ICONIC author Fay Weldon has been added to the line-up of this year’s Malpas Arts and Literature Festival.

The 81-year-old playwright and feminist will join Coronation Street Star William Roache and TV gardening expert Monty Don to appear ‘In Conversation’ at the three-day festival which will be held across the village from Thursday May 16 to Sunday May 19.

Weldon will talk about her varied career from her stint as a commercial copywriter who helped publicise the phrase ‘Go to work on an egg’, to writing the screenplay for the first episode of ‘Upstairs Downstairs’.

More recently she has published her latest novel 'Long Live the King' - the second book in her 'Love and Inheritance' trilogy.

The third Malfest is already shaping up to be impressive.

As well as appearances from Edinburgh Fringe star and comedian Mervyn Stutter, there will also be a performance by The New Rope String Band, and a fascinating speech about the universe by photographer Kerry Jane Lowery.

And actress and puppeteer Ruth Rogers who played Joey the horse in the hit West End show War Horse will also be speaking about how the horses are made so life-like and sharing her secrets of the stage.

Closing the show will be local singer Gwen Oakden who will perform a tribute to Joni Mitchell.

Diana Mather, who has been one of the primary organisers of Malfest since it began in 2011, said this year’s festival promises to more than live up to its growing reputation.

She said: “ We really are lucky to have such people like Fay Weldon and William Roache coming to speak at Malfest and there is so much worth seeing.

“There’ll be slapstick, humour and exceptional talent.”

For the full programme and online ticket sales visit www.malfest.com and tickets are also available by calling 01948 820549.