Adam Kay from delivering babies to delivering punchlines, the former obs and gynae doctor turned BAFTA-winning writer and comedian, now stitches together stories in his bestselling books.

The beloved voice of Dexys Midnight Runners and Dexys - the singer-songwriter Kevin Rowland. He’s traded melodies for memories in his raw and revealing memoir.

And penning stories, teaching other writers and also throwing punches - the author Anna Whitwham proves she’s as fierce a pugilist as she is a wordsmith.

Plus, the Inheritance Tracks from the journalist, writer and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Award-winning historian, broadcaster, and author Bettany Hughes wrote her first book when she was just five years old. Now she's

Jay McGuiness swapped the glittery Strictly ballroom and The Wanted tour bus for the West End stage - and now has written a fantasy trilogy!

And Dave Fishwick - the real Dave behind the hit Netflix film 'The Bank of Dave' - shares his inspiring life story, which all started with a chip butty...

All that plus, the Inheritance Tracks of much-loved TV presenter Ade Adepitan.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Huw Stephens.

Mother of champions and former tennis star and coach herself... Judy Murray has swapped a killer forehand for the mighty pen.

Richard Turner is a cult survivor who knows a thing or two about love bombing, gaslighting and the prosperity gospel, but it was his autism diagnosis that opened his eyes to the truth.

Defne Suman, is an acclaimed Turkish author, and hatha yoga teacher, whose novels unearth forgotten histories and turn memory into literature with sociological insight.

All that plus the Inheritance Tracks of the 5Live presenter and noughties teen tv icon…Rick Edwards.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Huw Stephens

Dudley’s finest, Sir Lenny Henry, has always used his comedic and acting talents to infuse characters with humour and heart - his Comic Relief work turned laughter into social impact and he now has a list of ‘brilliant things’ to share.

Violinist and Daughter of Dublin Aoife Ní Bhriain has, through her music, blended traditional Irish sounds with modern innovation, turning cultural roots into contemporary expressions.

And, hailing from Nottingham, former refuse worker turned screenwriter William Ivory’s discusses a cannon of films, which include Made in Dagenham, and lifts the curtain on how he elevates the mundane and gives voice to the overlooked.

All that plus, to get into the festival mood, the Inheritance Tracks of 6 Music’s Breakfast presenter Nick Grimshaw.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Double BAFTA winning and shapeshifting actor Adeel Akhtar has been seen on screen in Murdered by My Father, Sherwood and Fool Me Once and on stage he’s currently playing a politician in The Estate.

Terry Deary is the bestselling author of Horrible Histories and has now written his first adult crime thriller…Actually, I’m A Murderer.

And Charlotte Philby is the investigative journalist, author of spy thrillers, and has uncovered the women behind her grandfather's double life as one of the Cambridge Five.

All that...plus the “Never Ending” Inheritance Tracks of Kajagoogoo star and singer Limahl.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Huw Stephens

Producer: Catherine Powell

Actor, director and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah on the big decisions he’s faced from changing his name to the Herculean task of writing a super-hero musical.

Mohammed Belal... Who became England's first paralysed surgeon after a cycling accident. He faced years of rehabilitation to return to work.

George Egg who mixes comedy and cooking and says good nosh doesn’t have to be posh and how cooking helped him after the death of his father.

Inheritance Tracks are picked by DJ-turned-novelist Fearne Cotton...

Presenters: Kiri Pritchard-MCLean and Jon Kay

A man who serves up laughs and heart in equal measure - teller of stories David Baddiel is a comedian, author, screenwriter and presenter who has most recently taken inspiration from the humble burger.

Mikey Please is the BAFTA winning short film maker. His stop-motion magic with Aardman Studios conjured the Oscar-nominated Robin Robin and has just won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.

And fresh from one of her many eating sprees, the globe-trotting foodie and sustainability sage Leyla Kazim joins us. The Food Programme presenter and judge on MasterChef reveals why she is relocating to Portugal for some ‘purposeful living’.

All that plus we have the supreme Inheritance Tracks of comedian - and now memoirist - Suzi Ruffell.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay

Ashley Walters, the powerhouse actor, producer and rapper, who’s delivered unforgettable performances in Top Boy and the recent global Netflix hit Adolescence, his memoir unveils a tapestry of his inner workings, woven with candour and introspection.

Rhys Darby is one of New Zealand’s finest comedy exports. Famous for his boundless curiosity and for blending quirky wit and brilliance he’ll tell us about being a real-life soldier and on-screen pirate. Plus his current stand-up tour.

And Helen Lederer joins us. The actor-writer-comedian who is busy rehearsing for her performance in Fawlty Towers on stage.

Plus we have the Inheritance Tracks of the broadcaster and writer Georgia Mann.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Fresh from her recent BAFTA success – the award-winning actress, writer and producer - Ruth Jones is with us. Ruth’s latest book of fiction is a story where the main character embarks on one last investigation for a council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit... and along the way, the character discovers the importance of holding onto friendship and community.

He's the architectural alchemist who has guided us through communities around the UK, where people who turn their creative dreams into homes. The TV presenter and writer - Kevin McCloud – is with us under the canvas of this delightful Hay Festival tent.

And GT Karber is the mastermind behind the phenomenon – Murdle – a series of murder mystery puzzle books. Greg is the son of a judge and a civil rights attorney who grew up in the community of Arkansas in the United States. But he’s taken a break from conjuring up his puzzling and logical creations to join us in the Hay-on-Wye countryside.

Plus the Inheritance Tracks of the comedian Ivo Graham.

Presenters: Huw Stephens and Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Writer Francesca Simon swapped Californian sunshine for life in the UK, where she created one of the most iconic characters in children’s literature — Horrid Henry. She joins us to talk fairy folklore, presidential ambitions, and the stories that shaped her.

Jude Kelly, founder of Women of the World and one of the UK’s most influential cultural figures, shares her journey from Toxteth to the South Bank.

Writer Sophie Pierce and artist Alex Murdin open up about how the wild beauty of Dartmoor helped them process the loss of their son, Felix — and how grief, love, and nature are deeply connected.

We’ll spin the wheel with potter Caitlin Jenkins, whose love of ceramics is rooted in family history.

And the landscape-loving writer and environmentalist Professor Robert Macfarlane brings us his Inheritance Tracks.

Presenters: Nikki Bedi and Jon Kay