About

Between the Covers Live at Pennyhill Park - Friday 3rd October

The Book Club arrives in Bagshot, Surrey

For the first time ever, Between The Covers, the nation’s favourite TV book club is collaborating with Exclusive Collection, bringing an exclusive opportunity to be part of this iconic book club in our glorious surroundings here at Pennyhill Park.

Hosted by Amanda Ross, TV’s Queen of Books and executive producer of Between the Covers, the fantasy book group will feature two huge stars and Between the Covers regulars, Ruth Jones and Stephen Mangan. They will be joined with one of Britain’s most acclaimed authors, David Nicholls, who will tell all on his books and writing habits. As well as the author of the new book pick - Florence Knapp, with her debut, The Names, which has became an instant global sensation. 

Sounding like you're kind of plot? Read on for the details...

 

Want to be part of the book club?

Event with overnight stay

Lunch on arrival
Between the Covers Live Experience
Drinks and dinner with core panellists
Overnight stay and breakfast 
Full spa access until 2pm on Saturday

£800 for one | £950 for two

Book overnight package

Day Event & Dinner

Lunch on arrival
Between the Covers Live Experience
Drinks and dinner with core panellists

£320 per person - Limited availability

Book Day & Dinner

 

The line up

Stephen Mangan

Celebrity Panellist & Author

Stephen Mangan is a bestselling author, actor, presenter and screenwriter with huge range across TV, radio, film and theatre. His unique comedic gift is seen in Green Wing, I'm Alan Partridge, Episodes and Hang Ups. Stephen has starred in many acclaimed dramas acts including BBC One’s The Split and presents Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of Year and Landscape Artist of the Year. He is a presenter on Classic FM and also presents hit new ITV show The Fortune Hotel. Stephen has been a judge for the Costa Book of the Year prize and The Laugh-Out-Loud Awards (The Lollies). He has written 7 bestselling children's books- his most recent is The Fart that Saved the Universe. 

Stephen has appeared on series 5 and series 8 of Between the Covers and also took part in the theatre tour of the show last summer. He loves books by Irish authors and his most recent BYOB was A Goat’s Song by Dermot Healy.  

 

Ruth Jones

Celebrity Panellist & Author

Known for her TV work, most notably BBC One’s multi-award-winning Gavin and Stacey, co-written with James Corden, in which she played Nessa Jenkins. The 2019 and 2024 Christmas specials garnered viewing figures of 18 million and 21 million respectively. Ruth also created and co-wrote several series of Stella for Sky TV, for which she was BAFTA nominated.  
 
Ruth’s novels have sold over a million copies. Never Greener was a Sunday Times bestseller for fifteen weeks, three weeks at number one, as well as WHSmith Fiction Book of the Year 2018, a nominated Debut of the Year at the British Book Awards, and a Zoe Ball Book Club pick. Her second novel, Us Three, and her third novel, Love Untold, were also instant Sunday Times bestsellers. Ruth's latest novel is By Your Side published in summer 2025. 

Ruth appeared on Series 5 of Between the Covers. Her BYOB was The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. She’s a fan of rugby players’ autobiographies but generally Welsh players rather than the England team (who train at Pennyhill!) 

 

David Nicholls

Star Author

David Nicholls is one of Britain’s most acclaimed writers. He is the bestselling author of Starter for Ten, The Understudy, One Day, Us, Sweet Sorrow and most recently, You Are Here. One Day was published in 2009 to extraordinary critical acclaim: translated into 40 languages, it became a global bestseller, selling millions of copies worldwide. It is now a major Netflix series on which he was Executive Producer and a contributing screenwriter. His fourth novel, Us, was longlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction.  

On screen, David has written adaptations of Far from the Madding Crowd, When Did You Last See Your Father? and Great Expectations, as well as of his own novels, Starter for Ten, One Day and Us. His adaptation of Edward St Aubyn's Patrick Melrose, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, was nominated for an Emmy and won him a BAFTA for best writer. 

David’s relationship with Amanda Ross goes back over 20 years to when Amanda selected his debut book, Starter for Ten, for the legendary book club on the Richard & Judy Channel 4 show, sending it straight into the bestseller charts. They have remained friends ever since. David was an integral part in getting the Between the Covers TV show green-lit as his book, Sweet Sorrow, was reviewed and David interviewed for the pilot. Us was later picked as a Booker backlist recommendation on the Series.

 

The Names by Florence Knapp

New Book Pick

A once-in-a-generation debut from a major new talent, The Names is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. 

It is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends for her to follow a long-standing family tradition and call the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates. Going against his wishes is a risk that will have consequences, but is it right for her child to inherit his name from generations of domineering men? The choice she makes in this moment will shape the course of their lives. 
 
Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, and one that will prove as cataclysmic as the storm from which it emerged. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will enable him to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his cruel image - but is there still a chance to break the mould? 
 
Powerfully moving and full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family, and love's endless capacity to endure, no matter what fate has in store. 

 

Florence Knapp

New Book Pick Author

Florence Knapp has previously written a non-fiction book about a centuries-old method of quilt making, as well as contributing to a book for the V&A Museum. She lives just outside London with her husband and their dog. Their two children have now flown the nest. The Names is Florence’s debut novel. In Britain, the book was snapped up by Orion after a 13-way auction and in the United States it had a 10-way auction; it is being translated into more than 20 languages. Plaudits have poured in from authors including JoJo Moyes, Marian Keyes and Ann Napolitano. It is predicted to be one of the biggest books of the year. The Sunday Times called it “the best debut novel in years.” 

 

Amanda Ross

And not forgetting your host...

Co-Founder & CEO of Cactus TV and Executive Producer of Between The Covers. Amanda has created and produced many major book-based campaigns on TV over the last 20 years, including Richard & Judy's Book Club, Channel 4’s TV Book Club, the televising of The National Book Awards and The Crime Thriller Awards and Crime Thriller Book Club on ITV, The Specsavers TV Book Club, and The Zoe Ball Book Club. She personally selects the books for all these campaigns and is responsible for launching the careers of many bestselling authors, including David Nicholls, Kate Mosse and Victoria Hislop. She oversees all of Cactus’ book and writing initiatives, and in 2007 her TV book choices accounted for over 26% of all books sold in the UK. She was named no 1 in The Observer list of the 50 most powerful people in publishing. As well as a successful career behind the camera, Amanda has presented several of her own TV series after completing a Drama degree and live Edinburgh shows. She has hosted numerous literary events, so wrangling this book-loving panel is all in a day’s work for her. 

 

Waterstones Pop-up

A book-lovers dream..

We can't put on a book event without the chance to pick up a new book!

Waterstones Camberley will be providing a pop-up book shop at the hotel and the panel will be joining guests for drinks and book-signing opportunities before, during and after the main event.