Charlie Higson at literary festivals
Last checked: 28 October 2026
You might arrive with a Young Bond paperback, a favourite Fast Show sketch in mind or an interest in the English monarchy. Charlie Higson’s writing gives those readers several ways into the same festival visit. His 2026 talks ranged from kings and queens to contemporary espionage, so choosing the subject matters as much as choosing the writer. A history talk and a spy-fiction panel offer quite different evenings.
Quick facts
- Best known for
- Young Bond, The Enemy and adult James Bond fiction
- Genre or subject
- Spy fiction, young-adult horror and comic history
- Latest book
- King Zero (2026)
- 2026 festivals
- Cheltenham Literature Festival
About Charlie Higson
Higson works across novels, comedy and non-fiction. His television writing began with Saturday Night Live, and he co-created The Fast Show. On the page, that career has grown into adult thrillers, fiction for younger readers and history. The range is worth remembering if you know only one part of his work: the audience for his comedy need not be the audience for his horror, and an interest in one book can lead somewhere unexpected.
His five Young Bond novels imagine the secret agent before his adult career. They give readers a schoolboy protagonist and adventures that can be approached without knowing Ian Fleming’s novels. Writing the younger character also sits alongside adult Bond stories, including the coronation adventure On His Majesty’s Secret Service. These are separate routes into a familiar fictional world, with different ages and reading interests in mind.
The Enemy takes another direction, towards young-adult apocalyptic horror. Adult novels such as King of the Ants and Full Whack belong to a wider thriller career. For a fan deciding which event to attend, that breadth makes the programme’s subject a helpful starting point: a discussion of suspense can range well beyond a single famous character.
Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee was his first non-fiction book. Illustrated by Jim Moir, it uses the remembered rhyme of monarchs to organise a short history of the rulers. The comedy is connected to a concrete historical subject. His latest novel, King Zero, was published on 24 September 2026. That contrast between a comic account of monarchy and a modern spy story was reflected in his festival appearances.
Where to start with their books
SilverFin
Thirteen-year-old James starts at Eton before an adventure draws him towards a Scottish loch and a threat involving new warfare. Begin here for the first Young Bond novel: the school setting makes this a different point of entry from the adult agent. You can meet the younger character without arriving with a complete knowledge of Fleming.
On His Majesty's Secret Service
Bond must stop Athelstan of Wessex and a private army from disrupting a coronation. This gives an adult reader a short route into Higson’s handling of the character. It was written for King Charles III’s coronation, with publication supporting the National Literacy Trust. Choose it if a contemporary royal setting interests you more than a school adventure.
The Enemy
A sickness changes people over fourteen, leaving younger survivors to form groups in a devastated London and search for safety. This is the opening volume of the horror series. Its threat and age perspective make it a separate reading choice from the Bond books; it is the option here for readers who want survival, fear and a city transformed.
Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee
The remembered sequence of royal names becomes the framework for a short history from Harold onwards, accompanied by Jim Moir’s illustrations. Try this if the historical side of the festival talks appeals most. The book offers a way to connect names and reigns without beginning with a large biography of one ruler.
King Zero
A murdered agent in the Saudi desert sends Bond after an opponent whose power reaches across the world. The information behind the killing raises the possibility of betrayal. Pick this for the latest adult adventure and the modern geopolitical setting that connected with the Cheltenham espionage discussion. The reading invitation is the mystery, without giving away its resolution.
Festival appearances
For tickets, use the host festival’s official box office. Confirm the date, venue and access details before paying.
2026
| Festival | Date | Event and venue | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham Literature Festival | License to Thrill The Times and Sunday Times Forum | Official programme | |
| Cheltenham Literature Festival | Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee Pillar Room, Town Hall | Official programme |
What their events are like
In the evening he turned to the monarchy in the Pillar Room at Cheltenham Town Hall. Both Cheltenham sessions included book signing in the official event details. Those were past events; a future ticket should be chosen for its own subject and format.
Where to see them next
No 2027 appearances announced yet. Check the festival guides for programme dates.
Plan your trip
If the attraction is spy fiction, go with a question about suspense or how a familiar character can face a new world. If the attraction is history, think about which reign you keep forgetting and why the mnemonic has stayed with you. There is no need to read across every strand of his career before enjoying the strand you love.
The Cheltenham venues offered different access facilities. The Forum had step-free access and a hearing loop in parts of the stalls; the Pillar Room had step-free entry but no hearing loop. Ask the box office about the specific room and seating before buying a future ticket. Leave time between a morning panel and an evening talk for food and a break, instead of treating the whole day as a queue.
- Cheltenham Literature Festival: festival guide · Where to stay · 2027 programme
Read more
Explore Charlie Higson’s official writing information and the publisher’s author page.
For Ian Fleming’s original Bond novels, visit our sister site The Golden Typewriter.
Authors you might also like
Anthony Horowitz
Another Bond novelist, with mysteries and television writing alongside the espionage.
Robert Harris
For adult suspense shaped by politics and the pressures of a dangerous world.
Vaseem Khan
A choice for readers who want to keep exploring crime fiction after a spy panel.
Your questions about Charlie Higson
Which festivals featured Charlie Higson in 2026?
The 2026 programmes featured Charlie Higson at Cheltenham Literature Festival; follow those guides for event information and practical visit details.
Which Young Bond book should I try first?
SilverFin introduces the schoolboy version of the character. It is an inviting choice if you want the beginning of that sequence, particularly for a reader meeting Bond through the younger adventures. The reading section also offers adult espionage, horror and history if those are closer to your interests.
Were his Cheltenham events family sessions?
Use the festival links on Charlie Higson’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
How do I book a Charlie Higson festival talk?
Use the festival’s official box office after choosing the subject that appeals to you. Check the venue and any access support before paying. A booking for one talk does not give you a place at another session on the same day.
Where can I read about the original Bond novels?
The Golden Typewriter is our sister guide to Ian Fleming’s Bond books. It gives a separate place to explore the original novels after a festival conversation has sent you back to the shelves. The link below is for reading information, not event tickets.
Sources
- Cheltenham Literature Festival: License to Thrill
- Charlie Higson: official website
- Charlie Higson: official publisher information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information
- Charlie Higson: official book and event information