Scriptwriter and bestselling novelist David Nicholls announced as Ambassador for London Book & Screen Week 2017
Photo by Hal Shinnie
David Nicholls, one of the UK’s leading figures in literature, TV and film, has been announced as Ambassador for this year’s London Book & Screen Week (13-19 March 2017), the capital’s biggest ever celebration of books and the films, TV programmes and virtual worlds they inspire.
Now in its third year, the seven day festival continues to gain momentum and David Nicholls, whose own career spans bookseller, scriptwriter and bestselling novelist, will champion the specially curated programme of events taking place across London – the creative capital of the world. As a scriptwriter, Nicholls’ TV credits include episodes of Cold Feet for ITV and a much-praised modern version of Much Ado About Nothing, an adaptation of Tess of the d'Urbervilles and original contemporary drama The 7.39, all for the BBC. As an award-winning novelist, he has written four books including bestsellers Starter For Ten and One Day (Hodder and Stoughton), both of which he adapted himself for screen. Other titles include The Understudy and most recently Us (Hodder). Nicholls is also the screenwriter behind the star-studded 2015 adaptation of Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd featuring Carey Mulligan.
““London Book & Screen Week brings together so many of the things I love - in a week-long celebration of the pleasures that the page and screen bring us – in a city that I love. What a great idea to celebrate books and screen in a single festival in this way to coincide with The London Book Fair. I’m absolutely delighted to be this year’s ambassador as it celebrates the riches not just of UK generated talent, past, present and future but talent from around the world. I encourage everyone to take part, not only by attending events but by adding their own events to the open-source website.””
Drawing on the UK’s rich heritage as an artistic powerhouse, highlights from this year’s line-up include events marking the 20th Anniversary of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and Jane Austen’s bicentenary. Produced by The London Book Fair, one of the most important dates in the global publishing calendar, the festival will have a truly international feel reflecting the best literature produced around the world from Ireland to India, Poland to the Baltics.
““Books are the inspiration for so much of the global entertainment industry whether films, games, apps or TV series – all adapted from their pages. What better way to celebrate than with London Book & Screen week, an event which brings together the creators from across the genres in a single festival organised to coincide with The London Book Fair. This is the one week of the year the creative capital of the world opens its doors to publishers, creators and other content professionals from across the globe and for audiences in London to attend and participate in a diverse and exciting programme of events to reflect that. We are very lucky that David Nicholls, one of the great British success stories from book to screen with his extraordinary hit novel One Day, has agreed to be our Ambassador this year.””
London Book & Screen Week merges a vibrant series of specially curated events, with an open-sourced strand of activities that anyone can submit to online via www.londonbookandscreenweek.co.uk. The seven day festival is run in partnership with some of the capital’s highest-profile brands, including London & Partners, the Mayor’s official promotional company for London, which attracts businesses and visitors to the capital and operates VisitLondon.com, the official city guide for London.
To find out more, visit www.londonbookandscreenweek.co.uk.
