Since 1976 the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture has been the centrepiece of the Edinburgh TV Festival. It provokes and inspires debate, conversation, and change. Joining a long list of thinkers and luminaries, award-winning journalist and broadcaster Emily Maitlis will deliver the 47th lecture, the first before a live audience since 2019.

Recognised as one of the most influential people in Britain, Maitlis has a storied career. Having covered elections in the US and UK for the BBC, she has also fronted Newsnight, becoming a stalwart of the public broadcaster’s news output and a trusted voice with the viewing public.

She has interviewed Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton as well as each of the last six UK Prime Ministers among numerous other political leaders. In the world of culture and international affairs she has sat down with subjects including Mark Zuckerberg, Usain Bolt, Sheryl Sandberg, Marine le Pen and Emma Thompson. In a groundbreaking interview that defined the news and cultural narrative she spoke exclusively to Prince Andrew, as the royal talked publicly for the first time about his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Having departed the BBC and signed with Global, the next chapter of Maitlis’ career will build upon the success she enjoyed with the Americast podcast. She will once again team with Jon Sopel for a new project under the Global banner.