Who is Mr Dilly?
Mr Dilly is a presenter, performer, writer, interviewer and history educator creating history experiences, children’s book events and creative learning projects for schools, families, festivals and curious audiences of all ages.
For over 15 years, he has brought authors, stories and the past into classrooms, festivals, livestreams and homes across the UK and beyond — through school workshops, virtual author events, author interviews, panel discussions, history films, classroom resources and podcasts.
His work connects children with the voices behind the books they read, the stories that help them see the world differently, and the people, places and moments that make history unforgettable.
Reach and Impact
Across live shows, livestreams, festivals, school events, films and podcasts, Mr Dilly has reached more than three quarters of a million children across the UK and around the world.
Worked with
Mr Dilly has worked with schools, publishers, authors, museums, festivals and national organisations to create memorable events, films, livestreams and learning experiences for children, teachers and families.
Mr Dilly's World of Reading
Mr Dilly Meets is the flagship free virtual author event programme from Mr Dilly’s World of Reading. It brings leading children’s authors, illustrators, poets and stories directly into schools across the UK and around the world.
Built on the belief that children connect with books in a different way when they meet the people behind them, each event helps schools, home learners and families celebrate reading for pleasure in a way that feels exciting, creative and accessible.
Events include author conversations, read-alouds, illustrator draw-alongs, quizzes, creative challenges, big questions and plenty of surprises. Children get to hear directly from the people who create the books, poems and stories they love.
Mr Dilly Meets has attracted over 7,000 school bookings, with schools joining from across the UK and internationally, including the USA, Nigeria and Australia. Individual events reach 3,000–8,000 viewers live and on catch-up.
As an interviewer and host, Mr Dilly has spoken with more than 120 authors, illustrators, poets and creative guests, leading conversations for schools, festivals and online audiences. Major names Mr Dilly has interviewed include Cornelia Funke, Liz Pichon, Patrick Ness, Tom Palmer, Chris Riddell and Hannah Gold, alongside many more authors, illustrators and poets.
Mr Dilly has also worked with leading children’s publishers including Macmillan Children’s Books, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House and Bonnier Books.
Beyond livestreams, he creates films and special projects that bring books, poems and authors’ worlds to life. Projects include a special anniversary film with Macmillan Children’s Books celebrating Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland Through the Looking-Glass, and a film with award-winning poet Zaro Weil for When Poems Fall from the Sky.
For the fifth year running, Mr Dilly is the online host and quizmaster for the National Literacy Trust’s National Reading Champions Quiz. It’s primary and secondary competitions connect thousands of schools across the UK.
Mr Dilly has also worked with EmpathyLab, judged 2026 Information Book Award - run in association with the School Library Association and sponsored by DK Books - and judged The Week Junior Book Awards 2025. This year he has also hosted a special Macmillan event for The Gruffalo’s Granny.
Mr Dilly's World of History
Mr Dilly’s World of History brings curriculum-linked history to life for children, schools and families through live workshops, character performance, museum livestreams, full-length history specials, short films and podcasts.
Through school performances and online events, he uses high-energy performance, unforgettable characters, humour and historical detail to make the history curriculum vivid, surprising and memorable — sparking laughter, questions, discoveries and moments children don’t forget.
His history work has reached over 260,000 children through live school performances, streamed events and films.
His history work also includes interviews and filmed conversations with historians, curators, museum teams and authors, helping audiences explore artefacts, evidence, memory and the human stories behind history.
Mr Dilly’s history shows have appeared at literary and cultural festivals in the UK and internationally, including Cheltenham Literature Festival, Barnes Children’s Literature Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton Fringe, Sydney Fringe and Manchester Fringe. His history work has also been broadcast on BBC Radio.
History LIVE! takes children inside museums and historic locations, while Mr Dilly’s History Specials are full-length YouTube episodes and big stories exploring ancient civilisations, Roman Britain, the Great Fire of London, World War Two and beyond.
Across livestreams, films and specials, Mr Dilly brings together multi-character performance, expert guests, historians, authors, artefacts and big historical questions — helping children explore not just what happened, but why it mattered.
In June 2026, Mr Dilly launched Jump Through History, co-hosted with history teacher and writer Matt Howorth. Each episode takes one dramatic moment from the past and dives into the people, choices, mysteries and consequences. It is made for curious children, families and classrooms, and is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.
A second podcast, exploring the stories and human experiences of the Second World War, is also in development.
Work with Mr Dilly
Whether you are a school planning a visit, an organisation seeking a presenter or host, a festival or museum exploring a new project, or a family discovering Mr Dilly’s videos and podcasts, Mr Dilly would love to hear from you.
For workshops, livestreams, author events, films, podcasts, festivals, school projects or creative collaborations, please get in touch.