THOUSANDS of book-lovers are expected to flock to the Blenheim Palace Festival of Literature, Film & Music this weekend.

For the first time the line up for the four-day event, which begins today, includes a mix of authors, actors and musicians.

Among them will be Shaun Evans, the star of ITV’s Morse prequel Endeavour, radio presenter Paul Gambaccini, former Formula 1 governing body president Max Mosley, Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and Daphne Selfe, Britain’s oldest supermodel.

Also set to appear is Alexander Armstrong, the TV comedian and host of BBC quiz show Pointless, as well as celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo, Dr Maki Mandela, daughter of Nelson Mandela, broadcaster John Suchet and Alan Turing’s nephew, Sir John Dermot Turing.

The Oxford Mail’s sister paper, The Oxford Times, is the official regional media partner and ITV is to sponsor special events.

Festival advisor Tony Byrne said: “The very simple concept we wanted was to make reference to how literature has been influenced by music, and vice versa, and the way that written works have been adapted for the big and small screens.

“We have a strong programme of ITV events and the most distinguished line-up we have had over the past eight years.

“It has been tremendous to see the festival become a major international festival in that time.”

Mr Byrne added that organisers were anticipating 5,000 ticket-holders to attend over the four-day programme.

In particular, the festival’s new partnership with ITV will see it screen exclusive preview clips from episodes of the new series of Endeavour, as well as parts of a new documentary on the creation of Britain’s first statue of a named black woman in Britain, the Crimean War heroine and contemporary of Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole.

The preview of Endeavour will be accompanied by a talk from Shaun Evans, who plays a young Inspector Morse, writer Russell Lewis and producer Dan McCulloch.

Other highlights are likely to include a talk by former FIA president of 20 years Mr Mosley, who will speak about his controversial new memoir, as well as a discussion between Lord Peter Hennessy and the Duke of Gloucester.

Acclaimed military historian Antony Beevor will also be the guest speaker at this year’s literary dinner, when he will talk about the Ardennes campaign, Hitler’s last gamble during the Second World War.

Dr Mandela, the eldest daughter of former anti-apartheid campaigner and South African president Nelson Mandela, will talk about her father’s life and the works of art he left behind.

* For information visit blenheimpalaceliteraryfestival.com or call 01993 812291.