Fenton Bailey is a pioneer of the reality TV genre. Originally from Portsmouth but now based in LA, Bailey co-founded the media agency World of Wonder with Randy Barbato in 1991. Since then, their documentaries have won acclaim for promoting the voices of marginalised and queer communities.
Their global hit RuPaul’s Drag Race has won dozens of Emmy Awards and they were executive producers on the 2021 biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye starring Jessica Chastain, which won two Oscars and was based on World of Wonder’s original 2000 documentary film.
In conversation with Tia Kofi, a previous contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, he discusses the impact of television on shaping our reality and the politicisation of drag. Fenton Bailey is the author of ScreenAge: How TV shaped our reality, from Tammy Faye to RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Tia Kofi is one of the hottest LGBTQ+ artists currently rising from the UK. Tia is a talented singer songwriter who found a new audience of adoring fans appearing on the BBC’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. One of the major breakout stars of the season, Tia was a firm fan favourite from the start.
. Tia will join us at the Folkestone Book Festival to talk all things TV, queerness, and so much more.
Click here to follow Fenton Bailey on Instagram
Click here to follow Tia Kofi on Instagram
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Folkestone Book Festival is our annual celebration of books, ideas, reading and writing in its many magical forms. This year's festival has been curated by Jen Thatcher and James Harkin. Curating the festival for the first time, Jen and James have been inspired by Folkestone and how we can all come together through inspired discussion about global ideas, global thinking and possible futures.
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This year's festival is for everyone and we want to make it possible for more people than ever before to be able to come together and enjoy a packed festival. To make this possible we have introduced a £5 ticket. This is a no questions asked ticket for those that may be struggling to afford events and performances.
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We would like to thank our Principal Sponsor Saga, our Education Partner Canterbury Christ Church University, Le Shuttle and our Travel Partner, Southeastern. Creative Folkestone is also supported by Arts Council England, Folkestone and Hythe District Council, Kent County Council and The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.