Stars including Olivia Colman and Matthew Modine rally behind Veganuary 2026 campaign
29 December 2025: As Veganuary 2026 approaches, some of the UK’s best-loved celebrities are inspiring people to try a vegan diet for January and beyond. TV personalities Kate Lawler and Kirsty Gallacher are taking part in the month-long challenge, while Stranger Things actor Matthew Modine and other famous faces are showing their support for the initiative. New YouGov research* commissioned by Veganuary has revealed that more than one in ten UK adults (12%) say they’re likely to try Veganuary this January.
New celebrity supporters and Ambassadors join for 2026
Veganuary welcomes a wave of new official supporters this year: Stranger Things actor Matthew Modine; writer, broadcaster and disability advocate Samantha Renke; Coronation Street actor and theatre star Victoria Ekanoye; bestselling novelist and producer Jane Fallon; Parent Trap actor Elaine Hendrix, and popular content creator Priyansh Parekh, the internet’s self-proclaimed ‘Tofu King’.
Matthew Modine urges fans to think about real-world stakes facing our planet – which are far more frightening than anything from the Upside Down. In his words:
“If we humans, us, were killed and eaten by animals being eaten and killed by us, humans, at the same rate we humans, us, kill and eat animals, we humans, us, would be extinct in about 3 days. If I was only talking about chickens — which is roughly 140 million chickens killed per day — the United States population would be wiped out in only 3 days,” he says.
“The point is, we humans have evolved into super consumers of everything the earth we share has to offer. In doing so, we’ve simultaneously evolved into something like the equivalent of a life destroying comet. In order to continue evolving and prospering, we must quickly evolve away from the destructive behaviors we currently have. With nearly 9 billion people consuming the limited resources of our planet, producing more waste than this poor world can deal with — we have to become smarter — or face extinction like the thousands of species currently disappearing each year. Cutting back on the consumption of animal flesh is a very tiny step each of us can take to make the planet more sustainable and humane.”
He adds: “Take a moment to learn more about proactive steps you can take by following Veganuary.”
[Access images and quotes for all Ambassadors here.]
Celebrities take on the Veganuary challenge
For 2026, celebrities are also taking on the 31-day challenge to try vegan. Kate Lawler, TV presenter and dedicated animal campaigner, shares her reasons for taking part:
“I’m signing up for Veganuary because I gave up eating meat in 2017, I’ve reduced the amount of fish and dairy I’ve eaten over the years and keep thinking about going fully vegan. I enjoy a largely plant-based diet so Veganuary appeals to me, not only for the health benefits but because I care about animal welfare. I encourage others to join me, it’s just for a month so we can explore more delicious plant-based foods. I’m really looking forward to trying new recipes as it’s never been easier to go vegan.”
TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, who has long been a passionate advocate for animal welfare, also explains her decision to participate this year:
“I’m delighted to be joining the millions taking part in Veganuary’s 31-day challenge. Not only does it help animals but it will help the planet too. Making big changes can feel daunting doing it alone but that’s why taking part as a community feels really supportive. Diet and fitness is really important to me so I’ll be checking out the recipes on the Veganuary website for lots of helpful tips. It also doesn’t need to be a lifelong commitment. I’m signing up for a month and really interested to know how I’ll feel at the end of it.”
[Download photos of Kate and Kirsty here.]
Celebrity recipes for Veganuary 2026
This year, award-winning actor Olivia Colman joins the line-up for Veganuary’s 2026 Celebrity eCookbook, sharing her favourite Tadka Dal. She is joined by chefs Ainsley Harriott, Levi Roots and Kwoklyn Wan, each contributing a signature plant-based dish.
Ainsley’s Island Black Bean Burgers with Avocado Salsa bring his trademark bold flavours to Veganuary participants, Levi’s Ital Stew offers Caribbean comfort, and Kwoklyn’s Veggie Wonton Soup is a vegan twist on this Chinese classic. The Parent Trap actor and Dancing with the Stars finalist Elaine Hendrix also shares her Sugar-Free Chocolate Mousse.
Alongside the celebrity eCookbook, Veganuary is launching a brand new resource for 2026 participants: the Plant Protein Cookbook. Packed with protein-rich recipes from athletes, fitness coaches and nutrition experts, it proves that plant-based diets can fuel performance. Contributors include Olympic rowing champion Imogen Grant, nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, Team GB powerlifter Sophia Ellis, vegan strongman Patrik Baboumian and mountaineer Kuntal Joisher.
The free eCookbooks are available exclusively to everyone who registers to take part in Veganuary 2026 via the website.
[Access recipes and hi-res photos from the Celebrity Cookbook and Plant Protein Cookbook.]
Now entering its twelfth year, Veganuary is celebrating progress, not perfection with the theme ‘New Year, Same You’. The campaign encourages people to make small, positive swaps rather than completely changing their diet, showing that plant-based eating can fit easily into everyday life.
More than 25 million people worldwide took part in 2025,** with new campaigns launching in Iceland and Ireland for the first time this year. Supporting this wider global reach, the Veganuary pledge is now available in Hindi, making the 31-day challenge accessible to millions more people around the world.
[The Veganuary 2026 campaign visuals can be viewed and downloaded here.]
Notes to Editor
*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2152 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 24th – 27th October 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
** Based on surveys in Veganuary’s core campaign countries and population estimates for those countries. Read more about the Veganuary 2025 campaign results here.
Veganuary is free to join, and people can take part at veganuary.com to receive our Celebrity eCookbook, Plant Protein eCookbook, the Official Veganuary Starter Kit and 31 daily emails packed with nutritional info, delicious recipes, meal plans and helpful advice.
Since Veganuary launched its first pledge in January 2014, millions of people – coming from almost every country in the world – have taken part. It has truly become a global phenomenon.
Full recipes, celebrity statements, ambassador quotes and high-resolution images for Veganuary stories can be downloaded here.
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