Benjamin Zephaniah is a performer, musician, actor, and one of the UK's best-known poets. Born in Handsworth, Birmingham, Benjamin began writing and performing at the age of 11, and had his first collection of poetry published when he was 22. He has written more than 30 books for adults and children and is known all over the world for his powerful writing and performances.

Benjamin was a founding member of Artists Against Apartheid, and in 1996 he hosted the President's Two Nations Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London, at the request of Nelson Mandela. On August 29th 2007 he was the Master of Ceremonies at the unveiling of the statue of Nelson Mandela, again at his request, in Parliament Square. Benjamin is also a musician and was the first person to record with the Wailers after the death of Bob Marley.

As well as writing poetry, novels, screenplays and stage plays, Benjamin has also written and presented documentaries for television and radio. He has been awarded 13 honorary doctorates in recognition of his work and a wing at The Ealing Hospital in West London has been named after him. As passionate about politics and poetry as he has ever been, Benjamin now lives in Lincolnshire.

Nigel McCrery worked as a policeman, until he left the force to become an undergraduate at Cambridge University.

He has created and written some of the most successful television series of the last ten years - his credits include Silent Witness, Born & Bred, New Tricks, All the King's Men and Back-Up.

He is also the author of five internationally bestselling Sam Ryan mysteries. Nigel lives in London.

Eddie Izzard is a world-renowned comedian, actor, writer, runner, and activist. He made his West End debut in 1993 in a one-man show called Live at the Ambassadors, for which he received an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement.

He recently appeared on television as Dr Abel Gideon in Hannibal, and he produced and starred in the FX Networks series The Riches. His films include Valkyrie; Ocean's Thirteen and Ocean's Twelve; Across the Universe; Mystery Men; Shadow of the Vampire; The Cat's Meow; Lost Christmas; Castles in the Sky; and Whisky Galore! His stage appearances include David Mamet's Race and The Cryptogram; the title role in Marlowe's Edward II; 900 Oneonta; and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg in London and on Broadway, which garnered him a Tony nomination for Best Actor.

Izzard's hit one-man shows include Dress to Kill, Stripped, and Force Majeure. His performance in Dress to Kill earned him two Emmy Awards. In 2010, the documentary Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story received an Emmy nomination.

In 2009, Izzard ran forty-three marathons in fifty-one days throughout the United Kingdom, and in 2016, he ran twenty-seven marathons in twenty-seven days across South Africa in honour of Nelson Mandela's twenty-seven years in prison. By running these seventy marathons he has helped raise GBP4.8 million ($6 million) for the UK charity Sport Relief.

An icon of the nineties Brit Pop scene, Meg Mathews is a former music industry PR, events planner and designer turned entrepreneur and advocate for the menopause. She founded Megs Menopause (megsmenopause.com) in 2018 as a platform dedicated to breaking the stigma around the menopause and supporting and informing women. Meg is currently an online columnist for Red magazine and was named by the publication as one of their Top 20 Career Shifters in 2017.

In November 2018, Meg was awarded the Inspiring Public Figure of the Year award by the Inspirational Leadership Trust. Meg has a daughter, model and influencer Anais Gallagher, and lives in London, UK, with her two dogs Ziggy and Oscar. The New Hot is her first book.

Sir Richard Branson is a hugely successful international entrepreneur, adventurer and icon, and is founder of the Virgin Group.

His autobiography, Losing My Virginity, and his books on business, Screw It, Let's Do It, Business Stripped Bare, Screw Business as Usual and Like a Virgin are all international bestsellers. He is also the author of Reach for the Skies.

He lives on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands and is married to Joan and has two grown-up children - Holly and Sam.