The Estate of Shirley Hughes Joins The Bright Agency in Major Heritage Brand Appointment
last updated 23 March 2026
The estate of Shirley Hughes, one of Britain’s most beloved and enduring children’s authors and illustrators, has appointed The Bright Agency as literary and film agent and brand manager, marking a significant step in Bright’s expansion into heritage publishing and brand management.
To see the full release, read on:
Hughes, who died in 2022, created some of the most beloved and recognisable works in British children’s publishing, including Alfie, Dogger, published by Penguin Random House Children’s, illustrations for the My Naughty Little Sister series published by Farshore and the beautiful Nursery Stories series published by Walker Books.
Collaborating with Shirley Hughes’ publishers, most notably Walker Books and Penguin Random House Children’s, the focus will be on visibility, availability and momentum of Shirley Hughes’ core titles, whilst exploring new avenues to her backlist through publishing, licensing and dramatisation. Having had an agent for only one short period during her lifetime, Shirley Hughes retained the majority of her rights, making this a rare opportunity to represent the entire body of work exclusively. With her family retaining control across publishing, film, licensing and branded products, the estate can now work centrally with a single full-service agency across all categories.
“Battered, bent, torn here and there, perhaps chewed a little, scribbled on – these books have been loved almost to destruction. She will last as long as there are children.” - Sir Phillip Pullman
“Shirley’s work has lived consistently and powerfully in people’s lives for generations. Our commitment is simple: to ensure that the gift she left to the world remains vibrant, visible and accessible, not only preserved as heritage, but alive in the hands of children today and for many years to come.” says Vicki Willden-Lebrecht, The Bright Agency Founder and CEO.
“I have built Bright over 23 years to challenge expectations of what a literary agency can be. We champion unknown authors and illustrators, and build global brands. To work with a heritage property of this depth and emotional resonance feels like stepping into a new chapter of my own career. I feel as though I have been promoted into a role I have been training for my entire working life.”
Representing the estate, her children have added “We - Shirley’s children, guardians of this treasure-trove - have been looking for the right people to advance its legacy, take it out into the world and nowadays complex marketplaces. Bright has effervescent enthusiasm, expertise, and rare determination that ‘anything and everything is possible’. We think our Mum Shirley would be as glad as we are to see Bright embark with us on this journey, to give Mum’s work the care, visibility and new opportunities it deserves.”
Bright has driven success for emerging and breakout properties including The Storm Whale, The Bear and the Piano, and Supertato, the latter adapted for television by the BBC. Bright clients have also seen major screen adaptations, including The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland, produced by Lupus Films for Universal Pictures.
For more than two decades, Willden-Lebrecht has built The Bright Agency into one of the UK’s top literary agencies. Known for doing things differently and integrating publishing, film, television and licensing strategy under one roof they have deliberately built the creative infrastructure needed to support heritage estates and high-profile authors.
A key component of Bright’s strategy is its integrated licensing division, which works alongside literary and screen representation. Historically, licensing has often been treated as secondary to film and television; Bright’s model positions it as a powerful driver of audience growth in its own right.
“What excites us is bringing the potential of giving the same entrepreneurial energy we apply to breakout authors and properties to these enduring names: refreshing positioning, widening audiences and future-proofing relevance without losing their authenticity.” says Paul Black, Bright’s Brand Partnership Director
“Her work is broader than many heritage estates,” says Willden-Lebrecht. “It is not one singular character brand, but a literary landscape closer in breadth to authors such as Enid Blyton or Roald Dahl in its range. That requires a thoughtful, segmented strategy rather than treating it as one collective package.”
Bright will work with Walker Books to launch the ‘World of Shirley Hughes’ taking the beautiful art from her many books with the publisher and using licensing to create a halo of attention around her name.
Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, CEO of Walker Books said of the new partnership: “We have been proud champions of Shirley Hughes’ work for many years, and are thrilled to partner not only with her family on the estate, but with The Bright Agency to reinvigorate her work and find new and surprising avenues for her world-class, iconic art”
Bright will collaborate with Penguin Random House Children’s to grow her enduring individual brands with the publisher, such as Dogger. There will of course be new, refreshed formats, design updates and new frontlist opportunities.
Amanda Punter, Publishing Director, Puffin, Penguin Random House Children’s says: “From the lost-and-found story of a beloved soft toy in Dogger, to the every-day escapades of Alfie and his little sister Annie Rose, generations of children have grown up discovering the world through Shirley Hughes’ unique child’s-eye view. As long-time custodians of many of Shirley Hughes’ most iconic picture books, we are excited to work with Bright on finding even more ways to keep alive her legacy as one of the UK’s foremost and best-loved author-illustrators for children.”
“We believe expansion works best when publishers feel energised by possibility,” says Willden-Lebrecht. “We will begin with vision, and with what’s possible and what publishers already have in the works for Shirley Hughes’ exciting centenary in 2027 our aim is always to work alongside our publishers and add to the great success they have already delivered for this national treasure.”
It is thrilling for the Bright Agency to make such an exciting signing with a major heritage brand in The National Year of Reading, in the words of Michael Morpurgo “We have all grown up with the stories and drawings of Shirley Hughes deep inside us. We’ve enjoyed them for ourselves, with our children, with our grandchildren. Shirley must have begun the reading lives of so many millions.”
On Shirley Hughes; David Hayman, director of The National Year of Reading has said, “It is wonderful to see such an iconic figure and tireless champion of children’s reading for pleasure held in such high esteem during the National Year of Reading 2026. Through a revitalised programme of work, we hope that Shirley Hughes’ books will continue to inspire and delight generations of young readers to come.”
The Bright Agency will work towards major announcements, collaborations and launches from 2027, coinciding with what would have been Shirley Hughes’ 100th Birthday.
To discuss working with the Estate of Shirley Hughes, please contact Brand Partnerships Director, Paul Black.
For media enquiries, please contact Marketing Manager, Licensing, Rhys Stacey.