A bumper book festival is bringing a host of famous faces to Kent for seven days of talks and readings.

This year, the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival boasts a line-up of comedians, actors, historians and award-winning authors.

It all starts with two powerhouse stand-ups, Shaparak Khorsandi and Robin Ince, who will both be discussing their new books.

Shaparak, the author behind Scatterbrain, and Robin, who penned Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal, will be looking at comedy through a neurodivergent lens at the first evening of the festival.

Throughout the week, there will be a number of talks from TV stars, including Richard Ayoade, who recently appeared in Amazon Prime’s Last One Laughing UK, and Men Behaving Badly and Doc Martin actor Martin Clunes.

Richard, best known for shows Travel Man and the IT Crowd, will be discussing his tongue-in-cheek new book, the Unfinished Harauld Hughes, while BAFTA-winner Martin will be talking about his love of animals inspired by his latest non-fiction book, Meetings with Remarkable Animals.

Acclaimed historian Lucy Worsley, music expert Alan Edwards, BBC Breakfast host Louise Minchin, award-winning Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, and Prima Facie writer Suzie Miller are also set to appear at this year’s festival.

There will also be talks on gardening, wildlife, food, sexuality, artificial intelligence, architecture, and more.

The festival also includes a local writers’ fair with around 30 writers from the area coming together to showcase their work and read excerpts from their books.

The Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival takes place from Monday, May 5 to Sunday, May 11. You can book tickets and find the full programme here.

Events take place at various venues around the town, including the Amelia Scott, The Forum, Trinity Theatre and Assembly Hall Theatre.