Go Beyond Borders with Prue!

Excitement is building for the much-anticipated return of the festival at Traquair House near Innerleithen, on August 26-27, for another relaxed weekend of books, debates, music, literary walks, and poetry readings.

This year’s festival brings together another stellar cast of characters from across the UK and the globe.

Headline acts include Great British Bake Off judge, Prue Leith, who will be talking to Jim Naughtie about the show and changing British culture, alongside the original Sloane Ranger, cultural guru, Peter York.

If you like history, Flora Fraser will be spilling the beans about the life of Flora Macdonald as she discusses her new book, Pretty Young Rebel, while William Dalrymple will take a deep dive into colonial and commonwealth history with Dr Kojo Koram, author of Uncommon Wealth.

Elsewhere, Hollywood star, David Strathairn, talks about the remarkable life of Jan Karski, who tried to warn the world about the Holocaust.

If politics is your thing, you can watch Alastair Campbell be grilled by students from Peebles High School and Edinburgh Napier, or Steve Richards talk about his new book Turning Points in British politics with Jack McConnell.

Attendees can watch as former head of the Special Boats Squadron, Graham Cundy, lifts the lid on covert British interventions around the world with Magnus Linklater, or catch Nicola Sturgeon as she talks to veteran Northern Ireland peacemaker Monica McWilliams about her autobiography.

For those more interested in international affairs, listen to frontline dispatches from Ukraine from Channel 4’s Lindsey Hilsum and BBC’s Lucy Ash or find out why Germany does it better with John Kampfner, Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson and top German broadcaster, Annette Dittert.

There’s also music from Barbara Dixon, amongst others, the chance to take in Anne Redpath's art, or just take a walk in the grounds.

The full Beyond Borders International Festival programme and box office is available online at: https://bbintfest.com/

For full ticket information, visit: https://bbintfest.com/booking-information/