Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<p>From Prue Leith holding court on ageing to Tim Spector on what we should actually be eating, plus Philippa Perry, Sophie Raworth and a dose of Scummy Mummies chaos for good measure, <strong><a href="https://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stratford Literary Festival</a></strong> <strong>(7–10 May)</strong> is back — and it’s shaping up to be one of those weekends you’ll want to book <a href="https://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/events" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> immediately.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Stratford-Lit-Fest-1-1000x667.jpg" alt="Stratford Literary Festival" class="wp-image-70636" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Stratford-Lit-Fest-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Stratford-Lit-Fest-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Stratford-Lit-Fest-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Stratford-Lit-Fest-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This year’s line-up leans nicely into the stuff people actually want to hear about — how to live better, what’s going on behind the headlines, and what happens when familiar TV faces decide to write novels (Ardal O’Hanlon and Larry Lamb, step forward). There’s also plenty to get stuck into beyond the talks, from learning how to crack the crossword to finally figuring out how to write your own stories without losing the plot — the kind of events you book on a whim and end up loving.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Dip in for one event or make a proper day of it, this is always one of the highlights of Stratford’s calendar — four days when the town fills up with interesting people and very good conversation. We’ve done the digging. These are the ones to book first.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-wine-books-and-very-good-decisions">1. Wine, books and very good decisions</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-9-1000x667.jpg" alt="The Booklovers Wine Club" class="wp-image-70618" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-9-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-9-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-9-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-9.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>We love the sound of this — what to drink when reading the classics? It’s the kind of question we didn’t know we needed answering. The much-loved Booklovers&#8217; Wine Club is back with a twist, matching classic novels with carefully chosen wines — think Spanish reds with Hemingway and English sparkling alongside something a little more Jilly Cooper. There are live readings from Lynn Taylor, expert pairings from Vin Neuf’s James Richards, and enough tasting to make the whole thing feel more like a very civilised night out than a literary event. Equal parts book club and wine bar, this is Stratford at its most enjoyable.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-the-art-of-ageing-well">2. The art of ageing well</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="667" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-4-667x1000.jpg" alt="Prue Leith" class="wp-image-70608" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-4-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-4-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-4-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-4.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">TV icon Prue Leith</figcaption></figure>



<p>Prue Leith tackling ageing is exactly as good as it sounds. In&nbsp;<em>Getting Old and Learning to Love It</em>, she takes a refreshingly honest (and very funny) look at what getting older actually involves — from staying active and navigating beauty, to friendships, family and the odd regret along the way. Expect stories from a life well lived, a few <em>Bake Off </em>moments, and the kind of straight-talking perspective that makes this feel more like a brilliant lunch companion than a lecture. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-gut-health-but-make-it-interesting">3. Gut health, but make it interesting</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="667" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-7-667x1000.jpg" alt="Tim Spector" class="wp-image-70614" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-7-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-7-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-7-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-7.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tim Spector by Issy Croker</figcaption></figure>



<p>If your algorithm is anything like ours, Tim Spector has been popping up everywhere — and this is your chance to hear him in the flesh. The epidemiologist and gut health guru is turning his attention to fermenting, showing how a bit of time (and not much else) can transform everyday ingredients into something far more interesting. Drawing on the latest research as well as his own kitchen experiments, he’ll be sharing tips, recipes and a convincing case for why fermented foods are worth the effort — think better gut health, improved immunity and even a boost to your mood. Expect to leave feeling inspired, slightly evangelical, and possibly eyeing up a jar of sauerkraut on the way home.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-from-therapy-room-to-murder-scene">3. From therapy room to murder scene</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-8.jpg" alt="Philippa Perry" class="wp-image-70616" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-8.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-8-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-8-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-8-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-8-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Philippa Perry by Pal Hansen</figcaption></figure>



<p>Two very familiar names, one very good twist — both Philippa Perry and Rev Richard Coles have turned their hand to crime, and this is your chance to hear how (and why). In&nbsp;<em>Shrink Solves Murder</em>, Perry swaps the therapy room for a crime scene, with a psychotherapist-turned-sleuth convinced there’s more to a patient’s death than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Coles returns to his Canon Clement series, where a glamorous film shoot in Champton is rudely interrupted by an inconvenient murder, sending his crime-solving vicar back into action. Part behind-the-scenes, part literary detour, this is a smart, slightly unexpected take on the crime genre.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-the-marathon-mindset">4. The marathon mindset </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="667" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-11-667x1000.jpg" alt="Sophie Raworth" class="wp-image-70627" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-11-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-11-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-11-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-11.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px" /></figure>



