News Story

The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival has announced award-winning author and screenwriter Candice Carty-Williams and bestselling crime writer MJ Arlidge as its Guest Curators for 2026, offering audiences a first glimpse of what to expect from this year's Festival programme.

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Returning to Cheltenham from 9-18 October, this year's Festival will explore the stories that matter, championing bold ideas, fresh perspectives and the writers shaping conversations today.

In their role as Guest Curators, Carty-Williams and Arlidge will curate a strand of events that reflect their distinctive literary interests, while bringing together some of the most exciting voices in contemporary writing. British-Jamaican author, journalist and screenwriter Candice Carty-Williams has become one of the defining voices in contemporary British fiction.

Her debut novel, Queenie, won the British Book Awards Book of the Year in 2020, making her the first Black woman to receive the honour. Through her writing for page and screen – including BBC drama Champion and the upcoming Queenie Is Working On It – Carty-Williams centres nuanced, joyful and complex Black British stories.

At the Festival, Carty-Williams will discuss the highly-anticipated return of beloved heroine Queenie and celebrate emerging literary talent, while also exploring contemporary Black politics, culture and identity.

Cheltenham Literature Festival is a place where readers and writers come together to share ideas, challenge perspectives and celebrate stories in all their forms. I'm thrilled to be joining as a Guest Curator and can't wait to bring together writers and thinkers whose work excites, inspires and sparks conversation.
Author and Guest Curator, Candice Carty-Williams

Joining her is internationally bestselling crime novelist and screenwriter MJ Arlidge, whose DIHelen Grace thrillers have sold millions of copies worldwide. Known for their cinematic pace and compelling characters, Arlidge's novels have cemented his reputation as one of the UK's leading crime writers.

Drawing on his experience across both publishing and television, Arlidge's curated events will explore the enduring appeal of crime fiction, the craft of storytelling and the journey from page to screen. His programme will feature some of the biggest names in contemporary crime writing, to be revealed in August.

I'm delighted to be joining Cheltenham Literature Festival as a Guest Curator. Crime fiction has never been more vibrant or more popular, and I'm looking forward to bringing together fellow writers to explore why audiences remain so fascinated by stories of crime, justice and human nature. Expect plenty of twists, surprises and lively debate.
Author and Guest Curator, MJ Arlidge

Candice Carty-Williams and MJ Arlidge will appear at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival from 9-18 October.

The full programme will be announced on Wednesday 12 August.