and exercise to mental health and stress management, Georgie’s approach to physical and mental health aims to reconnect the mind and body has helped improve the lives of many and has even found her in the Evening Standard and Forbes.

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.

Author of ‘The Flexible Body’ and ‘Stretch’, Roger has created a hive of information and mentoring aimed at increasing flexibility and reducing the pain and discomfort associated with certain movements. Having made his own self-discoveries regarding difficulties getting into certain positions and achieving certain movements, Roger has aimed to change the way people all over the world approach movement.

Erin has been a professional commercial dancer for 15 years. During a very fun and exciting lifestyle, she turned to yoga in 2013 to help her find some peace and calm. Erin found such great benefits from the practice, that she took her involvement a step further, completing 200 hours of teacher training in Goa in 2018. Erin created The Gratitude Retreat in late 2020 as she has a huge passion for helping people and wanted to share the tools and practices that helped her so much throughout her dance career with others.

Shaparak Khorsandi

Shaparak is an Iranian-born British comedian and author. Shaparak established herself as one of the country’s finest comedians in 2006 with her sell out Edinburgh show, Asylum Speaker. This show lead to the publication of her childhood memoirs, “A Beginner’s Guide To Acting English“, her best-selling literary debut. Shaparak’s career has taken her to all corners of the globe, she has appeared on countless TV & Radio shows including Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Have I Got News For You, QI, Just a Minute & other flagship radio 4 programmes. She will be joining our all-star comedy cast at StarFest this year.

Sally Phillips

Sally is a multi-award-winning British actress, comedian, and producer. She is best known for her work in the comedy television series I’m Alan Partridge, Jam and Jerusalem, Miranda, Taskmaster and Veep. She started her comedy career in the Oxford Revue and completed 9 Edinburgh Fringe runs. Her talent in acting is undeniable, which only adds to the fact that she is utterly hilarious!

Ronni Ancona

Ronni Ancona is an actress, impressionist, comedienne and writer. Her comedy career started on the comedy circuit, and she won the TimeOut Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1993. She worked extensively in TV and radio before becoming a name in the BAFTA-winning Big Impression for which she won a British Comedy Award and Variety Club Award. She is the director, alongside fellow StarFest team member, Sally Phillips, and veteran Nick Hamson, of the production company Captain Dolly. Ronni is a legend in the fields of both comedy and drama, and we’re lucky to have her!

Harriet Thorpe

Harriet is an English actress, known for her roles in the British sitcoms, The Brittas Empire (1991–97) and Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012) and has also starred in the West End musicals, Cabaret (2006), Wicked (2008) and Mamma Mia! (2010). Harriet’s skills in both comedy and drama are undeniable and are a huge reason for the success of the sitcoms she was a part of. We can’t wait to see her at StarFest!

Rachel Horne

Rachel is a Northern Irish newsreader and journalist. She presented the BBC children's news programme Newsround from 2002 until 2006. She also presented BBC News' business bulletins on the BBC News Channel and travel news on weekday mornings on BBC Radio 2 in March to December 2018. She joined Virgin Radio UK as a breakfast show newsreader in January 2019. She has been married to comedian Alex Horne since 2005.

Jimmy Carr

Jimmy (James) Carr is a British-Irish comedian, presenter, writer, and actor. He began his comedy career in 1997, and has regularly appeared on television as the host of Channel 4 panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.

Rob Brydon

Robert Brydon is a Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist, presenter, singer and writer. He played Dr Paul Hamilton in the Australian/British comedy eries Supernova, Bryn West in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey and Keith Barret in the BBC comedy series Marion and Geoff and its spin-off The Keith Barret Show. He has appeared in a number of shows for the BBC with Steve Coogan, including The Trip series in 2010, released as a feature film later that year; and The Trip to Italy in 2014 and The Trip to Spain in 2017 and The Trip to Greece in 2020, also edited and released as feature films. Since 2009, Brydon has presented the BBC One comedy panel ‘show Would I Lie to You?’ after previously playing himself as host of a fictional panel show in Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, which ran on BBC Three from 2006 until 2007. In addition to presenting his own late-night chat show, The Rob Brydon Show, for two years and hosting the 2014 Saturday-night game show The Guess List for BBC One, Brydon has also appeared in notable films including Cruise of the Gods, The Gruffalo, 24 Hour Party People, The Huntsman: Winter's War and Holmes & Watson.

Chris Evans

The creator of and mind behind CarFest, Chris is an English television presenter, radio DJ and producer for radio and television. Presenting and hosting a plethora of shows, both on TV and radio, including his current breakfast show on Virgin Radio, Chris is known for his charisma and energy, as well as for his commitment to several charitable causes. As he does each year, he will be gracing the stage at CarFest, to chat with our incredible guests.

Born on January 31, 1971, and given the name Amelia Driver, the Hollywood actress was raised in Barbados, returning to England along with her elder sister Kate in 1976. Five years later, she was sent to renowned Hampshire boarding school Bedales, where the budding jazz vocalist and guitarist began to explore her interest in theatre.

Minnie went on to enrol in the Webber-Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, making her stage debut just two weeks after graduating with an acting degree in 1991. Her career in Britain quickly took flight with roles in BBC TV productions and a series of her own before she made an international splash in Circle Of Friends, for which she gained two stone in weight.

The part boosted her to fame in the US, and she soon found herself newly slimmed down and every inch the budding Hollywood star on the A-list. Critically acclaimed roles followed as she mastered American accents in Sleepers and Grosse Point Blank.

