Trim the tree, sing a song and build a snowman – it’s time again for our annual Blake Friedmann Cultural Highlights, where the team share the books, films, TV programs, plays, places and pleasures we’ve enjoyed away from our desks this year. Check out previous years’ highlights here.
Look out in the new year for more BFLA news, including the round-up of Best of the Year picks featuring our authors and Ones to Watch in 2026 – and in the meantime, season’s greetings one and all!
Kate Burke
Book: THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore
So many people had recommended this to me and, while I was intrigued by its US success in the charts, I wasn't racing to read it as it's about a missing child (my no-go area) but I really loved it. Liz Moore's writing is fantastic and this slow, literary slice of suspense deftly handles multiple characters and different timelines. Very atmospheric – would definitely read more of her work!
Film: THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND
I just loved this quiet, contemplative, poignant film. Great acting, a funny and sad script, a lovely setting and some really great original music (I didn't know Carey Mulligan could sing!). It's just a perfect little indie film, done on a budget and packing a real emotional punch.
TV: BRIDESHEAD REVISITED
After finding some 2025 TV shows a bit disappointing (series two of THE LAST OF US was so patchy, HOSTAGE was ludicrous, PLURIBUS is still warming up for me, SLOW HORSES series five was underwhelming on every level), I decided to re-watch this classic. My parents had this series on VHS so I probably watched it when I was ten or so but don't really remember it. It does feel dated in terms of the way in which it was filmed (steady cams, long, drawn-out shots, very slow in terms of pace) but it's a brilliant adaptation of a great novel. Incredible costumes, impeccable acting and such a beautiful setting (Castle Howard standing in for Brideshead).
Finlay Charlesworth
Books: THE BENEFACTORS by Wendy Erskine and GUNK by Saba Sams
Cheating with a pair of books – but both of the books I said I was looking forward in last year’s cultural highlights delivered on my anticipation and then some: each author bringing the best elements of their short stories and a whole lot more into their debut novels; brilliantly specific to their respective settings of Belfast and Brighton, and also able to reach far beyond with their humanity and humour.
Theatre: THE WINTER’S TALE (Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon)
My first trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see the birthplace of Shakespeare and the famed home of the RSC did not disappoint, crowned by a stunning production of THE WINTER’S TALE, directed by Yaël Farber (following her KING LEAR at The Almeida in 2024). Using vanishings and explosions of colour, music, and an incredible cast, the so-called ‘problem play’ became a Healing play, where heartbreaking tragedy is fought and eventually conquered by hope, joy and time. Given lukewarm reviews (that, to me, felt like they judged expectations more than this production), I don’t expect it will get a chance to come to London, but I hold on to hope that I’ll get another chance to see it.
Travel: Amsterdam
This was the best year of travel I’ve enjoyed so far, taking in wee trips to Gdańsk, South-West Scotland, Stratford-upon-Avon, Venice and the Dolomite mountains and, arguably best of all, Amsterdam. I spent four beautiful spring days there in the Spring, enjoying the canals, cafes, windmills, canals, stroopwafels, parks, canals and more. A couple of good books, some lovely company, and a chance to relax in one of the friendliest and sunniest cities I’ve been – and just a four-hour train away? Outstanding, incredible, thank you very much.
Isobel Dixon
FILM: CONCLAVE
Ralph Fiennes is one of my favourite actors – in 2021 his one-man show of FOUR QUARTETS was a highlight in a stricken time. I’ve watched far too few films this year, but the first, in January’s dark depths, was CONCLAVE. Though I haven’t read Robert Harris’s novel and try not to read reviews of films I want to watch, the buzz made me wary of inflated expectations. I needn’t have been. I loved it and not just because of Fiennes – though superbly acted by him along with a great ensemble, it’s an elegant adaptation that cracks along beautifully, with humanity and humour embedded in the bigger ideas and impressive settings.
