Hay Festival

Hay Festival Podcast

Arts EN ↓ 71 episodes

Conversations with the world's greatest writers and thinkers to inspire and entertain, recorded at Hay Festival events globally.

Author

Hay Festival

Category

Arts

Podcast website

www.hayfestival.com

Latest episode

Oct 17, 2025

Where to listen?

Podcasts in the app Replaio Radio Coming soon

Podcasts are coming to the app soon. Install now and be the first to see a whole new take on podcasts

Get it on Google Play Install for free Android 5M+ downloads · 4.8 rating iOS soon

Episodes

Constelaciones Hay Festival: arquitectura. Tatiana Bilbao e Inés Vachez 17.10.2025

Bienvenidos al pódcast Constelaciones Hay Festival, un espacio para imaginar otro mundo. Constelaciones Hay Festival es la edición especial del pódcast del Hay Festival en español en la que celebramos el 10º aniversario de nuestro festival en Querétaro. Constelaciones Hay Festival es un espacio para el diálogo intergeneracional en el firmamento cultural mexicano entre una estrella consagrada y tal...

S6, Bonus Episode - A Child's Christmas in Wales, Hanan Issa responds to Dylan Thomas 01.12.2022

A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas became an instant classic when he recorded it on vinyl in 1952. Snow falls gently, anticipation fills the air, and Thomas' lyrical account of his childhood Christmases in a small Welsh town comes to life with humour and wit. Seventy years on and with the support of Literature Wales, Hay Festival has commissioned Wales’ National Poet Hanan Issa to offer...

S6, Ep16 Janina Ramirez on sleeping on command, artefacts, and burial plans 06.10.2022

Broadcaster and historian Janina Ramirez talks to Kavita Puri about reappraising women’s roles in medieval history with her new book Femina . She then joins Poppy Evans for a chat about life outside of work, including an elaborate burial plan to confuse future archaeologists. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity...

S6, Ep15 Onjali Q Raúf on nostalgia, volunteering and seeking a better world 29.09.2022

Children’s author and activist Onjali Q Raúf talks about the inspirations behind her bestselling books and her work with refugees as well as reminiscing about childhood with Poppy Evans. Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok @hayfestival #ImagineTheWorld

S6, Ep14 Jim Al-Khalili on teaching, technology and science in everyday life 22.09.2022

Physicist Jim Al-Khalili discusses his guide to leading a more rational life The Joy of Science with Glyn Morgan, before chatting to Poppy Evans about teaching, technology and his everyday life. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok @hayfestival #Imagin...

S6, Ep13 Rebecca Mead on swimming, work ethics and profiling Margaret Atwood 15.09.2022

Rebecca Mead’s reflection of leaving America to return to her native land, Home/Land raises poignant questions about place. She discusses these with lawyer Philippe Sands, before joining Poppy Evans backstage to talk about culture, swimming and shadowing Margaret Atwood after the 2016 election. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Cont...

S6, Ep12 Damon Galgut on his 2021 Man Booker Prize winner The Promise 08.09.2022

Damon Galgut’s 2021 Booker Prize-winning novel charts a country in transition and a family in crisis. He discusses The Promise with author Elizabeth Day, as well as talking to Poppy Evans about everyday observations and rituals. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter, Instagram, Faceb...

S6, Ep11 Kate Humble on everyday life, cooking, and impostor syndrome 01.09.2022

Wildlife writer and broadcaster Kate Humble talks about her debut cookbook Home Cooked with photographer Andrew Montgomery and Kitty Corrigan, before discussing everyday life, her failings at crafts and impostor syndrome with Poppy Evans. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter, Instag...

S6, Ep10 Liz Hyder on working at Hay Festival, magicians and illustrating 25.08.2022

Writer Liz Hyder discusses her new book The Gifts and how fiction illuminates the world with Sophie Haydock and Rebecca F John, before catching up with Poppy Evans about her time working at Hay Festival, and where she finds inspiration for her books. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twi...

S6, Ep9 David Baddiel on comedy influences, procrastinating and saying yes 18.08.2022

Comedian and writer David Baddiel joins Simon Schama to talk about his book for people on the right side of history, Jews Don’t Count , before speaking to Poppy Evans about the cassette tape that led him to comedy, writing practices and saying yes to new opportunities. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfes...

S6, Ep8 Jess Phillips on childhood games, life in the public eye and fitness 11.08.2022

Labour MP Jess Phillips tells Hugh Muir the inside story of Westminster with her book Everything You Really Need to Know About Politics: My Life as an MP . Afterwards Phillips speaks to Poppy Evans about childhood and life outside of parliament. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter,...

S6, Ep7 Joanne Harris on writing rituals, hypnotic triggers and childhood influences 04.08.2022

Writer Joanne Harris talks to Sophie Raworth about her latest novel A Narrow Door before joining Poppy Evans off-stage to talk about her many eclectic interests outside of work; including writing amulets, staying in hotels and lucid dreaming. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter, In...

