Pet Shop Boys star Neil Tennant will return to his native North East this autumn to discuss how his record-breaking career was shaped by his northern roots. The Tyneside-born songwriter is set to be a top attraction at Durham Book Festival, where he will headline a packed programme that also includes actor Christopher Eccleston.
Festival Appearance and Anniversary
Tennant, one half of the Pet Shop Boys, who with Chris Lowe earned a listing in the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful duo in UK music history, will take part in a special festival event as part of the Forged in the North series. This coincides with the 40th anniversary of the synth-pop duo's debut album and the re-issue of Tennant's book One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem.
The North Shields-born artist will look back on a career that saw Pet Shop Boys, formed in 1981, dominate the charts with hits like West End Girls, It's A Sin, and Always on My Mind. The pair wrote for and collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Liza Minnelli, Lady Gaga, Blur, Madonna, David Bowie, Paul Weller, Girls Aloud, and Noel Gallagher.
Career Highlights
The duo also created a new style of pop musical theatre, scored a ballet and a silent film, wrote a West End musical, and performed at the Proms and the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. This October will see the release of a collaborative work on Enigma code-breaker Alan Turing. Now aged 72, Tennant will have plenty to draw upon during his festival appearance, which will see him join Durham University chancellor and former US presidential adviser Fiona Hill in conversation.
Durham Book Festival will run from October 9-11. Tennant's talk will take place on the evening of Saturday, October 10, at the Gala Theatre in the city centre. Tickets cost £15, or £12 concessions, with a £5 option to live-stream the event.
Other Guests and Events
Tickets are on sale for the full festival programme, including Christopher Eccleston's event on October 11, where he will join a podcast discussion at the Gala about poet Tony Harrison, a year on from the death of the renowned poet who lived in Newcastle. Fiona Hill, in addition to exploring with Tennant how the North East shaped his songwriting career, will chat with The Times columnist James Marriott, also from Tyneside, whose work on the impact of smartphones on reading and wider areas has led to his debut book The New Dark Ages.
The festival, run by Durham County Council and produced by New Writing North, bills its programme as a range of 'the UK's most exciting writers, thinkers, performers and broadcasters exploring literature, politics, history, music, and poetry'. Other headliners include fantasy writer Susanna Clarke, making a rare public appearance to discuss new work The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City, and Durham University graduate Lucy Foley, whose thriller The Hunting Party has been picked as the festival's 2026 Big Read, meaning free copies will be distributed locally. Foley will also discuss her commission by the Agatha Christie estate to write a book introducing a new Miss Marple.
Poet Hollie McNish and best-selling novelist Louise Doughty, who has a new memoir out, are also among the main guests. The programme includes North East thriller writers, a social history of Newcastle United, and feminist authors, with topics covering everything from Greek mythology to food, comedy, and romance. Most events will take place at the Gala, with additional activities and workshops at council-run libraries.
Rebecca Wilkie, Durham Book Festival director at New Writing North, said: "We're delighted to be back celebrating stories rooted in the North, while welcoming voices from across the UK and beyond. Working-class writing is a major theme, from the legacy of Tony Harrison to our exciting showcase, New Northern Voices. The festival is also firmly rooted in place, exploring how the North East has shaped writers, artists and their work."
Coun Karen Allison, of Durham County Council, said the festival is ultimately about spreading the joy of reading and writing, and that this year's event is extra special as it coincides with the National Year of Reading, a campaign that encourages people to get behind the pages of a book. She added: "We have a programme of activities taking place throughout the year and Durham Book Festival is of course one of the highlights."
For the full programme and ticket details, see the festival website.
