Special Guests

Discover some of the famous faces and special guests from the worlds of horticulture, growing your own and cooking who will treat audiences to lively talks and informative demonstrations in the two Malvern Autumn Show theatres.

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Autumn Theatre

Vintage Village

The Great Malvern Cake Off Theatre and Competition, sponsored by Visit the Malverns

Timetables

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The 2026 show will welcome household names and exciting rising stars from the worlds of horticulture, baking and entertainment, all sharing their expertise and stories with audiences.

Whether you’re here for the Autumn Theatre talks or the Great Malvern Cake Off Theatre demos and technical challenges, these theatres deliver unforgettable moments with the people who help shape Britain’s cultural landscape.

Special Guests

Monty Don, O.B.E.

Autumn Theatre

Saturday

Monty Don, O.B.E.

Autumn Theatre

Monty Don O.B.E. is the UK’s leading garden writer and broadcaster. He has been making television programmes for over twenty years on a range of topics, spanning travel, craft, outdoor living and, principally, gardening. He has been lead presenter of the BBC’s Gardener’s World since 2003 and since 2011 the programme has come from his own garden, Longmeadow, in Herefordshire.

Joanna Page

Autumn Theatre

Sunday

Joanna Page

Autumn Theatre

A household name thanks to her role as Stacey in the beloved BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, Swansea-born Joanna Page made her screen debut in 1999’s Miss Julie. Since then, she has gone on to star in a wide array of hit film and television productions, including Love Actually, The Syndicate, Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger, and Doctor Who.

Joanna is also a Sunday Times bestselling author following the success of her hilarious and heartfelt memoir, Lush!: My Story – From Swansea to Stacey and Everything in Between, which chronicles her journey from South Wales to RADA and the high-flying misadventures of her showbiz career.

On screen, Joanna presents Shift The Thrift for BBC One and BBC iPlayer – a high-energy series celebrating Britain’s charity shop and upcycling culture. A versatile host and presenter, her TV credits also include crowning a standout run by winning Series 21 of Channel 4’s Taskmaster, joining the Loose Women panel in Autumn 2023, co-hosting ITV’s The Pet Show alongside Dermot O’Leary, fronting BBC’s Shop Well for Less and Shop Well for the Planet, and presenting her own wildlife series, “Joanna Page’s Wild Life”, as well as All at Sea for BBC Wales and BBC iPlayer.

Alongside her TV work, Joanna now hosts her own weekly podcast Lush!

Jekka McVicar, VMH

Autumn Theatre

Sunday

Jekka McVicar, VMH

Autumn Theatre

Jekka McVicar has been growing, researching and championing herbs since 1975, and is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading herb experts. Awarded the RHS Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH) and the Gardeners’ Media Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, she has also received 62 RHS Gold Medals and is a familiar voice on national radio and TV, inspiring gardeners and cooks with the flavour, fragrance and everyday usefulness of culinary herbs. From her Herb Farm in Bristol and its Herbetum, she shares practical, kitchen-first growing advice — from sowing to harvesting and cooking — and her herbs have even been supplied for the film Hamnet. Her work continues to help everyone, from beginners to seasoned growers, get more taste, colour and joy from these amazing plants.

Image by Jason Ingram

Martin & Jill Fish (Autumn Theatre Hosts)

Autumn Theatre

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Martin & Jill Fish (Autumn Theatre Hosts)

Autumn Theatre

A life long gardener, Martin is a garden writer, broadcaster and has been hosting and giving talks at flower shows for many years. He’s very much a practical, hands on gardener and loves his fruit & veg plot.

Jill writes, broadcasts and gardens and has a passion for cooking with fresh homegrown fruit and vegetables from their garden. Together they love to chat about and share all things gardening!

Kate Bradbury

Autumn Theatre

Friday

Kate Bradbury

Autumn Theatre

Kate Bradbury is a garden writer and author, specialising in wildlife gardening. She is an ambassador for the RHS and lives in Brighton.

Image by Lisa Linder/Gardens Illustrated Mag

Rekha Mistry

Autumn Theatre

Friday

Rekha Mistry

Autumn Theatre

Rekha Mistry is a broadcaster, author, writer and horticultural consultant who has become one of the UK’s most respected advocates for productive and sustainable gardening. Passionate about helping people grow their own food and flowers. She is well known for her practical, approachable style and her ability to make gardening accessible and achievable for everyone, from complete beginners to experienced growers.

A familiar face on television and in gardening publications, Rekha regularly presents on the BBC’s Gardeners’ World and contributes her expert advice across a range of gardening media. Her clear, confidence-building guidance has inspired thousands of people to embrace homegrown fruit, vegetables and herbs while adopting environmentally responsible gardening practices.

Rekha previously headed the gardens at Haddon Hall, where she managed and restored the gardens back to Arne Maynard’s design set in Britain’s best preserved medieval and tudor manor with historic garden settings. Her expertise spans kitchen gardening, ornamental horticulture and sustainable cultivation, underpinned by extensive practical experience.

