Little Britain star Matt Lucas is among the star names appearing at this year’s Hay Festival Winter Weekend.

Festival bosses say this year’s event, from Thursday, November 23 to Sunday, November 26 will be its biggest winter event yet.

The smaller winter event is now in its 18th year and is starting a day earlier than usual and seated capacity will be doubled with a temporary 400 seat venue erected in the town.

Lucas, who first found fame on the Vic Reeves comic gameshow Shooting Stars, will be presenting his autobiography Little Me: My Life from A-Z at the festival other.

GQ editor Dylan Jones, who has a house near Talgarth, will also use the festival to present his new biography David Bowie: A Life.

From the world of sport former England fly half Rob Andrew, who became a director of England’s Rugby Football Union, will discuss Rugby: The Game of My Life.

Global issues are tackled as investigative journalist Oliver Bullough, Nigerian novelist Chibundu Onuzo and anti-corruption barrister Eva Anderson discuss global corruption; while this year’s Hay Festival 30 Reformations series draws to a close with a trio of talks posing reforms to contemporary orthodoxies: Helena Kennedy talks equality; Owen Sheers reforms men; and Marie-Elsa Bragg takes on Christmas.

Stars of stage, screen and the airwaves offer a glimpse behind the scenes: actors Jacob Ifan and Catrin Stewart join screenwriter Roger Williams to talk to Guto Harri about their acclaimed Port Talbot-based crime drama, Bang; while broadcaster Jeremy Vine talks What I learnt, part autobiography and part recollection of listeners’ wisdom.

Poetry takes centre stage as former National Poet of Wales and Hay Festival Medal for Poetry winner, Gillian Clarke, presents her new collection Zoology, while her 80th birthday is marked by a group of emerging Welsh poets, including Zillah Bowes, Rosey Brown, Imtiaz Dharker, Menna Elfyn, Joao Morais, Pascale Petit and Clare Potter. Forward Arts Foundation founder William Sieghart opens up The Poetry Pharmacy; Welsh poet-playwright Menna Elfyn reads from her new collection Bondo; and Pascale Petit presents Mama Amazoniza.

Musical entertainment will include Mid Wales Opera presenting one-act comedy classic The Bear; performances from Siobhan Wilson Trio, Smerins Anti-Social Club and Hay Community Choir; Daniel Martyn Lewis plays Bach; Joanna Macgregor interprets Chopin’s Mazurkas and broadcaster Clemency Burton Hill talks A Year of Wonder, her daily guide to classical music.

Alongside the festival the town will also see its Christmas lights switched on, the Hay Food Festival on Saturday, November 25 and the Hay Does Vintage outdoor fleamarket with more than 50 vintage and retro traders on Sunday, November 26.

The festival is part-funded by the Welsh Government’s Tourism Product Innovation Fund, which aims to encourage partnership-working and innovative ideas that will have a greater impact and attract more visitors.

Economy secretary Ken Skates said: "This is yet another fantastic line-up for the Hay Festival Winter Weekend. I’m delighted that we’re able to support the growth of this event, which gives people compelling reasons to come to Wales for an autumn break. As the Year of Legends in Wales draws to a close, a festival of legendary storytelling, performances and appearances is a fitting closing chapter to the year."

The festival has also issued a public call to nominate the Hay Festival Book of the Year 2017 – the one book readers couldn’t put down, haven’t stopped thinking about, or couldn’t wait to recommend to friends. Readers who submit choices online will be entered into a special prize draw. For more information visit hayfestival.org/book-of-the-year/