Rima Ahmed is a writer, broadcaster, and professional northerner. She walked away from a serious legal career to write "silly little stories" for various national and international radio and TV outlets.

Rima joined BBC Radio Leeds in 2019 and was recognised by the Broadcast Press Guild for her ‘brutal’ interview of Liz Truss in September 2022.

A firm friend of the festival, Rima will be leading the in conversation event with Andy Burnham to discuss he's his new book Head North. There’ll be plenty to talk about as it's just after the general election.