TICKETS are now on sale for this year’s Shell Chester Literature Festival which features more than 80 events from October 18-31.

Some of the speakers in this year’s programme feature faces familiar to us from their work in television.

Usually these are the tickets that sell out first, so early booking is essential.

The first of the broadcasters is Michael Wood, known for his historical documentary work, with more than 80 documentary films under his belt with subjects as wide as Sadam’s Killing Fields to Great Railway Journeys.

On Wednesday, October 20, Wood will take part in the literature festival and speak about his latest book The Story of England describing a story of one village, Kibworth in Leicestershire and it’s journey over 15 centuries.

On Thursday, October 21, household name Alexei Sayle will cross the River Mersey to Chester to talk about his memoirs, Stalin Ate My Homework.

This is a hilarious look into Sayle’s childhood in Eastern Europe and family life with parents that he deemed ‘different’.

The next event takes us behind the scenes of TV with Sue Birtwistle, co-creator of BBC’s hit show Cranford.

On Friday, October 22, Birtwistle introduces her new book The Cranford Companion where she will talk about the attention to detail that has won Cranford not only many awards but also a very loyal audience.

As this is the bi-centenary year of Elizabeth Gaskells birth, this again will be a popular event so book early.

Hold on to your hats on Monday, October 25 as film critic Mark Kermode will be speaking in the Town Hall about his life lived in widescreen, from Helen Mirren handbagging him at the BAFTA awards ceremony to being shot at when interviewing Werner Herzog in the Hollywood Hills.

And then there is Andrew Graham Dixon, regularly seen on BBC’s Culture Show and presenting many art series on BBC.

Graham-Dixon is an expert when it comes to art history and will be presenting his newest book, Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane.

The book, focusing on Caravaggio’s dangerous life and early death, has been a decade in the making and answers questions that have long puzzled scholars.

Chester Festivals director Tracy Lynn said: “It’s great to get such high profile names speaking in Chester about such diverse subjects and obviously this is only five events within the Shell Chester Literature Festival, audiences will definitely be spoilt for choice this year.

“The best thing about the events is they all have a question and answer session at the end, allowing the audience to probe on the subject matter even further.”

Tickets start from £8 and can be booked by visiting www.chesterfestivals.co.uk.