TRAVEL: MEXICO
What can I say – my mind blown by place, history, art, people. I went for the D.H. Lawrence conference and to see friends I’d met at university in Edinburgh in the 1990s. Every day a revelation – at the conference on UNAM’s huge, fascinating campus, visiting the incredible National Museum of Anthropology and wandering through Frida Kahlo’s ‘Blue House’, Casa Azul, in Mexico City. Further afield, clambering (part-way) up the Pyramid of the Moon at the vast site of Teotihuacán and a more contemplative experience in the ruins of Monte Albán in the Valley of Oaxaca. I need our imminent winter break to properly contemplate an extraordinary summer journey.
BOOK: STEPPING STONES: Interviews with Seamus Heaney by Dennis O’Driscoll
Seamus Heaney has been a touchstone writer for me since DEATH OF A NATURALIST came into startling focus in a first-year tutorial, a mind-meld of his Irish and my South African worlds leading to deeper exploration of his work in my later studies. I treasure the memory of a kind letter he wrote me as a postgraduate student, and a brief but generous London meeting. Over several autumn months, I read his inspiring conversations with Dennis O’Driscoll – empathetically drawn out and beautifully assembled in what Anne Enright aptly described as ‘a deeply nourishing book’. I had already been nourished by Dennis O’Driscoll’s glorious THE OUTNUMBERED POET: CRITICAL AND AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAYS (Gallery Books) and am so sad that both these fine people are no longer with us – though grateful they have passed on their works, ongoing treasures. Now I look forward to exploring Heaney’s COLLECTED POEMS, an exploration of the familiar and discovery of the new.
In other anticipations, I look forward to Cambridge Folk Festival 2026, after a year’s hiatus. So much-missed in 2025!
Sian Ellis-Martin
Game: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD
I borrowed a Nintendo Switch for a lazy holiday this year and bought myself BREATH OF THE WILD. I’m not a gamer by any stretch so I don’t have much to compare it to, but BREATH OF THE WILD is a beautifully made game (and story!) that had me in awe of the skill of the game makers. The kingdom of Hyrule is completely open to you while you play as Link, a once renowned soldier now awake after 100 years of slumber. The ultimate goal is to defeat Calamity Ganon, reclaim Hyrule, and save Princess Zelda, but there are many challenges and quests to keep you occupied along the way.
TV: ALL HER FAULT
I was hooked on this show within the first five minutes! Marissa, played by Sarah Snook, arrives to pick up her son Milo from a playdate. But he’s not at the address she’s been given and was never invited on a play date at all. He’s been kidnapped. The ‘who’ is just as intriguing as the ‘why’ here, and there were loads of twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I loved the camaraderie between Marissa and Jenny (Dakota Fanning). While the show is a crime thriller through and through, it also very cleverly shines a light on parenthood and privilege too.
Book: THE WAGER by David Grann
THE WAGER was my most surprising highlight of 2025. It’s the story of the Wager, a ship that sailed on a secret mission for England but ended up wrecked on a barren island in South America. It’s a tale of shipwreck, mutiny and murder as the subtitle suggests, but it’s also a story about perseverance, about the inherent human will to survive. Some of the events are so shocking that I forgot it was a true story; David Grann expertly demonstrates how fact can be even more enthralling than fiction.
Nicole Etherington
Travel: New Cities
2025 was the year of European city breaks, and I was lucky enough to spend time in Helsinki, Tallinn, Marseilles, Madrid and Badalona. Highlights from my trips included a Tove Janson exhibition, the Helsinki-Tallinn ferry, Enn Põldroos exhibition at KUMU, Estonian taprooms, Fotografiska Tallinn, tiny wine bars down French side streets, Cours Julien, seeing Chappell Roan at Primavera, the fast train from Barcelona to Madrid, Mercado de San Miguel and many more!
Literature: Translated Fiction
I’ve really enjoyed the translated fiction I’ve read this year – in particular ON THE CALCULATION OF VOLUME Volumes 1 & 2 by Solvej Balle, WAIST DEEP by Linea Maja Ernst, THE TRIO by Johanna Hedma, and HEAVEN & EARTH by Paolo Giordano.