Emma Jo Real-Davies

Autumn Theatre

Saturday

Emma Jo Real-Davies

Autumn Theatre

Emma Real-Davies is an RHS-qualified gardener, television presenter and host with over a decade of live broadcasting experience, specialising in gardening and horticulture. She is currently a Gardening Expert on QVC, where she presents live shows delivering practical advice, demonstrations and seasonal tips to a national audience, and hosts QVC’s The Joy of Shopping podcast interviewing high-profile guests. Her wider presenting credits include guest appearances on ITV’s This Morning and Alan’s Gardening Club, alongside a strong background in commercial radio presenting.

Alongside her broadcasting work, Emma has extensive hands-on horticultural experience. She worked as an Assistant Gardener at the historic Long Barn Gardens and has undertaken additional specialist training at Great Dixter, underpinning her RHS Level 2 qualifications in both theory and practical gardening. Emma loves working with the Royal Horticultural Society, having hosted major RHS shows including Urban Show and Wentworth Woodhouse.

Jonathan Moseley

Autumn Theatre

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Jonathan Moseley

Autumn Theatre

Celebrated floral designer, gardener and broadcaster with over 35 years experience in creating fabulous floral displays from seasonal flowers Jonathan is a UK ambassador for British flowers and champions seasonality and using home grown flowers and foliage’s to create sensational displays. Jonathan has been teaching floristry for many years and believes that anyone can be successful at arranging flowers. He regularly appears on ITV’s Love Your weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. He lives in Derbyshire where he has created a beautiful cutting garden which acts as an inspiration for many of his floral diplays.

Jon Wheatley, M.B.E. VMH

Autumn Theatre

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Jon Wheatley, M.B.E. VMH

Autumn Theatre

Garden designer and grower Jon has won numerous RHS Gold medals and is an RHS judge. Jon is managing director of Stonebarn Landscapes based near Bristol.

Caley Bros (Lorraine and Jodie)

Autumn Theatre

Sunday

Caley Bros (Lorraine and Jodie)

Autumn Theatre

Caley Bros (Lorraine and Jodie) are two sisters passionate about all aspects of growing good quality, sustainable, and delicious mushrooms.
Raised in Surrey their childhood was enriched with home-grown, nutritious and delicious food. From working on their folks’ and gramps’ allotments to holiday cover on a livestock farm in the New Forest that included tractor driving, sheep herding, vineyard planting, hay bailing, egg collecting and lambing to prepping geese for the festive season and so much more…

It is these experiences that gave the sisters a deep-rooted respect for good quality food, how to appreciate it, and what is just as important – how to source and support it.

Within a year of growing their first mushrooms the curiosity surrounding their change in careers and the story behind why they are now ‘mushroom farmers’ had them making simple, small-scale kits for their family, their friends and friend of friends so they too could get growing their own mushrooms.

Chris Bavin (Great Malvern Cake Off Theatre Host)

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Chris Bavin (Great Malvern Cake Off Theatre Host)

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Chris Bavin is a British television presenter, food expert, and former greengrocer best known for co-presenting the BBC’s Eat Well for Less?. With a background in the fresh produce industry, he built a reputation for helping families make healthier, more affordable food choices. Before his television career, Chris co-founded the award-winning independent grocery business The Naked Grocer in Surrey. He has also appeared on programmes including Britain’s Best Home Cook, Food: Truth or Scare, Escape to the Country, and The One Show. Known for his practical advice and passion for sustainability, Chris is a trusted voice on food, consumer issues, and healthy living.

Jane's Patisserie (Jane Dunn)

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Friday

Jane's Patisserie (Jane Dunn)

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Jane Dunn is a Food Writer, Photographer and Blogger. She launched Jane’s Patisserie over ten years ago and in that time has amassed a whopping 2.5 million followers across her social media channels with her blog receiving 4 million views per month! Jane has become a 5 x Sunday Times Best Seller. Her first book, Jane’s Patisserie became the fastest selling baking book ever! Since then she has gone on to publish Jane’s Patisserie Celebrate, Jane’s Patisserie Everyday, Jane’s Patisserie Easy Favourites and her latest Jane’s Patisserie Classic.

Jane found her love for baking when she was a child experimenting with the baking recipes and notes that were passed to her from her grandmother. Deciding to follow her passion for baking, Jane enrolled at the Ashburton Chef’s Academy and graduated in 2014.

She began blogging full time in 2018 and since then has appeared on This Morning with her recipes appearing in many a magazine and newspaper!

Jane has also worked with a number of brands including Wren Kitchens, Nestle, Lakeland, Whitworths and Cuisinart creating exciting and new recipes for them. She loves nothing more than to get in the kitchen and experiment with new flavours and is always keen to listen to what her followers might want and need in the baking department!

