Stephen King is one of the most popular and successful authors on the planet. Known primarily as a horror writer, King has also written fantasy, science-fiction, thrillers, memoirs, essays, crime novels and a well-regarded book about the craft of the novelist entitled On Writing.

Since 1974, when his first book Carrie was released, King has sold an estimated 350 million books, and he is the most adapted living author with most of his works turned in films and TV series. But he has also faced criticism throughout his career. Many critics dismissed his work as an entertaining irrelevance and he was never accorded the respect of his contemporaries, who were deemed more ‘literary’.

Has the author’s populism damaged his critical reputation? Why are bestselling or prodigious authors looked upon differently by cultural tastemakers? And why do the painful, disturbing themes that King returns to again and again in his novels engage with audiences so readily?

With Matt Thorne, Roz Kaveney and Kim Newman.

Presenter: Hayley Campbell