PVLF 2025

Jada Pinkett Smith will Read from her autobiography at the London Literature Festiva

London Literature Festival: Guest-curated by George the Poet, featuring celebrity readings by Jada Pinkett Smith, Sir Patrick Stewart, Kerry Washington, and Nick Frost.
on Jul 05, 2023

The 12-day festival has been guest-curated by spoken word artist George the Poet.

Actors, musicians, and novelists like Jada Pinkett Smith and Sir Patrick Stewart will perform celebrity readings at this year's London Literature Festival.

Stewart, best known for his stage performances as well as parts in the Star Trek and X-Men film franchises, will deliver his memoir Making It So, while US actor and Red Table Talks host Pinkett Smith will share experiences from her novel Worthy.

Scandal star Kerry Washington, who will deliver her new novel Thicker Than Water, and British actor Nick Frost, who will discuss his memoir A Slice Of Fried Gold alongside long-time colleague Simon Pegg, are also among the superstars in the mix.

This year's iteration of the 12-day festival will take place at the Southbank Centre from October 18 to 29.

George The Poet, real name George Mpanga, 32, will guest moderate the festival's opening night and will also be bringing his anthology Part Of A Story That Started Before Me to life.

"The environment of London has been my teacher and inspiration, and I'm looking forward to celebrating the city's culture, sounds, and poetry in what promises to be a night to remember."

An evening with Out-Spoken, the Southbank Centre's resident poetry and live music group, hosted by Joelle Taylor, is another spoken word celebration.

Abstract Benna, Lambeth poet laureate, will present a performance reflecting on his year in office, while The National Poetry Library will hold a gala day of spoken word performances and displays with BBC Radio 4 commentator Roger McGough.

In other news, Korean author Yu Miri will read from her novel The End of August, while photographer, critic, and novelist Teju Cole will discuss his recent novel Tremor.

Author Brian Washington will offer his new novel Family Meal, and author Oliver Jeffers will present Begin Again: The Story of How We Got Here and Where We Might Go, his new picture book for adults.

Dame Jacqueline Wilson, former children's laureate, will present the sequel to her 2001 best-selling bestseller Sleepovers - The Best Sleepover In The World during the October half-term.

Zeb Soanes, a Classic FM presenter and novelist, will narrate his children's story, Fred And The Fantastic Tub Tub, and Jeffrey Boakye, a broadcaster and author, will introduce his entertaining new adventure, Kofi And The Rap Battle Summer.

This year's Black British Book Festival will run alongside the London Literature Festival, and will kick off with the release of Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock's new memoir Believe.

Unmasking Brilliance: Black British Voices In Media, a panel discussion led by politician Dawn Butler and journalists Clive Myrie and Gary Younge, will look at the accomplishments of black leaders in the media business.

There will also be a number of interactive events, including a dance-driven celebration hosted by Strictly Come Dancing champion and CBeebies Boogie Beebies host Oti Mabuse, who is celebrating the release of her new book Dance Along With Mabuse.

The London Literature Festival tickets will go on sale to Southbank Centre members on Wednesday, July 5, and to the general public on Thursday, July 6, while the Black British Book Festival tickets are already on sale. Some of the festival's events will be free and open to the public.