Events at Grade I-listed Hartwell House Hotel & Spa in Buckinghamshire

Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire is no ordinary hotel. It’s part of living history. Once the ancestral seat of some of England’s most illustrious families, it has been home to an exiled French king, and a Chancellor of the Exchequer. Today, this is one of England’s finest stately homes, just 40 miles north west of London, set in over 90 acres of gardens and parkland designed by a contemporary of Capability Brown.

The hotel hosts regular events throughout the year including history tours with lunch, garden tours with lunch and also music themed events including recitals. From 2026 the hotel will host events with well known personalities who have recently published books. The ‘In Conversation With…’ events kick off on Friday 27th February with actress, comedian and author Helen Lederer. The events include a discussion about the book, a Q&A, book signing and afternoon tea. Each event includes a copy of the book.

Not That I’m Bitter is out now in paperback following a successful hardback launch. The paperback release in 2025 arrived following the highly watched TV series of the BBC’s ‘The Pilgrimage’, where – at a time of world turbulence, Helen allows herself to be seen as never before. The paperback features two new chapters include behind-the-scenes revelations about the hidden impact of the holocaust, celebrity secrets, as well as grief at the recent passing of Comedian Tony Slattery. Helen makes grief and faith appear both funny and fascinating. A rare gift. Not only that, Helen recently appearing at The Apollo Theatre in the West End,  as Mrs Richardson – in Fawlty Towers. Not That I’m Bitter tells the story of Helen’s journey from being what her mother called a “show-off” to becoming a trailblazer in the male-dominated world of Alternative Comedy. Her memoir is a mix of joy, sadness, hilarity and startling self-revelation – woven together with a witty narrative that delivers real punch. This is a powerful, frank, moving and characteristically funny memoir, revealing exactly how choppy the waters could be.     

Helen Lederer is a writer, actress, comedian, and presenter. Apart from TV, stage, and radio, she’s best known as Catriona, the dippy journalist in the TV series Absolutely Fabulous – although, her stay in the Big Brother house caused a different kind of notoriety. More recently she has provided the love interest for Ken Barlow in Coronation Street as well as an online shoe fetishist in a new Midsummer Murders for ITV. Her novel, Losing It, was nominated for the PG Wodehouse comedy literary prize. In 2018, Helen set up the Comedy Women in Print Prize (CWIP), to celebrate and enable witty women writers.

Not That I’m Bitter has been celebrated by the press and several famous personalities including Joanna Lumley and Dawn French:
“This wildly entertaining ride through Helen’s fabulous life is funny, adorable, and thought-provoking in equal measure, rather like the dazzling author herself.” Joanna Lumley
“Helen Lederer is the third funniest woman in the world.” Dawn French

The event takes place from 2pm on Friday 27th February and tickets are priced £75 per person and include afternoon tea and a signed copy of the paperback book. Book tickets here. 

Hartwell House offers every contemporary comfort to guests. Restored by Historic House Hotels, it features 48 superbly appointed bedrooms and suites, award-winning dining, a spa with state-of-the art treatments, and 94 acres of gardens and parkland. No wonder it has been awarded 4 Red Stars: The AA’s supreme accolade for hotels.

Events at Hartwell House: https://www.hartwell-house.com/whats-on-events-at-hartwell-house/