MUSICIANS, comedians and actors will be heading to Wyre Forest for this year’s Bewdley Festival.

The line-up for the festival, which will take place from October 10 to October 19 at venues throughout the town, was announced at a launch event on Friday.

Highlights include Midge Ure’s solo acoustic show, comedy from TV funny-man Hal Cruttenden and a talk by Doug Scott CBE, the first Englishman to climb Mount Everest.

There will also be live calypso, ska and merengue from jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine, a presentation on Tony Benn by former Labour minister Chris Mullin and music and poetry from duo Ian McMillan and Luke Carver Goss.

Dave Collins, press and marketing officer of Bewdley Festival, said: “It was a delight to hear audience reactions to the announcements of this year’s festival line-up at the launch event and to see ticket sales on a par with those of last year, despite these austere times.”

The 10-day event kicks off with Midge Ure, who will turn 61 on the day, playing songs from his new solo album with support from Steve Rodgers.

For classical music fans The Chamber Ensemble of The King’s Consort and soprano Lorna Anderson will perform baroque songs and cantatas while Russian pianist Andrei Gavrilov will deliver a recital featuring works by Mozart and Rachmaninoff.

Theatre enthusiasts are catered for by Lesley Smith’s portrayal of Anne Boleyn in her final hour awaiting execution and a production of The Odyssey of Tommy Atkins in commemoration of the First World War centenary.

Other performers include Keeping Up Appearances actress Judy Cornwell, acoustic musicians Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri, period instrumentalists The Night Watch, journalist Joan Bakewell, food historian Nick Trustram Eve, mystery-investigator Francesca Millican-Slater and Birmingham comedian Jo Enright.

The festival will close with a lecture on Alfred the Great, a party night featuring 1960s band The Overtures and a morning service at St Anne’s Church.

Tickets, which are available now for festival members and go on sale for the general public on Saturday, August 2, can be purchased from Worcester Live on 01905 611427 or in person at Bewdley tourist information centre.

For full details of the line-up visit bewdleyfestival.org.uk or to view of photo gallery of the performers click here.