THIS year's Borders Book Festival is set to cook up a storm as Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith is among the stars on the line-up.

Comedian and ventriloquist Nina Conti, mountaineer Chris Bonington and authors Kate Mosse, Ian Rankin and Antony Beevor will all hold talks at the Melrose festival between Thursday, June 14 and Sunday, June 17.

Title sponsor Baillie Gifford is also supporting a series of non-fiction events, including Gordon Brown, Alexander McCall Smith and Stacey Dooley.

Now in its fifteenth year, the Baillie Gifford Borders Book Festival is established as one of the leading literary festivals in Britain, and boasts a broad programme of more than 100 events over four days with live talks, debates and entertainment.

On Saturday and Sunday (June 16 and 17), the Nairn’s Family Book Festival will include author events, live music, theatre and kids’ craft activities such as printing, writing and illustration workshops.

Last year’s sell-out Borders Book Festival Lecture will be presented by new key sponsors McInroy & Wood, who will also sponsor the McInroy & Wood Marquee, one of the key festival venues.

The Baillie Gifford Borders Book Festival also includes the Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA) Schools Gala Day on Thursday, June 14, which sees more than 1,500 children and teachers attending from primary schools across the Borders, and the announcement of this year’s winner of the prestigious £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction on Saturday, June 16.

Festival director Alistair Moffat told the Border Telegraph: “It’s incredible we are delivering our fifteenth book festival programme. In an age of digital entertainment at our finger tips, the appetite for live talks and debate is as popular as ever.

“We had a record number of visitors last year and we’re looking forward to welcoming them back for another enjoyable weekend in June, as well bringing in new audiences.

“We are also delighted to welcome McInroy & Wood and Nairn’s Oatcakes as new sponsors to the Baillie Gifford Borders Book Festival and the continued support from funders and sponsors, especially our title sponsors Baillie Gifford.”

There's also an opportunity for Borderers to become supporters and patrons of the festival, for more details, visit: www.bordersbookfestival.org/support.

Tickets for this year’s Baillie Gifford Borders Book Festival will be available on Tuesday, April 24 at midday from Hub Tickets, at www.bordersbookfestival.org or at 0131 473 2000.