After attracting more than 1,600 visitors in its first year, a town’s literary festival has announced it will return this spring.

The Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival will take over the town with author talks, book signings and meet-and-greets from Thursday, May 11 to Sunday, May 14.

The event, which promises to be “even bigger and better” this year, has announced its line-up, which includes a talk from broadcasting veteran Sir Michael Parkinson.

The talk show host, who began working on TV as a news reporter in the 1960s, was the face of his own show, Parkinson, for a total of 20 years.

During his career, he has interviewed stars such as Bette Davis, David Attenborough, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, John Lennon and Diana Ross.

His appearance at the literary festival will see him talk about his new book, My Sporting Life: Memories, Moments and Declarations with his son, Mike.

The book is a love letter to sport and the games he watched as a child in Yorkshire, as well as anecdotes about the many sporting stars he has worked with, from Muhammad Ali to George Best.

Also announced for this year’s festival is children’s author Michael Rosen, who will be promoting two of his books.

Families can join a free storytelling session of Goldilocks and the Three Crocodiles with the former Children's Laureate on Thursday, May 11 and, later that evening, the author will return to discuss his memoir, Getting Better, with a grown-up audience.

Theatre fans can also join actor Sheila Hancock in conversation with broadcaster Gyles Brandreth. The pair will discuss Sheila’s book, Old Rage, in which she shares stories from her nine decades of life experience, on Saturday, May 13.

After the show there will be a signing with each of the authors. Sheila will be signing copies of Old Rage and Gyles will be signing copies of his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, a biography of the longest-serving monarch in British history.

Also appearing at this year’s festival is former Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams, Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch, Withnail and I’s Richard E Grant, Gavin and Stacey actor Russell Tovey, Fame Academy couple Carrie and David Grant and award-winning writer and poet Blake Morrison.

You can find the full programme online here.

There are also a number of new events that have been introduced to the literary festival for its second year.

The TW Comicon will be making its debut on the final day of the festival, with comic books, graphic novels, manga, workshops with artists, collectables and retro games.

There will also be a Local Writers’ Fair taking place on Friday, May 12, which welcomes new writers from Kent and Sussex to set up a table and sell their work, meet new readers and sign copies of their books.

The festival will also include workshops for adults and children, free pop-up events and food and drink from local vendors.