About Ben Tisdall/Festival mission statement

I moved to Torbay when I was eight and still think it’s the most incredible place to live or visit. From an early age I was an avid reader, and I remember particularly devouring dozens of Agatha Christie novels aged about eleven. She, of course, also grew up in Torquay, and there is nothing like finding an author you enjoy, to then discover they have lots more books you can also read. I ended up at Cardiff University where I read English literature, and by sheer fluke, having done work experience at Private Eye and The Oldie magazines, landed a job at the second, and in my spare time worked for the first. 

At the Oldie I was suddenly thrust into an astonishing world of famous people and authors and helped set up and run the magazine’s literary lunches at Simpsons-in the-Strand, London. Eventually I took them all over the country, so was hosting, with editor Richard Ingrams, almost fortnightly events. At the Eye, amongst other things, I also got involved in literary events, promoting their books and the magazine, and am particularly proud of putting on annual shows at the National Theatre, with likes of Harry Enfield, John Sessions and, of course, Ian Hislop. I also helped create The Paul Foot Award for Investigative Journalism – which was literally thought up on the back of menu after a long lunch with Hislop, Ingrams, Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and I. It is wonderful both still continue today. 
Although I kept involved in both magazines, a few years later, I joined OneWord radio as Head of PR and marketing. A spoken word only digital radio station it was hugely pioneering for its time, and we had authors in every day being interviewed.   I really recall when former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook came in and likened Tony Blair to Hitler which made major headlines. He died in an accident shortly after.

What happened next is a valuable lesson to anyone who loses their job and thinks their world has ended. The station was bought by someone from Hong Kong, who promptly sacked all the staff. After two days of sitting at a computer terrified, I was offered a few weeks work at a tiny publisher called Profile books. ‘We have this book about punctuation that’s doing quite well but needs a boost’ said Head of Publicity Kate Griffin. The book was called ‘Eats Shoots and Leaves’ by Lynne Truss and went on quickly, with very little help from me, to sell over a million copies and was so successful that Profile books had to move to a bigger office. 
It was, however, the best career move ever (being made redundant), as it was the springboard to a very successful book PR career, in which I promoted all sorts of authors and campaigns, specialising particularly in events, parties, and awards ceremonies. At one point The Independent newspaper even described me as being one of the two best connected people in London (which was a huge exaggeration but very helpful!). I loved heading up The British Book Awards, which in those days was hosted by Richard and Judy and televised on Channel 4, and attended by 2000 people. As part of that we secured the first ever TV interview with J.K. Rowling. I also helped launch the Financial Times Goldman Sachs Business book of the year, which was both challenging and scarily corporate. 

I continued to moonlight for The Oldie, Private Eye and other magazines, and made some incredible friends and had some even more extraordinary experiences. What I learnt then and now was how rewarding and pleasurable reading is. There are a multitude of benefits, not least to our mental health. It is therefore something I am keen to continue to encourage. 

Of course I returned to Torbay. Why wouldn’t I with all it has to offer? I hope the festival will encourage more people to return to reading books. Although Torbay is incredibly beautiful, we also have some of the highest levels of poverty and deprivation in the Southwest. If you walked along our coast and harbours you probably wouldn’t know that, but I hope the festival can make a small longer-term difference. That is also why I am very proud to support the charity Life Chance Trust, as part of our week in August. They do incredible work with local young people, providing support, mentors and positive experiences for an age-group (16-25) who often aren’t given the support they need at a crucial time of their lives. I hope you will visit their website and offer to help them.

Above all though I want the Festival to be great fun. I think our first line-up offers something for everyone and have I deliberately held it in the school holidays in the hope younger people will attend. There are hundreds of people I should thank to make this possible and I will do so in the glossy magazine we are handing out free at the Festival. However, for now, I particularly want to show my gratitude to everyone at the Palace Theatre and Arena venues who are all incredible people. If you are reading this and wonder how you might help us, I simply say – help spread the word. Share social media posts, or of you can put a poster, please send me an e-mail. 
This will only succeed with everyone’s help. I hope to see you in August.