How a Winter Warmer is Wooing the World

What’s the connection between Doctor Who, the S.A.S. and Gloucester-born celebrity chef Tom Kerridge? The answer might not be immediately obvious but in fact they’re all featured in a new festival that’s got Gloucestershire talking and attracting attention around the world.

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Throw in a few rowdy Romans, ever-popular TV presenters David Olusoga and Mary Beard as well as the BBC’s respected International Editor Jeremy Bowen and you’ve got just some of the highlights of the Gloucester History Festival’s newly-launched Winter Warmer.

In total there are 50 events featuring Britain’s top historians, broadcasters and authors, and what makes this festival different is that it’s an entirely digital offering. All the discussions, debates and revealing interviews are online so you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your sofa to enjoy it. The idea is to provide a much needed pick-me-up in the coldest, darkest months of the year, hence the name, and to open the archive to share some of the best guests who have appeared on stage in the medieval splendour of Blackfriars Priory as part of the Gloucester History Festival.

So along with popular events from the most recent Spring Weekend and main Autumn Festival there are some remarkable revelations including personal testimony about a pivotal moment in the 20^th century story of Gloucestershire. Korean War historian Dan Snow hears the moving first-hand account of the Battle of the Imjin River in 1951 and the desperate last stand of British troops, including the Glorious Glosters, from two men who were there; former prisoners-of-war Brian Hamblett and the late Tommy Clough. With such riveting content it’s little wonder that interest in the Winter Warmer Digital Festival spans the globe with audiences not only in all parts of the UK but also in France, Ireland, the United States, Australia and China.

Tickets for the Winter Warmer Digital Festival are available from gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk. The Festival runs until Thursday 6th March 2025 with individual tickets priced at £6 per event or a Winter Warmer Pass allowing access to all 50 events at just £30.