The Newsworks Speakeasy returned to MAD//FEST on 1–3 July 2025 for three days of the very best British cultural journalism. From food, drink and fashion to sex, dating and a sporting legend, take a look at the highlights below.
Agenda and session highlights
Wake up with your morning coffee, a peruse of the papers and chilled live piano from Karim Kamar.
Karim Kamar
pianist
Coffee brought to
you by Sanctuary Coffee
Join the Newsworks Speakeasy for a special live recording of the Mail’s ‘Life of Bryony’ podcast with Bryony Gordon.
Bryony sits down with Gareth Thomas, the first Wales rugby union player to make 100 test match appearances. They talk about his sporting career, his activism around HIV and LGBT+ inclusion and the importance of positive male role models for the next generation.
Speakers:
Bryony Gordon
columnist and presenter of
‘Life of Bryony’
Daily Mail
Gareth Thomas
former Welsh rugby union player
Grab a drink, pull up a chair and settle down for some dating disasters and bedroom mishaps with our three seasoned relationship experts.
Drawing on their experiences helping Britain’s singletons find love, the panel explores the sometimes wonderful and often weird world of sex and dating.
Speakers:
Rylan Clark
television and radio presenter
Anna Williamson
dating agent
Celebs Go Dating
Sally Land
agony aunt and
‘Dear Deidre’ columnist
The Sun
Claire Eaton-Rutter
panel host
We keep the summer vibes going with DJ Emma on the decks and cocktails flowing at the bar.
DJ Emma
Cocktails brought to you by London Collins
Wake up with your morning coffee, a peruse of the papers and chilled live piano from Karim Kamar.
Karim Kamar
pianist
Coffee brought to
you by Sanctuary Coffee
A year ago on this very stage, we learnt the guiltiest pleasure of our food and drink connoisseurs was wings and wine. Well, their wish is our command.
Join our panellists as they discuss their favourite treats and some of the summer’s tastiest wines, all while you get your fingers mucky with some delicious wings.
Speakers
Rob Buckhaven
drinks editor
Metro
Jimi Famurewa
author, broadcaster and journalist
Crystelle Pereira
food author and cook
Homam Ayaso
director of content
Tasty UK
Say what you want about 2025 so far — it certainly hasn’t been short of headlines!
In our politics panel quiz show, comedian Catherine Bohart and two teams of seasoned news brand hacks spill all the gossip from Westminster and beyond. Kevin Maguire and Kevin Schofield are up against Camilla Tominey and Steph Cockroft — which duo will come out top?
Speakers:
Catherine Bohart
comedian
Kevin Maguire
columnist
Mirror
Kevin Schofield
political editor
HuffPost
Camilla Tominey
associate editor
The Telegraph
Steph Cockroft
news editor
The Independent
We keep the summer vibes going with DJ Emma on the decks and cocktails flowing at the bar.
DJ Emma
Cocktails brought to you by London Collins
Cargo pants, flares, graphic tees — we can’t get enough of a trend. But how can we incorporate them into wardrobes that make us feel our best selves?
Join our catwalk on the last day of MAD//FEST where wellbeing is this summer’s hottest new outfit. The panel discusses how to look good and feel great, while three budding agency fashionistas take to the stage to talk us through their best ‘feelgood’ fit.
Frankie Bridge
singer, TV personality, creator of #FrankiesFaves
Ayishat Akanbi
celebrity stylist
Joe Bromley
fashion editor
The Standard
Sinead McIntyre
panel host
editor-in-chief
The Sun’s
Fabulous magazine
Reckon you’ve got a handle on the youth of today’s news habits? Our research and insight director Heather Dansie might just surprise you using insights from Newsworks’ ‘Youth’ study.
Heather Dansie
research & insight director
Newsworks
Full highlights reel from the Newsworks Speakeasy
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