Olivia Cole is an award winning poet, writer and cultural commentator. She studied English Literature at Christ Church College, Oxford where she held a scholarship and received the prestigious Gibbs prize for her thesis on Sylvia Plath’s work.

Cole’s expertise encompasses literature, visual arts, and film, positioning her as a versatile cultural voice. Her editorial and journalistic career has seen her write for premier publications including The Times, The Spectator, The Evening Standard, Vanity Fair, and British GQ, where she held the role of literary editor for a decade. In addition to covering global contemporary culture, she maintains a particular focus on recovering forgotten literary material from luminaries such as Truman Capote, Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, and most notably, Sylvia Plath.

Her most significant discovery emerged during her time spent processing the Ted Hughes archive at Atlanta’s Emory University, where she uncovered Plath’s previously unknown novel.

Beyond her written contributions, Olivia Cole maintains an active presence on television and radio programmes whilst engaging with live audiences at literary festivals ranging from Charleston to Hay.

She is the new arts columnist for Country and Town House and is delighted to be involved in the inaugural Chelsea Arts Festival, for which she will be interviewing William Boyd.