Saturday 14 November, 1.00 – 2.00pm, All Saints Church, Dulverton

Larry Lamb with Roger Hammond

We are delighted to welcome beloved actor, broadcaster and author Larry Lamb to Dulverton. Larry has enjoyed a long, varied and successful career, captivating audiences on stage, screen and radio for more than five decades. Best known for his unforgettable roles in Gavin & Stacey and EastEnders, he has also appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway.

Larry Lamb (top) and Roger Hammond

In this warm and entertaining conversation, Larry joins his friend and local author Roger Hammond to look back on his extraordinary life. Drawing on his memoir Mummy’s Boy and sharing poems he has written from the heart, Larry will reflect on the people, places and experiences that have shaped him, revealing how poetry has become a deeply personal way of making sense of memory, family and the passage of time.

In this unique Festival event, enjoy an hour filled with humour and heartfelt honesty and perhaps some behind-the-scenes stories from a remarkable career in theatre, television and film.

Tickets £12 adults £6 children (under 17)

Saturday 14 November, 3.00 – 4.00pm, Dulverton Town Hall

Philippe Auclair and Jon Henderson

This was FIFA World Cup year – and we were so close! England’s Bronze Final match on 18^th July against France was a highlight. It was a joy to watch England’s heroes Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham facing France’s Kylian Mbappe… and triumph 6:4! Now that the dust has settled, come to Dulverton Town Hall and join two leading football writers for a fascinating conversation about how ‘the beautiful game’ has been transformed over the past century.

Philippe Auclair

Philippe Auclair is an award-winning French journalist, author, broadcaster and football expert. Based in London, he has covered football for leading international publications and broadcasters, combining sharp analysis with a deep understanding of the sport’s politics, culture and personalities. The author of acclaimed biographies and books on football, he brings his latest biography The Mbappé Project: The Making of a Superstar to Dulverton. The book explores the extraordinary rise of Kylian Mbappé from gifted youngster to global sporting icon and captain of the French national team. Offering unique insight into one of football’s greatest talents, Philippe examines the determination, ambition and talent behind Mbappé’s remarkable success.

Jon Henderson

Alongside him will be Jon Henderson, an award-winning sports journalist and author, who has written extensively about football and its history. A former editor of the Observer Sport Monthly, he has covered the game at the highest level and is known for his insightful, engaging writing. His book When Footballers Were Skint looks back to a very different era, when many professional players earned modest wages and often needed second jobs to make ends meet.

Tickets £12 adults £6 children (under 17)

Saturday 14 November, 4.30 – 5.30pm, Dulverton Heritage Centre

Nicholas Hopton with Miranda Taylor

Escape to the sun-drenched region of the Maremma in southern Tuscany, as former diplomat and writer Nicholas Hopton discusses his delightful memoir Maremma Mia.

Described as “doing for southern Tuscany what Peter Mayle did for Provence”, Maremma Mia tells the story of Nicholas and his family’s journey to restore an old farmhouse in the little-known Maremma region. Rich in humour, history and affection, it is a celebration of rural Italian life, from memorable neighbours and local traditions to wonderful food, wine and the changing seasons. Along the way, Nicholas reveals how a renovation project became a story of friendship, belonging and discovering a place that felt like home.

Nicholas Hopton and Miranda Taylor

Nicholas brings a unique perspective to his writing, having enjoyed a distinguished 35-year diplomatic career, including postings as British Ambassador to Libya, Iran, Qatar and Yemen. His deep knowledge of Italy, combined with his gift for storytelling, makes this far more than a travel book.

Nicholas will be in conversation with travel editor, Miranda Taylor, who has herself recently set up a business in Exmoor encouraging visitors to take the slow road, embracing culture and wellbeing.

Tickets £12 adults £6 children (under 17)

Sunday 15 November, 10.00 – 11.00am, Dulverton Town Hall

Paul Mason with Iain MacGregor

Few political ideas have shaped the modern world as profoundly—or as controversially—as communism. From revolution and idealism to dictatorship, resistance and global power, its influence has reached every continent and transformed the lives of millions. In this fascinating conversation, author Paul Mason joins historian Iain MacGregor to explore one of history’s most powerful and enduring ideologies.

Paul Mason

Drawing on his ambitious new book Reds: A Global History of Communism, Paul traces the story of communism across centuries and continents, examining it not simply as a political system but as an idea that has inspired hope, revolution, conflict and fierce debate. Ranging from early communal movements through the revolutions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to the emergence of modern China as a global superpower, the book asks why communist ideas continue to exert such influence in today’s world, at a time when many once believed history had rendered them obsolete.

Iain MacGregor

Paul brings to the discussion decades of experience as an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and commentator on economics and international affairs. In conversation with historian and Festival supporter Iain MacGregor, whose own work has illuminated some of the defining conflicts of the twentieth century, he will examine not only the historical development of communism but also the wider questions it raises about power, equality, freedom, economic change and the future of democracy.

Tickets £12 adults £6 children (under 17)

Sunday 15 November, 10.30 – 11.45am, The Bridge Inn, Dulverton

Roger Hill and Andy Burton

Bring your young children along for the Festival’s annual Children’s Story Corner: Stories by the Fire. A cosy, magical hour or so of book readings beside the woodburning stove at The Bridge Inn.

Roger Hill

Join two local children’s authors as they introduce young readers to unforgettable characters and magical adventures. Local farmer and author Roger Hill shares the delightful world of Tupper the Tractor, the brave little tractor whose exciting adventures on Horsehaven Farm have entertained families for years. Created from bedtime stories Roger first told his own family, Tupper always finds a way to save the day and has helped raise considerable funds through his much-loved books for Cots for Tots – a charity close to Roger’s heart.

Andy Burton

Retired local plumber turned author, Andy Burton will bring Maximus the Catsumus (the Pantomime Cat) and the Cat Burglar to the Story Corner. Maximus is wrongly accused of a crime he didn’t commit and thrown into jail with a group of convict cats. But with courage, cleverness, and determination, he escapes in order to bring justice to the real culprit: the sneaky Cat Burglar who stole from his kind landlady. A tale of bravery, cunning, and friendship. All the characters are based on real animals owned by Andy, both past and present.

Admission is FREE, with coffee and pastries available to purchase from the bar.