Antony Sher, Richard Dawkins and Sebastian Barry confirmed for 2018

More than 100 events already available to book

The 2018 FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival line-up is launched today with more than 100 events already available to book. Shakespearean actor Sir Antony Sher, pictured above right, talks about his 'crowning achievement' of playing King Lear, journalist and presenter Robert Peston gives a personal and passionate account of what our rulers have got wrong, and Professor Richard Dawkins talks about his own passion for science and clear thinking. Novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz appears on both the children's and adult programmes, and major events also include Spandau Ballet songwriter and actor Gary Kemp, children's writer Judith Kerr on her life and work, and biographer Claire Tomalin, pictured left, talking about her own life.

Poets take centre stage at Sheldonian

Leading poets Michael Longley, pictured right, and Wendy Cope take to the Sheldonian stage this year. Longley is a celebrated Northern Irish poet and winner of the PEN Pinter prize for his 2017 collection Angel Hill. Cope talks about her new collection of poems, Anecdotal Evidence. Other Sheldonian events include children's writers Lauren Child and Cressida Cowell, Archers actor Tim Bentinck, Nicholas Parsons with the return of a festival version of Just a Minute, Professor Ronald Hutton on the history of the witch, and former director of the National Gallery and British Museum Dr Neil MacGregor on 'living with gods'.. The 2018 festival takes place between Saturday March 17 and Sunday March 25. You can book online at oxfordliteraryfestival.org, in person at Oxford Visitor Information Centre, Broad Street, and at our telephone box office on 0333 666 3366*. * A £1.50 agent's booking fee applies to all bookings made at the visitor information centre and by phone.