S6, Ep6 Natalie Haynes on reimagining Greek myths, knitting and comedy 28.07.2022

Classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes reimagines the story of Medusa, putting the woman back at the centre of the story with her trademark passion, wit and feminism. She then joins Poppy Evans to talk about the crush that led her to comedy, knitting and other influences in her life. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at p...

S6, Ep5 Devi Sridhar on Covid, becoming a personal trainer, and guilty pleasures 21.07.2022

Global health expert Devi Sridhar delivers the John Maddox Lecture at Hay Festival with her new book Preventable: The Politics of Pandemics and How to Stop the Next One. She joins Poppy Evans for a chat about becoming a personal trainer, eating cake and reading romantic fiction. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at public...

S6, Ep4 Alan Titchmarsh on childhood memories, Nelson Mandela’s tomato plants, and broadcasting 14.07.2022

Gardener, broadcaster, and novelist Alan Titchmarsh talks to Alex Clark about his latest novel The Gift before heading backstage to discuss his earliest gardening memories, designing a garden for Nelson Mandela and more with Poppy Evans. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter, Instagr...

S6, Ep3 Suzanne O’Sullivan on writing a novel, psychosomatic disorders, and reality TV 07.07.2022

Award-winning neurologist Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan talks to writer Oliver Balch about her book The Sleeping Beauties and travelling the world to investigate so-called mystery illnesses, before joining Poppy Evans backstage to talk about storytelling and the influences on her work. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publici...

S6, Ep2 Marcus du Sautoy on football algorithms, prime numbers, and creativity 01.07.2022

Leading mathematician Marcus du Sautoy discusses his book Thinking Better – The Art of the Shortcut with neurologist Hannah Critchlow at Hay Festival 2022, before joining Poppy Evans backstage to talk more about his influences Listen to the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter, Instagram, Fac...

S6, Ep1 Cressida Cowell on finding dragons, Shakespeare, and the urge to explore 24.06.2022

Poppy Evans talks to bestselling author and illustrator Cressida Cowell about the influences behind her writing, from childhood adventures on an island to Shakespeare’s ambiguity, with a sneak peek of her new book series, Which Way to Anywhere. Watch the full event Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hayfestival.org/hayplayer . Contact us at publicity@hayfestival.org or on Twitter,...

S5, Ep12 Simon Sebag Montefiore: Written in History: Letters That Changed the World 13.05.2022

The historian selects letters that have changed the course of global events or expressed a timeless idea – whether passion, rage or humour – from ancient times to the 21st century. Some are noble and inspiring, some despicable and unsettling, some are exquisite works of literature, others brutal, coarse and frankly outrageous; many are erotic, others heartbreaking. His correspondents range from El...

S5, Ep11 Jennifer Saunders: Bonkers: My Life in Laughs 06.05.2022

The writer and actor’s life is full of riotous adventures: Jennifer talks accidentally enrolling on a teacher training course with a young Dawn French, dressing up as punks and scaring people on the underground, bluffing her way to each BBC series, and shooting Ab Fab with Joanna Lumley. Watch the full event Dawn French talks to Miranda Sawyer Full-length Festival events can be watched over at hay...

S5, Ep10 Malala Yousafzai, featuring an excerpt from Ziauddin Yousafzai 29.04.2022

The Pakistani activist and writer Malala Yousafzai won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in favour of the right of children, particularly girls, to education. Aged 17 when she received the award, she became the youngest ever person to receive a Nobel in any category. A BBC blogger since 2009, she has been a persistent critic of the Taliban in her country, which resulted in an attempt on her...

S5, Ep9 Peter Scott-Morgan: Peter 2.0: The Human Cyborg 22.04.2022

Peter, a brilliant scientist, is told he will lose everything he loves – his husband, family, friends. He has Motor Neurone Disease, a condition universally considered to be terminal. He is told it will destroy his nerve cells and that within two years, it will take his life, too. But face-to-face with death, he decides there is another way and using science and technology, he navigates a new path...

S5, Ep8 Ruth Coker Burks: All the Young Men 15.04.2022

A gripping and triumphant tale of human compassion, All the Young Men is the true story of a young, single mother who finds herself driven to the forefront of the AIDS crisis and who risks everything to give victims back their humanity. In 1986, 26-year-old Ruth Corker Burks visited a friend in hospital when she noticed that the door to one of the patient’s rooms is painted red. The nurses were re...

S5, Ep7 Ed Miliband: Go Big: How to Fix Our World 08.04.2022

Think of any problem that we face and you may be surprised to learn that there is already a solution out there. We just need to know where to look – and have the courage to think big. Everywhere, people are devising ingenious ways to tackle everything from inequality and the climate crisis to the challenges of housing, technology and demographic change. Based on his podcast Reasons to Be Cheerful...

S5, Ep6 Raynor Winn: The Salt Path 01.04.2022

The walker discusses her mesmerising and inspirational memoir: just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of thirty-two years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall...

Listen to the Hay Festival Podcast podcast in Replaio

Radio and podcasts in one app - free, with no sign-up. Install today and do not miss the launch

Get it on Google Play

Replaio is not a podcast publisher; show names, artwork and audio belong to their authors and are distributed through public RSS feeds.