Wigtown Book Festival 20th line-up revealed

Writers and personalities appearing at this year’s Wigtown Book Festival have been announced.

TV presenter Clare Balding, author Patrick Gale and comedian and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Susan Calman are among the speakers.

The 20th festival takes place in Scotland’s ‘national book town’ from Friday 21 to Sunday 30 of September. Others there will include Louis de Bernières, Andy Goldsworthy, historian Tom Devine and writer Sally Magnusson. A series of events will mark the special anniversary of the festival.

These include panel discussions offering writers’ perspectives on how Scotland has changed in the past two decades and what Europe will look like 20 years from now.

Adrian Turpin, Wigtown Book Festival artistic director, said: “The 20th festival is a very special moment for us and we are celebrating with a vibrant and exciting line-up of guests.

“Some are new to the event, others are old friends. We are also seizing the moment to look at a series of wider issues, including the ways in which Scotland has changed – for better or worse – since the late 1990s. And in a country, a continent and a world riven by upheaval and uncertainty we will explore what things might be like when the 40th festival comes around.”