TV: STRANGER THINGS
My STRANGER THINGS obsession was recently reactivated, thanks to the release of part one of the fifth and final season in November. I re-watched the entire series in the span of about three weeks and I’m now anxiously awaiting the next episode drop. It’s the perfect blend of 80s nostalgia, right down to the gravity defying hairstyles and blue eyeshadow, and arguably wins the award for best use of a Kate Bush song in a TV show and best fictional babysitter (I’m looking at you Steve Harrington).
Julian Friedmann
As the cold weather dropped on us and there was urgent gardening to be done, my Niwaki Winter gardening gloves triumphed and, work done a couple of hours later, my fingers remained toasty. Gardening is so much nicer when you’re warm. Niwaki also do great secateurs, all made by one family in Japan.
My second highlight of the year is poached pears. It was a side dish to roasted duck breasts, but my wife raved about the pears (she did also like the duck). Peel the pears, quarter them lengthways, put into an ovenproof disc with red wine, orange juice, fresh rosemary and thyme. Maybe a cinnamon stick and a couple of bay leaves. I’d include grated orange or lemon rind too. It you put the herbs and spices into a muslin bag then your guests won’t be picking bits of herbs from their teeth. Roast for maybe an hour on medium. You could cook on top of the stove too, or in a slow cooker. If you do the duck breasts, use the oven. Season and place on top of the pears for say 20 minutes, then uncovered until skin crisps (maybe 10-15 mins depending on how hot the oven is and how pink you want the duck). You can freeze the pears – they’re just as good weeks later. Nowadays I just get asked for the pears.
My final choice is the David Attenborough-narrated series KINGDOM. Shot over five years in Zambia, it does what I’ve rarely seen a wildlife documentary series do: it is about the relationships between four species of animals: a pride of lions, a pack of wild dogs, a hyena family and a leopard mother and cub. They’re crowded into a small area surrounded by rivers filled with crocodiles and hippos. Faced by bush fire and drought they all fight for supremacy: for the kingdom. Stunning photography and emotional highs and lows.
Leyla Hattabi
Travel: Fire Festival in the Kyoto region
On a family trip to Japan, we were lucky enough to take part in the mountains of Kurama’s Fire Festival. The ceremony celebrates the welcoming of the kami spirits to the village and everyone in the family takes part! Catching a glimpse of the procession is pure luck, and thanks to all our bad luck that evening, we managed to witness the lighting of the first fire after being stranded 20 minutes’ walk from the festival activities by our local bus.
Film: SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE
Biopics of music icons can be a mix of good, bad, or forgettable. A biopic on Bruce Springsteen’s inner turmoil and fight with depression could’ve gone either way. This film has managed to play with tone and atmosphere in a way that truly elevates the biopic genre. Big hats off to the creative team, DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE was one of the best movie theatre going experiences of the year for me, from the stellar acting to the daring cinematography.
THEATRE: 1536 (Almeida Theatre)
I went to see probably around 50-60 plays, musicals and theatre productions in 2025, and one that truly stayed with me was 1536 by Ava Pickett (directed by Lyndsey Turner) – a piece of new writing, playing at the Almeida, which has now transferred to the West End. This was a masterful gut-punching tragedy with clever rapid fire comedic dialogue and a message that’s incredibly relevant in an age where women’s rights are being taken away. I loved seeing Tanya Reynolds on stage again, who was also a cast member of THE SEAGULL, at the Barbican alongside Cate Blanchett, this year and which was another one of my favourites!
Juliet Pickering
Family: HORRIBLE HISTORIES (BBC iPlayer)
One of the most gratifying moments of parenthood has been my child's love of Horrible Histories. Finally a programme (essentially a sketch show) that we can both enjoy. I've learned so much, and laughed a lot. It's total genius! I even then read a giant C J Sansom novel with a glimmer of understanding of the historical context (thanks to Ailbhe Malone for the recommendation). I have been thinking for the last six months on which clip I'd want to share for these highlights, and it's an embarrassment of riches - Napoleon's life story, simpering Romantic poets, Shakespeare's battle rap ... I opted for the Magna Carta. Enjoy!
