Louis Theroux joins Leeds Festival of Ideas line-up

Journalist and broadcaster Louis Theroux has joined the star-studded line-up of the 2026 Leeds International Festival of Ideas.

The 56-year-old documentary maker and podcaster will open the festival on 6 October with an "intimate fireside chat" at Leeds Playhouse's Quarry Stage.

Other names appearing throughout the five-day event include naturalist Chris Packham, musician Tim Minchin, presenter Roman Kemp and TV personality Vicky Pattison.

Martin Dickson, festival director, said: "Getting Louis to Leeds is a real moment for this festival and this city - he's one of the defining broadcasters of his generation."

The annual event is a "series of conversations that inspire", with 2026 its sixth year.

An eclectic range of topics will include the future of the planet, parenthood, masculinity, the legacy of the 1990s and social media.

Minchin, a multi-award-winning Australian composer, will lead talks on "staying creative in a chaotic world", while Packham will discuss why the environment has "slipped down the political agenda".

Dickson added: "LIFI has always been about bringing the brightest minds to Leeds and giving the city a stage that punches above its weight. LIFI26 does exactly that."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.