THE writer behind ITV series Mr Bates vs The Post Office will give a talk at an exclusive event in the Bradford district.

Gwyneth Hughes will appear as part of Ilkley Literature Festival next month to discuss the gripping drama.

The show, detailing how hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system, prompted public outrage and helped put the Horizon scandal under the spotlight.

It was watched by nearly 14 million viewers.

The series brought the issue back to the attention of the public and Parliament, with former Post Office boss Paula Vennells later announcing she planned to hand back her CBE following the scandal.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also announced compensation for those wrongly convicted.

Talking about Ms Hughes' upcoming talk, a spokesperson for Ilkley Literature Festival said: "Join the mind behind this influential series that rocked the nation, listen to stories of the lives that were changed, and learn how the act of writing and telling a story can create shockwaves, political change, and justice."

The event - which will be held at All Saints Church, Ilkley, at 7pm on May 15 -  will also be available to watch via a live-stream.

Book tickets via www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk