Live podcasts and picnics are back at the spectacular Kew Gardens this summer, from Thursday 9 – Saturday 11 July. Following last year’s popular events, In Conversation Live returns bigger and bolder with a stunning new setting on the Great Lawn and an exciting lineup of celebrity guests that includes Fearne Cotton, Tom Read Wilson, Jim Moir and Professor Kate Williams. There are more sessions and seating options, live music, street food and an event bookshop too, and all tickets include free, all-day access to Kew Gardens.
In Conversation Live is presented by Immediate Live, the UK’s leading organiser of unmissable consumer events, including BBC Gardeners’ World Live, Hampton Court Food Festival, Good Food Show and London Art Fair.
Kicking off day one at In Conversation Live on Thursday 9th July are Joanna Page and Mathew Horne. The much-loved TV couple are the hosts of Table for Four, a new podcast from Good Food that reunites friends, partners and colleagues over a relaxed meal. Expect a celebration of connection, collaboration and great food as Joanna and Mathew welcome entertainment power couple Nicki Chapman and Dave Shackleton (10.30am), and Tom Read Wilson and Anna Williamson from Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating (1.30pm). The Table for Four hosts and guests will be chatting over a delicious picnic created by Good Food Senior Food Editor, Samuel Goldsmith, sharing candid chat, laughter and stories from behind-the-scenes.
Joanna Page said: “Mathew and I are so excited to be bringing Table for Four to Kew Gardens in July for In Conversation Live. Discovering what makes our celebrity guest duos tick is what the podcast is all about, sharing stories and a meal together. Bringing the show to life in this beautiful setting and connecting with a live crowd is going to be magic.”
BBC Countryfile presenter Matt Baker takes to the stage on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning for live episodes of Petcast, a new Radio Times podcast series that pays tribute to the nation’s love of pets. Matt is joined by well-known personalities, sharing their stories of beloved pets, past and present. Matt’s guests will be professional dancer Flavia Cacace and actor Jimi Mistry (9th July, 4.30pm), and broadcaster, author and committed cat mum Fearne Cotton (10th July, 10.30am). Expect heartfelt conversations about some awesome animals, practical advice for pet owners, and a fun quiz.
Surrounded by trees and plants, where better than Kew Gardens to have lively conversations about nature, climate change and the environment? Connect to Nature is a new visual podcast from Immediate, hosted by broadcaster and activist Katrina Ridley and gardener and presenter Amy Chapman. It aims to help people build a closer relationship with the environment and features expert guests, discussions about eco-anxiety, and ways to take positive, practical action.
At In Conversation Live, Katrina and Amy welcome special guests with a strong connection to the natural world. Stars of Sky Arts’ Painting Birds series, artist, comedian and bird spotter Jim Moir and his wife, Nancy Sorrell, will be discussing their love of birds, the artistic inspiration of British wildlife, and the power of creativity to connect with nature (10th July, 1.30pm). TV presenter and author, nature lover and keen walker, Julia Bradbury, will share her personal connection to nature and its healing power, her favourite walking routes and nature rituals, and the challenge of eco-anxiety (4.30pm).
On Saturday 11th July, HistoryExtra presents A Royal Rampage Through the Ages with leading British historians, broadcasters and best-selling writers, Tracy Borman OBE and Kate Williams, and host, Dr. David Musgrove, content director at HistoryExtra, Professor Tracy Borman is Chief Executive of the Heritage Education Trust and Chief Historian for Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages iconic buildings within the Gardens such as Kew Palace, Great Pagoda and Queen Charlotte’s Cottage as well as historical landmarks across the city including the Tower of London. Kate Williams is Professor of Modern History at Reading University, a resident historian for BBC quiz shows and a Celebrity Mastermind winner.
Royal Rampage audiences will time-travel through one thousand years of the British monarchy in a single day. The first conversation of the day is The Middle Ages, with the historians delving into life as a medieval monarch, from gender politics and competence to rule, to power and scandal (10.30am). Next, Turbulent Tudors and Sad Stuarts takes a deep dive into the Tudor dynasty, examining the legacy of Henry VIII, reassessing the reputation of Mary I, and analysing the political, personal, and strategic factors behind the enduring reign of Elizabeth I (1.30pm). The last conversation of the day is Georgians, Victoria, and the Windsors which explores the dramas and controversies that have shaped royal lives and reputations over the past 300 years (4.30pm).
Rachel Poletti-Gadd, Portfolio Director at Immediate Live, organisers of In Conversation Live, said: “We’re thrilled to be back at beautiful Kew Gardens this summer to share exciting live podcasts and superb guests. Whether it’s a premium, up close and personal experience you’re after or a relaxed picnic in nature with friends or family, come and join us to listen, learn and laugh along with some of the UK’s leading experts and entertainers.”
Adam Thow, Director of Commercial and Visitor Operations, RBG Kew, said: “It’s a treat to be working with Immediate Live again to bring ‘In Conversation Live’ back to the Gardens this July. With some of the UK’s most recognisable voices, thought-provoking discussions, celebrity guests and the chance to explore Henry Moore: Monumental Nature, the largest ever outdoor exhibition of the sculptor’s work, included in every ticket, it promises to offer one of this summer’s must-see events.”
Tickets for In Conversation Live are on sale now at www.inconversationlive.co.uk/kew-gardens/ and include access to Kew Gardens from 10am-7pm. There are three events each day at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 4.30pm, gates open 15 minutes before start times. Each event is different. Premium tickets are £55 and include seats closest to the stage and a complimentary tote bag. Standard tickets are £38 and include general admission seating. Picnic tickets are £28, located further back and with space to enjoy a full picnic experience. Kew members can receive a complimentary upgrade to Premium when booking Standard, subject to availability (*membership number required to claim upgrade). A transaction fee of £4.25 applies to all orders.