Richard Dawkins and Alan Ayckbourn to speak at 20th Oxford Literary Festival

More than 60 top-class events already confirmed for 2016 festival

Richard DawkinsThe FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival is set to celebrate its 20th anniversay in style with more than 70 top-class events already confirmed. One of the world's best-known scientists Richard Dawkins, pictured right, will talk about an update of his original work on evolution, The Ancestor's Tale. jacqueline WilsonFormer children's laureate Jacqueline Wilson, pictured left, talks about her life and work, and one of Britain's most successful playwrights Alan Ayckbourn talks about his life and career and receives the honorary fellowship of the festival. Other big names already confirmed for 2016 include the television explorer Levison Wood on his latest trek across the Himalayas, and philosopher A C Grayling on progress in troubled times. Historian and broadcaster Simon Sebag Montefiore talks about his new book on The Romanovs.

Baddiel and Clary added to children's programme

David BaddielAn exciting children's programme includes comedians David Baddiel, pictured right, and Julian Clary on their latest children's books, historian and broadcaster Lucy Worsley on her first children's novel, Tom Gates author Liz Pichon, the new Children's Laureate Chris Riddell, and the return of the popular Harry Potter event. This year's festival takes place between Saturday April 2 and Sunday April 10. Events can be booked online now via this website, and a walk-in and telephone box office will open in the New Year. There will be more than 250 events at this year's festival and they will be added to the festival website as they are confirmed.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford Netflix European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme BBC World Service International radio partner Owen Mumford Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Italian Embassy The Italian Embassy: supporter of the programme of Italian literature and culture The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner International Literary Properties Festival literary heritage partner Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels Festival hotel Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Jim Mellon John Roberts Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Miles Young Masumi and Jonathan Dobson Pank Koria CEO of Project People Carole and John Allen David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Anna Hunter Rhys and Kerry Phillip Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 New College New College founded 1379 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 St Cross College St Cross College founded 1965 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Critchleys Accountants to the festival Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Sponsor of the EBRD Literature Prize since 2018 ROOMS Georgia's leading lifestyle hotel brand since 2012. Supporters of the programme of Georgian literature and culture Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Foodbuy Thje Menu Partners Institute of Hospitality Goldmoney Properties Project People Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Confucius Institute Pusey House British Academy Festival academic partner Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford United Football Club Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Conference Oxford Felicity Bryan Associates CAV Oxford The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Oxford Georgian Translation Project Supporter of the programme of Georgian literature and culture Force4Good Consultancy Corporate communications OX magazine Ox in a Box K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group James Currey Society