Broadcasting legend, trailblazing female comic and art expert lead packed line-up for Lichfield Literature Festival

The annual festival will run at venues across Lichfield from March 27 to March 30 and will be headlined by a broadcasting legend and one of the leading female comedians of the 1980s alternative comedy scene.

Simon Mayo will be at the festival to talk about his new thriller "Black Tag", which centres on goings-on at a fashionable London art gallery including a dead body and missing art, while Helen Lederer will be interview about her new book "Not that I'm bitter" about the ups and downs of being one of a handful of women at the heart of the alternative comedy scene in the 1980s.

Other top names appearing at the festival include art expert and BBC’s ‘Fake or Fortune’ presenter Bendor Grosvenor, Gardeners’ World presenter and journalist Mark Lane and Sunday Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen, while former Spectator and Telegraph editor Charles Moore discusses the final days of Margaret Thatcher’s political career on the 100th anniversary of her birth.

"Queen Victoria and her Prime Ministers" is the subject of Anne Somerset’s book, and a host of authors discuss influential, if less well known, female figures in history from Catherine de’Medici (Mary Hollingsworth), to "The Lost Queen: The Surprising Life of Catherine of Braganza" (Sophie Shorland) and "Kingmaker", Pamela Churchill Harriman’s life of seduction, power and intrigue (Sonia Purnell).  

In ‘Secret Voices: A Year of Women’s Diaries’, Sarah Gristwood brings together a treasury of over a hundred diarists through the centuries. 

Throughout the weekend a wide variety of topics take in history, nature and mathematics, shipwreck discoveries, witch trials and the life and loves of James I.  

On the opening day, Mike Berners-Lee explores climate change in "A Climate of Truth", and on the final afternoon, David Spiegelhalter considers how the principles of probability can help us navigate modern life in "The Art of Uncertainty".

Damian Thantrey, director of Lichfield Festival says, “Lichfield is a city with a proud history of writers and great minds and each year, we hope that the Literature Festival pays tribute to this.  

"Our audience for these four days is growing year on year, and we have an incredibly exciting line-up for this coming March. 

"As always, we can’t do this without support and we’re incredibly grateful to our wonderful Principal Partner and Literature Festival sponsor, McArthurGlen West Midlands.”

Events take place at The George Hotel, Hub at St Mary’s, Minster Hall and Wade Street Church.  

To find out more about tickets and details, go to lichfieldfestival.org or 01543 306271 (call-back service).