Lizzie Acker

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Saturday

Lizzie Acker

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Lizzie Acker. is most well known for being an extremely popular contestant on Channel 4’s ‘Great British Bake Off’. She is an amateur baker from Liverpool with a huge personality who proved she has the talent and consistency by reaching the quarter-finals. She is very open about having ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia and works tirelessly to raise awareness of the conditions through her work. She is an Ambassador for Steps at Strawberry Field and the British Dyslexia Society. Lizzie continues her baking journey and showcases her talent through demonstrations, television, podcasts, social media and digital campaigns. She has produced content for multiple brands and companies including Sainsburys, Nielsen Massey, Renshaw, Masterclass Bakeware, Gem Avocado, Lucy and Yak, Bird and Blend Tea and Visit Britain to name a few. She was a regular on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch and part of a Government Campaign for Channel 4 to raise awareness of being neurodiverse. Lizzie was part of a Liverpool City Council government campaign for Eurovision and was hosting on the stage on Sunday. She has also been part of the BBC’s UK Eurovision coverage and appeared in an advert at the live handover ceremony, as well as attending the Eurovision ceremony. She also took part in the Arts festival to promote Eurovision in Liverpool.

Instagram @lizzieacker_ 103K Followers

TikTok @Lizzie.a.bakes 106.4 Followers

Ziggy Li

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Saturday

Ziggy Li

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

The Flowering Baker is a luxury cake designer based in the Midlands, creating elegant wedding and celebration cakes adorned with exquisite hand-piped buttercream flowers. Founded by Ziggy Li, each design is inspired by the beauty of botanicals and crafted with meticulous attention to detail, combining refined artistry with exceptional flavour. A finalist in prestigious cake industry awards, Ziggy is recognised for her elegant and timeless buttercream floral designs and passion for sharing this beautiful craft. At the Malvern Autumn Show, she will be demonstrating the art of piping lifelike buttercream flowers, offering visitors an insight into the skill, creativity and precision behind her signature edible blooms.

Image Credit: Picture Essence Photography

IG Handle: https://www.instagram.com/picture.essence_photography/

David Atherton

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Sunday

David Atherton

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

David Atherton is the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2019. He now balances work across healthcare and food, continuing his role as a nurse alongside recipe development and live baking demonstrations. David is the author of five children’s cookbooks and co-host of the Sticky Bun Boys baking podcast. He is also a keen gardener and a strong supporter of the RHS, with a particular interest in growing seasonal produce and flowers. His work brings together his interests in food, health, community, and life beyond the kitchen.

Lottie Bedlow

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Sunday

Lottie Bedlow

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Lottie Bedlow, home baker and pantomime producer, rose to prominence as a contestant on the 2020 series of The Great British Bake Off.

Since appearing on the show, Lottie has continued to build her profile through food writing, recipe development, media appearances, and collaborations with food and lifestyle brands, with her followers particularly enjoying her ‘Humpday Meals’ and attempts at recreating the Bake Off technicals!

Victoria - FourWallsFarm

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Saturday

Victoria - FourWallsFarm

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Victoria is a mother of two, lives on a farm, and blogs about her daily life as @VictoriaFourWalls in Droitwich. Her Instagram account has over 100k followers. Her TikTok account (@FourWallsFarm) has nearly 60K followers.

Peter Cooks Bread

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Friday

Peter Cooks Bread

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Peter Cook is an artisan baker dedicated to producing exceptional handcrafted bread using traditional methods, long fermentation, and the finest ingredients. As the founder of Peter Cooks Bread, he has built a reputation for award-winning sourdough, viennoiserie, and seasonal bakes that celebrate flavour, craftsmanship, and provenance.

Passionate about real bread and sustainable food, Peter champions slow fermentation, supports local suppliers wherever possible, and believes that great baking starts with patience, skill, and respect for the ingredients. Through his bakeries, workshops, and community events, he is committed to sharing the joy of artisan baking and making outstanding bread accessible to everyone.

For the past year, I have been on a Panettone “journey” At the show I will be demonstrating a sweet brioche “pizza” from Spain called Coca. This recipe uses the same sourdough Pasta Madre as the panettone, allowing me to talk about that process and is a delicious alternative to a pastry. The Coca is topped with pastry cream and candied fruits.

Karen Allen - Caption Catering

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Sunday

Karen Allen - Caption Catering

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Karen Allen is the owner of Caption Catering, an award-winning catering and cake business based near Ross-on-Wye.

Known for her beautiful buttercream floral cupcakes and bespoke celebration cakes, Karen combines artistic piping techniques with a passion for homemade baking, creating designs inspired by the flowers in her own garden. Her floral cupcake bouquets have become a signature of her business, with every flower individually piped by hand.

Alongside her cakes, Karen provides luxury catering for weddings, corporate events, celebrations and afternoon teas across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and the surrounding counties, using fresh, homemade food and homegrown edible flowers wherever possible.

After winning the Great Malvern Cake Off, Best in Business , Karen is delighted to be returning to the Malvern Autumn Show to share her passion for buttercream floral piping and inspire others to discover the art of creating edible flowers.

Malvern Bakehouse

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Friday

Malvern Bakehouse

The Great Malvern Cake Off Stage

Malvern Bakehouse is a family-run artisan bakery in the heart of Great Malvern, renowned for its handcrafted sourdough bread, pastries, and baked goods.

Special Guests

Special Guests

Key dates for your diary

Countrytastic

RHS Malvern Spring Festival

Royal Three Counties Show