Ken Follett to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Follett fans. Speculation had been rife that the author of the Pillars of the Earth is about to announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 77, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 11/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an author isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an author just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouKen

For a little while on Saturday evening, #ThankYouKen was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Ken Follett was unlike any other author we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouKen”
— @universalObserver, 10 Oct 2026

“I thought Ken Follett retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 10 Oct 2026

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