Biographical note

Richard Adams (1920 - 2016) was an English novelist best known as the author of Watership Down, first published in 1972. He served in the British Army during the second world war, and then joined the civil service.

He originally began telling the story of Watership Down to his two daughters during long car journeys and they insisted it he publish it as a book. It was awarded the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, and went on to sell millions of copies throughout the world. In 1975 Adams was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce is an award-winning author and screenwriter. Millions, his debut children's novel, won the CLIP Carnegie Medal. He is also the author of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, Cosmic, Framed and The Astounding Broccoli Boy. His books have been shortlisted for a multitude of prizes, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children's Fiction Award (now the Costa Book Award) and the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth was shortlisted for the 2017 CILIP Carnegie Medal.

Along with Danny Boyle, Frank devised the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics. Frank is a BAFTA nominated screenwriter (Hilary and Jackie) and a BIFA winning screenwriter (Millions). He has written for the hit TV series Dr Who, and is the screenwriter for the 2017 film, Goodbye Christopher Robin.