North east organised Innovation Festival to welcome big names

Internationally acclaimed documentary-maker Louis Theroux, exercise legend Mr Motivator and TV’s repair and restore guru Will Kirk are among the list of inspirational speakers topping the bill at Northumbrian Water’s Innovation Festival next week.

The fifth iteration of the globally-renowned festival will see a whole host of stars from the worlds of broadcast, wellbeing, health and environment join festival-goers for a series of interviews, live talks and Q&A sessions between 18-21 October.

Documentary maker Louis Theroux, who’s series including ‘Weird Weekends’ and ‘When Louis Met…’ enthralled the world, will be taking part in a live chat all about how he has needed to innovate in order to achieve such a long and successful career.

Opening the festival, which will see attendees from all across the world, will be legendary fitness coach Mr Motivator, OBE – who will set the tone for the high-energy event with one of his iconic workouts.

TV’s well-known craftsman Will Kirk will also be joining the star-studded line-up, and will be imparting some of his creative and inventive wisdom in order to inspire the audience.

Joining the headliners will be journalist Rory Cellan-Jones,  Car Share and Meet the Richardsons creator Tim Reid, and former-Mayor of Sheffield and activist Magid Magid – who will each be delivering some inspirational talks, reflecting on how disruptive innovation has got them where they are today.

From the world of podcasting, the festival will also see ‘I’m Grand Mam’s’ PJ and Kevin, and Dave and Steve from ‘The Happy Pear Podcast’ delivering some important messaging around wellbeing.

The festival will also hear from National Geographic’s young explorer Lucy Houliston – who will be touching on conservation and environment during her session on Tuesday.

Angela MacOscar, Head of Innovation at Northumbrian Water, said: “It’s going to be the biggest and most global Innovation Festival yet, which is why we have needed to pull in some extra-special inspiration.

“Every one of our guests has had to embrace the elements needed for innovation throughout their career in order to get where they are, and I am sure they will all have some fantastic insights to impart.

“I am so excited to see what each of our guests has to say, and I am sure that our attendees will be inspired and gain knowledge from this incredible and diverse line-up.”

Each of the sessions are completely free to attend and can be watched live virtually. Click here to register for the Innovation Festival