<p>Sophie Raworth swaps the news desk for running shoes in&nbsp;<em>Running on Air</em>, and it’s a far more personal story than you might expect. After collapsing just two miles from the finish line of her first London Marathon, she’s since gone on to complete all six World Marathon Majors — plus a fair few more for good measure. This is less about elite sport and more about what keeps you going when things don’t quite go to plan. Expect a mix of resilience, community and the quieter kind of determination that builds over time — along with a few behind-the-scenes glimpses of balancing a high-profile career with something that’s become much more than just a hobby.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-the-bit-of-film-you-never-think-about-but-should">5. The bit of film you never think about (but should)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-3-1000x667.jpg" alt="Mark Kermode and Jenny Nelson" class="wp-image-70606" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-3.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jenny Nelson and Mark Kermode</figcaption></figure>



<p>Not just for film buffs, this one. Mark Kermode — the BBC’s famously opinionated film critic and long-time Radio 5 Live favourite — teams up with radio producer Jenny Nelson to get into the bit of cinema we all notice but rarely think about: the music. In&nbsp;<em>Surround Sound</em>, they explore how film scores actually work, from how directors and composers collaborate to why some soundtracks take on a life of their own. Expect strong opinions, good stories and the kind of detail that makes you want to rewatch everything with the volume turned up.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-choas-comedy-and-zero-filter">6. Choas, comedy and zero filter</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-5-1000x667.jpg" alt="The Scummy Mummies" class="wp-image-70610" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-5-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-5-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-5.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>If you only book one thing for pure fun, make it this. The Scummy Mummies’ live show is exactly the kind of chaotic, laugh-out-loud energy every festival needs. From menopause to mansplaining, teenagers to Tinder, absolutely nothing is off limits as Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson take on the realities of modern parenthood with zero filter. Expect songs, sketches, stand-up and the now-iconic sparkly catsuits — plus the kind of laughter that tends to spill out into the bar afterwards. Strictly 18+, and very much one to book with friends.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-wildlife-but-not-as-you-know-it">7. Wildlife, but not as you know it</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="667" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-2-667x1000.jpg" alt="In the Hide by Gordon Buchanan" class="wp-image-70604" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-2-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-2-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/04/Untitled-1500-x-1500-px-2.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 667px) 100vw, 667px" /></figure>



<p>Gordon Buchanan has spent decades filming some of the most extraordinary wildlife on the planet, often from a cramped hide waiting (and waiting) for the perfect shot. But&nbsp;<em>In the Hide</em>&nbsp;goes well beyond the camera. Alongside the close encounters and behind-the-scenes stories, he opens up about a difficult childhood in Scotland and the escape he found in nature — something that clearly still runs through everything he does. Expect the usual breathtaking moments, but also a more personal side to the man behind the lens.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-crime-writers-on-what-makes-a-killer-story">8. Crime writers on what makes a killer story</h2>



<p>If your bedside table is stacked with thrillers, this one’s for you. Bestselling authors Gillian McAllister and SJ Parris come together to share what actually goes into writing a page-turner — from plotting twists to building tension and keeping readers hooked until the final page. It’s a rare chance to hear from writers at the top of their game, lifting the lid on how these stories really come together. Expect sharp insight, a few trade secrets and plenty to add to your reading list.</p>



<ul>
<li><em>Stratford Literary Festival runs from 7-10 May, book your tickets <a href="https://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/events" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> before the best ones go. </em></li>
</ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-curious-for-more">Curious for more? </h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people-life/my-cultural-kicks-mike-gayle-author/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">My Cultural Kicks: Mike Gayle, author</a></li>



<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/blooming-lovely-7-spring-wreath-workshops-in-warks-west-mids/">Blooming lovely! 6 Spring wreath workshops in Warks &amp; West Mids</a></li>



<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wellbeing/7-wild-sauna-and-swim-spots-in-warks-and-the-west-mids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">7 wild sauna-and-swim spots in Warks and the West Mids</a></li>
</ul>


Literary lovers, listen up! 8 reasons to book Stratford Literary Festival this spring

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