Clare Balding With... A Celebrity Author Event

Superstar line up set to join Clare Balding for no holds barred celebrity author event

• Graham Norton, Paul Merton, Caitlin Moran and David Nicholls, among authors to be quizzed about their lives, loves and sources of literary inspiration
• An exclusive event that blinkbox Books is creating for readers to get up close and personal with the authors they love

A unique literary event is set to bring readers closer than ever before to some of the UK’s most loved authors. The series of four blockbuster shows from Tesco’s new ebook service, blinkbox Books, at Cadogan Hall, London this October features top cookery writers, popular novelists and the crème of high profile TV presenters. It is produced by James Grant Live.

From the outrageous to the emotional, Clare promises to get unauthorised access to these authors and what lies between the pages. And with the audience also invited to pose their own questions to the panel, it promises to be a lively series of discussions.

Speaking about the event and her master of ceremony role, Clare Balding said: “Having put pen and soul to paper myself, I can’t wait to share the ups and downs of this experience with the fantastic line-up of guests. I am thrilled that blinkbox Books are giving me the opportunity to unite readers with their favourite authors in what I’m sure will be a session of surprises, gasps and laughs.”

The first event (2.30pm, October 3) features Clare in conversation with popular chefs The Hairy Bikers, and Lorraine Pascale about their passion for food, cooking and travel. With their irresistible enthusiasm and down to earth approach, Si King and Dave Myers, aka The Hairy Bikers, are considered national food heroes. Their latest book Good Eating shares even more recipes and tips for all the family. Having moved on from modelling to a successful career as a TV chef, Lorraine has a unique story to tell as she prepares to release her latest cook book, How to be a Better Cook.

That evening (7.30pm, October 3), Clare will turn her attention to Man Booker Prize contender David Nicholls, quizzing him about the rampant success of novels such as One Day and Starter for Ten, as well as his extensive work for television and film. As an actor-turned-novelist-turned screenwriter of Hollywood blockbusters, David should have plenty of stories to share with Clare.

She will also get the chance to turn the tables on popular chat show host Graham Norton by asking him about his revealing new book, The Life and Loves of a He Devil, which is published on October 23. With Graham’s unique blend of characteristic humour and outrageous candour his new book promises tales of his loves and losses and how they’ve shaped his life, from the side-splittingly funny and the tear-jerkingly sad and everything in between.

The following day (2:30pm, October 4), comedy writer, journalist, radio presenter and screenwriter Danny Baker takes to the stage to speak about his upcoming autobiography, Going Off Alarming: The Autobiography: Vol 2, which is published on 11 September. Outspoken Baker has been sharing his take on everything on entertainment and sport on both radio and TV for over a quarter of a century. So is no stranger to voicing an opinion.

Clare will also be joined by satirical comic Paul Merton to talk about his upbringing in working-class Fulham, run-ins with nuns during his school days, and other stories from his long awaited autobiography, Only When I Laugh, is which released in September. Irreverent, off-the-wall humour guaranteed.

Saturday night (7:30, October 4) will wrap up the two day spectacular as bestselling writers, Caitlin Moran and Kate Mosse take the stage with Clare. Co-founder of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, Kate Mosse has achieved sales of more than five million copies in 38 languages. Her new novel, The Taxidermist’s Daughter, is a psychological thriller, which deals with a series of grisly murders in a West Sussex village in 1912.

Caitlin Moran published a children’s novel at the age of 16 and became a newspaper columnist at 18. Published in 2011 How to Be a Woman became one of the most talked about books on feminism in decades. Her debut novel, How to Build a Girl, was published this July to critical acclaim.