LETTERS LIVE Returns To The Royal Albert Hall To Celebrate Earth Day

The popular literary event, Letters Live, will return to the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 22 April, in support of climate charity Greenpeace. Celebrating the enduring power of written correspondence, a host of celebrities, actors, musicians and cultural personalities will feature to read out an array of notable letters that celebrate Earth Day.

Now in its 13th year, each Letters Live production brings a brand new catalogue of works to be read by a secret cast of celebrity performers, all of whom are only revealed to the audience the moment they walk onstage. Last year's event saw Celebrity Traitors alumni Alan Carr and Celia Imrie, comedian Nish Kumar, actors Joe Alwyn, Louise Brealey and Michael Palin, presenter Simon Amstell, broadcaster Sara Cox and Hollywood actor Benedict Cumberbatch all take to the Letters Live podium to read a series of compelling messages. Musical guests included performances from Myles Smith, Hohnen Ford, Beth Orton and Jalen Ngonda.

Having become renowned for its unique format, the Letters Live team continually search through a vast range of letters, notes, memos, e-mails, newspaper columns and archived scriptures from across decades, cultural and political divides to be performed, and ultimately, shared. Letters which are subsequently selected for the event are often as surprising as the performers themselves, spanning from across history with topics touching on prominent themes and a range of emotions. Through the power of the written word, audiences are regularly captivated through communal laughter, anger, feelings of empowerment, reflection or even tears being shed.

In previous editions, letters written by iconic luminaries such as David Bowie, Mohandas Gandhi, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Kurt Vonnegut, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Madonna, Joe Lycett, Tom Hanks, Che Guevara and Frida Kahlo have been read alongside works from more unfamiliar, but equally significant individuals.

To mark Earth Day, this year's event is held in support of Greenpeace. Founded in 1971, followed by the establishment of Greenpeace UK in 1977, the organisation's goal is to defend the natural world from destruction by transforming politics, industry and society to create a greener and fairer planet. This includes halving emissions and restoring biodiversity, so everyone has equal access to clean air, water and energy without negatively impacting on nature, habitats or communities.

Adam Ackland, Co-Founder and Producer of Letters Live, said, “We look forward to our return to Royal Albert Hall, which has hosted some of Letters Live's most powerful moments over the years, and we are excited to build on our ongoing relationship with Greenpeace to support their vital work.”

Matthew Todd, Director of Programming at the Royal Albert Hall, said, “Letters Live has established itself as one of the most distinctive and anticipated events in the Hall's 2026 calendar and we are delighted to be welcoming them back in the Spring. Since 2019, the event has become a cultural highlight here, bringing together extraordinary individuals and timeless writing in a way that resonates deeply with the audience. We can't wait to see what they have in store for us this time round.”

Will McCallum, co-Executive Director at Greenpeace, said, “The power of the spoken word to bring people together has always been at the core of Greenpeace's mission – from our first fundraiser featuring a young Joni Mitchell to countless collaborations with writers and musicians, to poetry and music at protests in every corner of the globe. Letters Live is a fresh and exciting format and we're thrilled to be evolving our collaboration from Glastonbury to the Royal Albert Hall. The proceeds from this year's event will help us continue our fight for a future where everyone has equal access to clean air, water and energy – where the nature we love is protected and communities are united by ambitious climate action."