News Release

Monday 16th October 2023

BEST SELLING AUTHOR RORY CELLAN-JONES AND AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR DUO JUDITH EAGLE AND KIM GEYER LAUNCH A NEW BOOK FESTIVAL FOR EALING

The Ealing Book Festival, an exciting and ambitious new cultural event for the borough, in partnership with Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, will launch on 16 November, generously supported by Savills. It will be followed, in 2024, with a fuller programme of events, workshops and activities for all ages and for all book lovers.

For the launch, writer and ex-BBC journalist Rory Cellan-Jones speaks to former BBC journalist Rebecca Jones about his newly published book Ruskin Park. The book is a tender and compelling story of a love affair between his parents, both BBC employees, that he knew little about until his mother recently passed away and left him with a file labelled ‘For Rory’. The book shines a light on their relationship and the restrictive forces of post-war respectability and prejudice that ended it, as well as Rory’s peculiarly isolated childhood as his mother raised him, and his brother, single handedly while working full time.

Earlier in the afternoon, author Judith Eagle and illustrator Kim Geyer require the help of all young detectives and artists immediately after school - to solve the mystery of a dangerous art heist set in the 1950s. After the event, young participants will solve clues to find the hidden painting in the Manor, just like Caro Monday - heroine of their latest book, The Stolen Songbird.

The inaugural annual Ealing Book Festival will take place in spring 2024 offering a longer programme of exciting and varied events including talks with nationally-renowned authors and well-known local writers; engaging panel discussions; book signings, and fun activities for all ages. For audiences, Ealing Book Festival will provide an opportunity to connect with fellow book lovers and explore a vibrant literary scene.

Festival events will be centred in and around Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, the beautiful, restored house of architect Sir John Soane which sits in the Regency grounds of Walpole Park in central Ealing. With its stunning architectural features and gorgeous views over the park it is the perfect home for creativity, inspiration and imagination. Founder sponsor Savills has played an instrumental role in helping to bring this ambitious new cultural programme to the borough of Ealing.