Now in its seventh year, the festival weekend at Ayrshire’s Dumfries House, inspired by Ayrshireman and father of modern biography James Boswell, promises more talks, more venues more variety this year.

The Boswell Book Festival, from May 12 to May 14, offers a rare chance to be in the company of charismatic Nigel Havers, star of stage and screen from Chariots of Fire to Coronation Street.

Don’t miss Alex Norton, star of Taggart, telling of a life that’s taken him from the Gorbals to Hollywood, and former director of the Globe Theatre, Dominic Dromgoole on taking Hamlet to 190 countries.

Other highlights will include Vogue Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Shulman – the magazine’s longest serving editor in conversation with Kirsty Wark; best-selling author, Simon Sebag Montefiore, on the history of the Romanovs; legendary editor of Private Eye and the Oldie, Richard Ingrams, on his hero, Ludovic Kennedy; ex-cabinet minister and award winning author, Alan Johnson on his life’s trajectory from a London slum to the Palace of Westminster; winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for non- fiction, Philippe Sands, author of the deeply moving East West Street on the origins of genocide and crimes against humanity. Plus Alexandra Mathie as Joan Eardley in the new promenade play on the artist ‘who captured Scotland’s life and soul.’

Also at the festival, Flora Shedden (20) runner up of 2016 Great British Bake Off talks about her first cookbook and Minoo Dinshaw (27) about his acclaimed life of historian, traveller, Hebridean laird, gossip and ghost hunter, Sir Steven Runciman.

George Dunne (94) and Dave Fellows (92), two veteran survivors from WW2 Bomber Command will tell of flying deep into enemy territory over Nazi occupied Europe.

Bella Bathurst best selling author of The Lighthouse Stevensons explores deafness in her new book Sound and tells of her own hearing lost and found which takes us deep into the challenges of a soundless world that few can even begin to understand – until now that is – Publication: 4 May 2017.

Dominic Dromgoole until recently artistic director of the Globe on taking Hamlet Globe to Globe - 190 countries, 193,000 miles, performing in deserts, heaving market places and refugee camps for Shakespeare’s 450th anniversary. Publication: 20 April 2017

Several anniversaries will also be marked by the festival.

Ten years ago Robert Adam’s priceless masterpiece, Dumfries House, was saved for the nation by the Duke of Rothesay Prince Charles, and Country House authority, Jeremy Musson will celebrate the work of Scots genius, Robert Adam.

A hundred years ago the outbreak of the Russian Revolution led to the murder of the Romanovs one year later, and best-selling author Simon Sebag Montefiore tells the story of the dynasty.

Festival director Caroline Knox said: "You don’t have to just love books to love this Festival. The range of life stories that populate the programme is incredible from actors, bakers, plant hunters, lovers and adventurers, to war heroes, judges, poets, painters, financiers and Tsars. And that’s not to mention our Children’s Festival, which has a thrilling programme of interactive events and appearances by leading children’s writers and illustrators.

“Thanks to our main sponsor Creative Scotland, this is our biggest ever festival spread over six venues at beautiful Dumfries House including a newly added marquee and the Great Stewart’s Dining Room. The rich choice on offer reflects our pride at being the world’s only festival of biography and memoir inspired by the father of modern biography and proud Ayrshireman, James Boswell.”

For those wanting time out with a pencil, The Royal Drawing School returns with their inspirational drawing classes for young and old alike.

This year’s Children’s Festival will be launched by bestselling author/illustrator Nick Sharratt creator of the funny ingenious classic Shark in the Park at 10am Saturday, 13 May 13. A riotous, buzzy weekend centered in and around the Engineering Centre on the Dumfries Estate guarantees a unique weekend programme of entertaining talks and surprising outdoor activities.

Nick is joined by authors Nicola Davies formerly presenter of BBC’s The Really Wild Show, much loved Scottish writers, Vivian French and Debi Gliori, world circumnavigator, Jason Lewis, the award winning duo, Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom together with New Orleans’ based illustrator-in-residence Harriet Burbeck who will inject the ‘Yee-Haw’ into the Little House on the Prairie anniversary project. Waterstones Children’s Bookshop will be on site with a café nearby.

Held at Dumfries House, the festival-goer can coffee house with leading authors, gossip with new friends in the café bookshop (Boswell would approve), ignite their drawing skills with The Royal Drawing School – and enjoy tours of Dumfries House.