Activity: Two Tunnels, Bath
This summer was the summer I got on a bike again after 20 years of gladly avoiding the saddle. Two Tunnels are part of an old railway in Bath that was converted into a very scenic walking and cycle route (you can follow it all the way to Bristol), and is about the only flat path in a very hilly city. We spent a lot of time in the summer holidays cycling for 20 mins through the dank gloomy tunnels and emerging into beautiful sunny countryside. Those are some really special memories, and I'm so grateful to have this on my doorstep (and for this excellent pub where we paused for vital refreshment/chips).
TV: HERE WE GO
A brilliantly scripted TV comedy about the Jessop family. So cleverly plotted (especially the latest series) and acted, it's my latest comfort watch. I can't wait for the Christmas special!
James Pusey
TV: CELEBRITY TRAITORS
Pound for pound – and this is on the BBC, an institution we should cherish and preserve from the forces that want to see it dismantled – the most entertaining series of the year. Preposterous, unpredictable and chaotic, but also an antidote to the everyday, it really speaks to the times.
Art: TIRZAH GARWOOD: BEYOND RAVILIOUS (Dulwich Picture Gallery)
Whimsical but unsettling multi-media evocations of Innocence and Experience by the wife of the now just-a-little-less-more renowned Eric Ravilious.
Theatre: The Importance of Being Earnest (Noel Coward Theatre)
A joyful production in pastel tones that achieved its lift-off effortlessly. A trivial play for serious people. Stephen Fry could make me laugh on the scaffold.
Ane Reason
Books: Norwegian Crime Fiction
I spent the Easter break in Norway this year and was reminded of a tradition I used to love but had completely forgotten: Norway’s obsession with crime fiction at Easter. Each year, shortly before the holiday, shops in Norway are flooded with thrillers and police procedurals, which people stock up on and binge-read during the break. I haven’t taken part in this tradition for many years, but the trip rekindled memories of how oddly comforting it is to read a nail-biting thriller while being curled up on the sofa in a warm mountain cabin with the snow falling outside.
Art: FLOWERS – FLORA IN CONTEMPORARY ART & CULTURE (Saatchi Gallery)
I really enjoyed this exhibition of art, photography, fashion, archival objects, graphic design and installations exploring flowers in contemporary culture. My favourite work was Rebecca Louise Law’s La Fleur Morte, an entire room filled with more than 100,000 dried flowers that formed a breathtaking immersive landscape.
Food: Pastries
Wherever I’ve gone this year, I’ve made a point of seeking out some mouth-watering local pastries, such as traditional custard tarts in Portugal and cinnamon buns in Norway. A definite highlight was Cédric Grolet’s apple illusion cake at The Berkeley. I look forward to sampling some French-Japanese treats at Café Kitsuné in London next.
Tabitha Topping
Books: The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb
This has probably defined my reading year. For those that don’t know, The Realm of the Elderlings is a (not counting the various novellas and short stories that accompany it) sixteen-book fantasy series set in and around the fictional land of the Six Duchies. There are too many plot points to summarise in any meaningful way, so all I’ll say is that it begins with the illegitimate son of a prince being trained as an assassin and the books spin out from there. It’s been a joy to experience the various intricacies unfold and come together and I honestly don’t understand how the author has kept all the storylines coherent and exciting across sixteen books.
A confession: I still have one book left to read. I’ve been unable to bring myself to read it – not only do I not want the series to end, but I am desperately worried that our luckless protagonist will come to harm and have somehow convinced myself that if I don’t read it he will be fine. This logic is skewed, I know that – but I just want him to be okay (he’s been through so much!). Is that too much to ask?!
Activity: Swimming
Earlier this year I was advised to take up swimming after repeatedly injuring myself while running, and honestly I am loving it! There’s something blissfully mind-numbing about swimming lengths, despite the various, unforeseen politics of lane swimming and the horrendous things chlorine is doing to my hair.
Travel: Malta
Speaking of swimming, a real highlight this year was swimming in the Mediterranean on my birthday. My birthday being in March coupled with not enough money to go holidaying in warmer climes, means I had not yet done one of my favourite things on one of my favourite days. This year, I put my foot down and booked flights to Malta. Yes, it was still a little chilly but honestly so wonderful. It may become a yearly occurrence…