5 Speakers, 15 Minutes Each - November 2026

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained at an Iranian airport while returning to London, and was falsely accused of trying to overthrow the Iranian governmen. Over the next six years, she was held in different conditions, including solitary confinement, prison, and later house arrest with an electronic tag, and was banned from leaving Iran. After lengthy diplomatic negotiations, she was released and returned to the UK in March 2022. She now speaks publicly about her experience, advocates for political prisoners and prison reform.

Dan Jones is a bestselling historian, TV presenter and award-winning journalist. His non-fiction books, which have sold more than a million copies worldwide, include the Sunday Times bestsellers The Plantaganets and Powers and Thrones. His fiction includes the acclaimed Essex Dogs trilogy, and Dan has written and presented numerous TV series. His latest book, Castles, is a history of the world told through over three thousand years of iconic strongholds.

Jamie Bartlett is the author of several books about technology, including The Dark Net and The People Vs Tech. His latest book is How to Talk to AI. He also writes and presents podcasts, including the international smash hit The Missing Cryptoqueen.

Dame Margaret Hodge was a Minister in the Governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. In 2010 she became the first elected Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and was also its first female Chair. She held the post for the full parliamentary term, retiring in 2015, and in 2024, was appointed as the UK’s Anti-Corruption Champion. Her new book, Battleaxe, is a landmark memoir told through the campaigns and battles she has been involved in over the years.

Dr Gus Casely-Hayford, OBE, Director of V&A East, is a curator and cultural historian who writes, lectures and broadcasts widely on culture. He was formerly Executive Director of Arts Strategy, Arts Council England, and more recently Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington DC. His new book, Objects & Us, explores commonplace and exceptional objects from around the world.