She cemented her status in Hollywood when she secured an Oscar nomination as best supporting actress for Good Will Hunting.  Although Minnie didn't win the Oscar, she was well-settled in Tinseltown, buying an LA home, producing films with her own production company Two Drivers with her sister Kate.

She often returns to her English roots, making The Governess  in 1998, as well as the London-lensed An Ideal Husband and High Heels And Low Lifes and most recently Cinderella with Camilla Cabilo.

Most recently, Driver has turned her attention to the podcast phenomenon, with her own podcast called Minnie Questions  in which she interviews a range of creative figures,

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 26^th 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

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

Steve Denyer warms up for Chris Evans every morning on Virgin Radio - he is the only presenter apart from Chris that has presented on every single Virgin Radio station.

Steve has interviewed many big names from the world of music and culture on his Playlist shows and is also a TalkTV contributor regularly breaking big showbiz news stories on Television. 

Having worked in radio for 26 years up and down the country - Steve says he is having the most fun working at the top of the tower with Chris and the team at Virgin Radio.

Dr Chatterjee is a renowned medical doctor in the UK and is on a mission to improve the lives of 100 million people. He hosts the #1 health podcast in the UK and Europe 'Feel Better, Live More' which has 125 million downloads and is listened to by 6 million each month. Chris Evans calls it one of the best podcasts on the planet!

He is also Professor of Health Communication and Education at The University of Chester, a best-selling health author and has a TED talk viewed by over 5.5 million people. His latest book, Happy Mind, Happy Life was an instant No.1 Sunday Times Bestseller.

Dr Rupy is one of the most influential NHS medical doctors in the UK who makes healthy eating delicious, easy and fun. After suffering a significant heart condition, he started The Doctor's Kitchen. He hosts a podcast, recently launched an app, has written 4 cookbooks (his latest Dr Rupy Cooks published by Ebury) and presents his BBC TV show Thrifty cooking in the Doctor's Kitchen, available on BBC iplayer.

Lee Mack is a popular and acclaimed comedian from the UK. He gained recognition after winning the So You Think You're Funny competition in 1995. Known for his energetic and infectious sense of fun, Lee has become a household favourite with his finely crafted one-liners and quick ad-libs. He has performed successful stand-up tours and has sold out major theatres alongside David Mitchell and Rob Brydon. Lee is also known for his role as the quick-witted team captain on the TV show Would I Lie To You, which earned him a BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance.

In addition to his comedy career, Lee has appeared in various TV shows and movies, including Inside No. 9, Doctor Who, and Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans. He made his West End stage debut in 2018 and has continued to showcase his acting skills in productions like Bleak Expectations.

As a host, Lee is known for presenting ITV's successful game show The 1% Club, which won a Broadcast Award in 2023. He is also actively involved in charity work, particularly as a supporter and occasional player for UNICEF's Soccer Aid charity, where he has scored the winning goals for the World XI team in consecutive years.

Melanie Sykes is an author and speaker with twenty-six years of experience in the entertainment industry. In recent years Melanie has been using her profile to pursue humanitarian work, including raising awareness about the impact of misogyny in the media, discussing her advocacy of cannabis as medicine, talking about environmental issues, sharing her understanding of Autism as a neurodivergent woman and adding to these conversations through her online magazine ‘Frank.’

Richard Hammond is a prominent English journalist, TV presenter, mechanic, and writer. He gained widespread recognition as a host of the popular BBC Two motoring show, Top Gear, which he co-hosted alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May from 2002 to 2015. Since 2016, he has continued his hosting journey by presenting The Grand Tour on Amazon Studios alongside Clarkson and May.

In addition to his work on Top Gear and The Grand Tour, Hammond has hosted various other TV shows, showcasing his versatility. These include Brainiac: Science Abuse, an entertainment documentary series, Total Wipeout, a game show, and Planet Earth Live, a nature documentary series.

Not limited to television, Hammond, together with his co-hosts, launched DriveTribe in 2016, an automotive social media website. He actively engages with his audience through his tribe called "Hammond's Fob Jockeys," where he regularly shares content.

Beyond his television career, Hammond's passion for classic cars led him to establish The Smallest Cog, a classic car restoration workshop. This venture exemplifies his dedication to preserving and restoring these timeless vehicles.

At the age of 40, Rich made the decision to overhaul the sedentary throes of overweight middle age.

Walking away from a career in law, he reinvented himself as a globally recognised ultra-distance endurance athlete, bestselling author, and host of the wildly popular Rich Roll Podcast, one of the world’s most listened to podcasts with over 200 million downloads.

Named one the ‘’25 th fittest men in the world’’ by Men’s Fitness and the ‘’Guru of Reinvention’’ by Outside, Rich shares his inspirational story of addiction, redemption, athletic prowess and authentic living in his bestselling memoir, Finding Ultra, and in the cookbook and lifestyle guides The Plant Power Way: Italia, which he co-authored with his wife, Julie Piatt.

Twice the happiness in the form of plant-based cookery from the dynamic Irish twin brothers! Dave & Steve had been travelling the world and as twin power goes, on opposite sides of the world they switched to a plant-based diet within a week of each other. The Happy Pear seed was sown.

The Happy Pear started out back in 2004 with Steve, Dave, a tiny shop and a dream of helping people to eat more veg!

Fast forward 15 years, The Happy Pear now consists of a cafe and shop in Greystones, Wicklow, 60 products, 7 online courses, 5 cookbooks, a farm, a roastery, and a community of over 1 million people living healthier! All that said, their mission is still the same, to help everyone to get healthier and be happier.