The Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival has launched its biggest ever programme.

It features more than ninety public events and will also celebrate the Year of Food and Drink Scotland.

Appearing for the first time this year will be Patricia Hodge, Celia Imrie, Andrew Marr, Jonathan Miller, Dom Joly, Michelle Mone and Terry Waite. Alex Salmond and Gordon Brown will also be appearing in two major events. Returning to the festival are James Naughtie, Peter Snow, Rory Bremner, Sally Magnusson and Christopher Brookmyre.

The festival takes place in Harmony Garden in Melrose in the Scottish Borders, from the June 11 to 15. New venue Eat Your Words will host food writers Sue Lawrence and Prue Leith, and Nikki Welch, as well as live music events of jazz, Americana and swing, presented in association with Galashiels-based MacArts.

The festival is also marking, with a series of events, the 150th anniversary of the publication of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland

bordersbookfestival.org

Patricia Routledge (pictured), best known as Hyacinth Bucket in BBC TV's Keeping Up Appearances, as well as for her work with playwright Alan Bennett, will be appearing at Musselburgh's Brunton Theatre on Saturday June 13. For Facing the Music: A Life in Musical Theatre, Routledge will be in conversation with writer and broadcaster Edward Seckerson about the earlier part of her career when she enjoyed huge success on both sides of the Atlantic, winning a Tony for Darling of the Day in Broadway and an Olivier for Bernstein's Candide on the West End.

The evening will be illustrated with rare recordings from musical theatre recordings of the past, in which Seckerson is a renowned expert.

brunton.co.uk

Lucy Wainwright Roche (pictured) slips a Glasgow gig of her own into her extensive UK and Ireland tour schedule as support to fellow American singer-songwriter Dar Williams next month. Roche, who is the daughter of Loudon Wainwright lll and Suzzy Roche, of harmonising sisters the Roches, and the half-sister of Rufus and Martha Wainwright, appears at Woodend Lawn Tennis and Bowling Club in Jordanhill on Wednesday May 20.

lucywainwrightroche.com