Last night, the Bonnier Books UK Adult Trade division celebrated the first year of LEAP, the new imprint focusing on inspiring and informing collective and personal positive change, with its inaugural showcase. This is one of the landmark moments for the company during its 10th anniversary year.
The showcase, which took place at the BFI Southbank Balcony Bar, brought together an ‘unmissable lineup of striking voices’ across journalism, activism, memoir, health and wellbeing, smart-thinking and psychology. The event highlighted a selection of LEAP’s 2026 titles and also included LEAP Publisher Carole Tonkinson in conversation with campaigner and author Caroline Darian, author of the imprint’s first acquisition I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again.
The evening was attended by a host of journalists, booksellers, bloggers and key trade professionals and was hosted by Josh Smith, author of Great Chat, who chaired in-conversations with Poorna Bell (She Wanted More) and Elizabeth Davies (Training for Your Old Lady Body) as well as a Q&A with Shahroo Izadi (How Diets Make Us Fat).
The audience also heard special readings and short presentations from Jess Mills (We Are Each Other), Emma-Louise Boynton (Pleasure), and Mark Williamson (Make Life Happier). The event ended with a special talk from The Body Coach, Joe Wicks (Protein in 15), which is publishing at the end of 2025.
As part of LEAP’s mission to inspire collective change, there was a call to action on the night for all guests to take part in an interactive activity. Each guest was invited to write on a card something that brings them hope. They then added their card to an envelope and at the end of the event, each guest selected a card at random to take home with them.
Carole Tonkinson, Publisher at LEAP said: ‘Bonnier’s dynamism and can-do ethos has been the perfect environment in which to launch LEAP. It has been such a joy to work with talented colleagues across the company to bring legendary, established authors and dazzling debuts to our list. I am grateful to the authors, agents, photographers, retailers and media outlets who have made bringing this list to market so satisfying, delivering on our mission to spread positive change.’
Sarah Benton, co-CEO at Bonnier Books UK said: ‘It has been an absolute joy to watch the LEAP imprint come to life over the last year. Carole and her team have brought so much energy and inspiration to our non-fiction offering at Bonnier Books UK, with a list that is already the envy of many. As per its ethos, LEAP has already inspired so much positive change within BBUK, and long may it continue.’
