The National Year of Reading is joining forces with The Reading Agency’s World Book Night to make this year’s the Reading Hour the biggest and most inclusive yet, spearheaded by a host of National Year of Reading ambassadors, inviting millions across the UK to ‘Go All In’ on reading together.

Taking place tonight from 7–8pm, Thursday 23 April 2026, the Reading Hour encourages people everywhere to do one simple thing: read something they love. Whether it’s a novel on the sofa, an audiobook in the kitchen, or a magazine on the commute, the message is clear – any book, any format, any place.

Delivered by charity partner The Reading Agency, World Book Night is a national celebration of reading that brings people together to inspire, share and gift books, particularly reaching those who may feel less confident reading or have limited access to books.

Falling on Shakespeare’s birthday and UNESCO’s International Day of the Book, the National Year of Reading is elevating the Reading Hour into a shared, nationwide embodiment of its message: if you’re into it, read into it.

A host of National Year of Reading ambassadors are supporting the campaign by sharing their reading recommendations, including bestselling authors Rob Biddulph, Adele Parks, AF Steadman, Bernardine Evaristo, Adam Kay, David Larbi, Ben Miller, Jojo Moyes, Peter James, Matt Lucas, and Vaseem Khan alongside Ben Mercer and influencer Jack Edwards who is doing an hour read along on his Inklings book club. Ambassadors have shared their personal reading recommendations in the lead-up to tonight’s event, highlighting a wide range of formats – from print to audio – to reflect how reading fits into modern, busy lives – and nominating one of their friends to share a book they love in the spirit of mass participation.

Bestselling author of This is Going to Hurt and new children’s book Dexter Proctor and the Case of the Disappearing Doctor, Adam Kay, took to Instagram to recommend Natural Disasters by Lisa Owens

“I’m reading Natural Disasters by Lisa Owens now, it’s brilliant. Read whatever you like, but make sure you read something.”

Meanwhile, comedian and bestselling author Matt Lucas, has nominated King Charles to share what he’s reading and award-winning children’s Rob Biddulph has nominated Paul McCartney.

In his post comedian and author, Ben Miller says, ‘I shall be reading this Children of Radium by Jo Dunthorne. I can’t wait!’

Number one bestselling fiction author, Adele Parks, is reading Hamnet author Maggie O’Farrell’s forthcoming novel Land and she has nominated fellow bestselling author Louise Candlish.

Writer and creator David Larbi’s recommendation of Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin has had a huge response on Instagram. Fellow book influencer Jack Edwards will be reading Nova Scotia House by Charlie Porter on his channels from 7-8pm tonight.

Reading Hour events are taking place at libraries and book clubs around the country, creating opportunities for connection and conversation.

In a new partnership to widen access, Spotify has teamed up with The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads to offer a selection of their short, engaging books by bestselling authors written in an accessible and easy-to-read style, as free audiobooks for World Book Night. This reflects a clear shift in how the UK reads: the average adult now spends 52 hours a year listening to audiobooks, over half of readers (51%) switch between audio and print or e-books, and more than a third (34%) are increasingly likely to see audiobooks as ‘real reading’ — highlighting the growing role of flexible, multi-format reading in busy, modern lives, according to Spotify’s ‘Multi-Format Readers’ research.

A Department for Education initiative in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust and nine literacy sector charities including The Reading Agency, the National Year of Reading is designed to help more people (re)discover the joy of reading and make it part of their everyday lives. A national movement redefining reading as a contemporary and social activity, it focuses on reading more into your passions and interests in any format that suits you. Research shows that millions of people want to read more but feel held back by time, distractions, confidence or the idea that reading has to look a certain way. Working with the Reading Hour, the National Year of Reading aims to show the many ways to get involved.

The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:
‘Reading opens doors to new worlds, new ideas, and new ways of seeing things – but too many are missing out on the joy it can bring. We need a reading revolution – so this World Book Night, I am urging parents to rediscover their own love of reading and kick start a habit the whole family can embrace.

And for families looking to switch to more bedtime reading, our new practical guidance on screentime for under 5s says that slow-paced content, like reading on screens as a family, can form part of positive, healthy screentime.’

David Hayman, director of the National Year of Reading, said:
‘The Reading Hour is the perfect way to Go All In on reading this World Book Night, encouraging people to dedicate time to reading in whatever way works for them. Whether it’s listening, sharing stories, or getting lost in a book, it’s about Bringing people together to inspire each other and share a love of reading in any form.’

Karen Napier, chief executive of The Reading Agency, said:
‘Every year we see thousands of people across the UK celebrating the power of books and reading on World Book Night, and enjoying the opportunity to have an hour dedicated to reading in the Reading Hour. Between 7-8pm on Thursday, book clubs will meet, families read together, libraries will hold events for their communities, and I can’t wait to spend an hour just me and a Quick Read with my dog in my favourite reading nook!

We are thrilled that World Book Night is a key moment in the National Year of Reading calendar, and that so many of the National Year of Reading ambassadors, along with our fantastic authors and partners such as Spotify, are all getting behind this brilliant national day for adult reading.’

Everyone is invited to take part in the Reading Hour by setting aside one hour between 7–8pm on 23rd April to read – alone or together – and share their experience online using: #WorldBookNight #ReadingHour #NationalYearOfReading2026