Budleigh Literary Festival spring line up announced

March spring weekend fast approaching

Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival has revealed the line up of authors heading to the East Devon town this March for its annual Spring Weekend.
 
And it’s a line up which promises to inspire, educate and stimulate conversation, covering topics as wide ranging and diverse as our mental health, green crime, Europe, politics, weight loss drugs and fashion.
 
The six speakers who will appear in the town’s St Peter’s Church on Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14, 2026 are Dr Gavin Francis, former chief whip Simon Hart, Dr Jack Mosley, barrister Marina Wheeler KC, criminal psychologist Julia Shaw and retail pioneer Mary Portas. The programme includes:
 
• Dr Gavin Francis: The Unfragile Mind
One in four adults are prescribed psychiatric medication. Between a quarter and a fifth of young people in the UK now suffer a mental disorder. These numbers represent a huge and recent expansion in mental health labelling but reveal nothing of the experience of those seeking help.
Join bestselling author Dr Gavin Francis who’ll be drawing on three decades of medical practice as he explores the expanding landscape of psychiatric diagnoses, the lived realities behind statistics, and the limitations of treating human experience through rigid protocols
 
• Simon Hart – Ungovernable: the political diaries of a chief whip
From Partygate to a front row seat at the extraordinary 49 day premiership of Liz Truss, over the course of five years, Simon Hart has had a front-row seat to the most turbulent times in recent political history. Prepare for him to lift the lid on the British Government, sharing his insider account of life as chief whip where astonishingly he oversaw a near-record 15 Conservative MPs, from Nadine Dorries to Matt Hancock, fall by the wayside. Add to that the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Brexit negotiations and Liz Truss’s extraordinary premiership and it's fair to say he's seen and heard it all. 
 
• Dr Jack Mosley - Food Noise
Are weight loss drugs the biggest medical breakthrough in decades? What if your cravings aren’t about willpower at all? How can we quiet the “food noise” in our brains? Dr Jack Mosley will be in conversation with Festival President, Cathy Rentzenbrink, as they weigh up the pros and cons of GLP-1s like Ozempic and Mounjaro. They’ll also unpack the science behind cravings, hormones, Ultra Processed Foods, stress, sleep and modern obesity treatments, offering simple strategies to reshape our relationship with food.
 
• Marina Wheeler KC – A More Perfect Union: The Europe We Need
China's rise and Russian aggression have upended the global balance of power. The US has proven an unstable partner. Illiberalism is gaining ground. Is it time to admit that Europe is once again central to Britain's future. Join barrister, mediator and writer Marina Wheeler KC for a timely conversation exploring ideas from A More Perfect Union alongside current political developments, from sovereignty, Brexit, democracy and the value of cooperation. Whether you’re politically engaged or simply curious about Britain’s future, this conversation promises to be illuminating, thoughtprovoking, and deeply relevant. 
 
• Julia Shaw - Green Crime
Our planet is a crime scene but can we catch the killers? And who are the scientists, secret agents and vigilantes fighting to bring them to justice? Join criminal psychologist and bestselling author Julia Shaw for a gripping exploration of Green Crime, her riveting new book that delves into the real-world crimes threatening our planet, with cases including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Dieselgate emissions scandal and the Shuidong wildlife crime syndicate. From ecosystems destroyed to corporate gangs operating outside the law, she'll explain just who is committing these crimes and what we can do to stop them.
 
• Mary Portas - I shop therefore I am
Acclaimed author, retail pioneer and innovative businesswoman Mary Portas will share the inspiration behind her bold new memoir, I Shop, Therefore I Am: The ‘90s, Harvey Nicks and Me. With her signature wit and no-holds-barred honesty, Mary charts her transformation of Harvey Nichols from a tired department store into a global brand destination. Mary will discuss how, armed only with the blank canvas of a shop window and her own creativity, she reimagined what luxury and style could be. Hear about the vivid world of ‘90s retail, fashion-world revelations, and the highs and lows of a career that shaped the high street.
 
Sue Briggs, chair of Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival, said: “We’re delighted with this fascinating line-up of authors who will be appearing at our March Spring Weekend.

"We know our visitors love to learn and be inspired, and this programme brings together powerful ideas, personal insight and expert voices on some of the most important issues shaping our lives today. From politics and Europe to mental health, crime, food and fashion, these events promise stimulating conversation, fresh perspectives and an engaging start to our 2026 festival season.”
 
Tickets are on sale to Festival Friends on Tuesday 2 February 2026, and on general sale on Monday 9 February.