An ex-PM, a Booker Prize winner and a rugby legend

Book lovers are being teased with a glimpse of what’s to come this summer as the first headline guests for the 20th Borders Book Festival in Melrose have been revealed.
By Kevin Janiak
Published 15th Mar 2023, 10:59 BST
Updated 15th Mar 2023, 10:59 BST
Former PM Gordon Brown is heading to Melrose. Photo: John Devlin.Former PM Gordon Brown is heading to Melrose. Photo: John Devlin.
Former PM Gordon Brown is heading to Melrose. Photo: John Devlin.

Held in Harmony Garden, across from the historic abbey, the event runs from Thursday to Sunday, June 15-18 and will see more than 100 events take place under canvas.

Organisers have released an early peek at some of this year’s headliners, including: Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart; actress, comedian and ventriloquist Nina Conti; award-winning Irish novelist and poet Sebastian Barry; civil rights campaigner and distinguished lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy KC; ex Labour leader and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown; Royal Lady in Waiting and socialite Baroness Anne Glenconner; rugby legend Will Carling; and many other household names.

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The full book festival programme will be announced on Tuesday, April 25, after which tickets will go on sale at www.bordersbookfestival.org.

The 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction winner Douglas Stuart.The 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction winner Douglas Stuart.
The 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction winner Douglas Stuart.

The Children’s Programme, sponsored by Baillie Gifford, takes place throughout the day on the Saturday and Sunday, packed with exciting author events, kids craft activities, storytelling and interactive creative workshops – everything that curious young minds could wish for to get those imaginations buzzing.

Alistair Moffat, festival director for all of the 20 editions of the Borders Book Festival, said: “The festival is the biggest event in the Borders, not only in terms of the pleasure it brings, but also financially, bringing in £2.5million to the local economy in only four days.

"For those four days it is the centre of cultural life in Scotland – the only place to be.

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“When I started the Borders Book Festival 20 years ago, it was a case of ‘why not!’ Why not bring some of the biggest names from across the UK – indeed, the world – to share, debate, argue and entertain. That is exactly what we did, and are still doing, 20 years on. I could not be more proud of what we have achieved over the last two decades and what we continue to pull off each year.”

In addition, the winner of this year’s prestigious £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, last year won by Scotland’s own James Robertson for News of the Dead, will be announced at a special event at the book festival.

For more information on the longlist of twelve titles, go to: /www.walterscottprize.co.uk/news-and-media/

Box Office opens at 12 noon on Tuesday 25th April with tickets available at www.bordersbookfestival.org or by calling 0131 290 2112.

Related topics:MelroseGordon Brown