Actor and author Hugh Bonneville will be honoured at Hay Festival 2026 with his very own ice cream flavour, available exclusively on site, 21–31 May.

Created by Shepherds Ice Cream, producers of the Festival’s famed sheep’s milk ice cream, the flavour – marmalade and toast – is a nod to his starring role in Paddington.

The special-edition flavour is an annual tradition at the Festival with previous honourees including actors Stephen Fry and Miriam Margolyes, and author Alice Oseman.

Bonneville, an actor known for his versatile roles in film, television, and on stage from Downtown Abbey to Paddington, is appearing at Hay Festival in a trio of events to celebrate his first children’s book, Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room and 100 Years of Michael Bond, creator of Paddington Bear.

Tickets to Hay Festival 2026 are on sale now at hayfestival.org.

Shepherds Ice Cream was founded in 1987 – the same year as Hay Festival Global – by Juliet Noble and Martin Orbach on the Herefordshire/Wales border. A Festival stalwart, their ice cream is made using local and seasonal ingredients, often picked straight from their own garden, with their flavours combining old favourites and new surprises.

Hugh Bonneville said: “Marmalade ice-cream, a small bear and a warm day… what could possibly go wrong?”

Hay Festival Global CEO Julie Finch said: “We are delighted to be celebrating Hugh Bonneville’s Festival appearance with this very special ice cream flavour. The joy of Hay Festival is as much about what happens off stage as on – our free-to-enter Festival site features a wonderful food and drink offer with Shepherds Ice Cream an annual highlight. I can’t wait to taste it!”

Shepherds Ice Cream Connie Orbach said: “Creating our annual Hay Festival special is a highlight of the year and what better inspiration than Hugh Bonneville and Paddington Bear?”

Hay Festival runs its 39th spring edition in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, with more than 500 events over 11 days, 21 – 31 May 2026. Launching the best new fiction and non-fiction books, while sharing insights around global issues, the programme sees more than 700 artists, policymakers, pioneers and innovators take part from around the world.