Will Self and John Hegley are among the top names appearing at this year's Bradford Book Festival.

The festival gets off to a glamorous start next week when it is launched at an award ceremony at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television (NMPFT) hosted by Joanna Lumley.

She will be there on Thursday, May 8 presenting prizes to the winners of a competition called Yeh, Write organised by Bradford 2008 and publishers Black Amber.

Celebrities, explorers and local names are among writers taking part in the festival from May 8 to June 11.

Festival organiser Paula Truman said it will combine books with film and theatre.

"The Pianist, The Hours and Adaptation - all films based on books - will be showing at the NMPFT on May 13, May 23 and May 29 respectively. And Alhambra shows running during the festival have their roots in literature, including An Inspector Calls, based on JB Priestley's famous play, and Fiddler on the Roof," said Paula.

The line-up is opened by poet John Hegley who performs at Bradford Central Library on Friday, May 9. Also on May 9 is A Working Life: Reflections of work in poetry and prose, at the John Stanley Bell Lecture Theatre, University of Bradford. Bradford University lecturer Colin Neville discusses poetry and prose.

Running from May 6-10 at the Alhambra is the Birmingham Stage Comp-any's production of James and the Giant Peach.

Tom Palmer shows how to write about your football club, with a talk called How to Write a Football Fan's Diary (and maybe get it published) at Bradford Central Library.

The Royal National Theatre's production of An Inspector Calls runs at the Alhambra (May 13-17), and on Thursday, May 15 Bradford's Robert Craig and Anthony Cropper talk with James Nash at the Central Library.

At the Parsonage Museum, Haworth, (May 17-18) there's a creative writing course called In the Footsteps of the Brontes, while on Tuesday, May 20 Ilkley Poets in Residence appear at the Central Library.

Bestseller Jan Fennell will be Bradford bookstore Waterstones (May 21) and David Bateman talks about researching history at East Riddlesden Hall, (May 22).

Fiddler on the Roof runs at the Alhambra (May 27-31) and Qaisra Sharaz is at Waterstones (May 28).

For young audiences, Goldilocks & The Three Bears is at St George's Hall (May 29) and Dead Good Women - three women authors - will be at Central Library (May 29).

Author Jill Paton Walsh will be at Shipley Library (June 3) and Carol Ann Duffy will be at the Alhambra Studio Theatre (June 4).

On June 5 film-maker and writer Matt Dickinson will be at the Imax Cinema, NMPFT, to talk about the book of his expedition, The Death Zone.

Festival favourite Nick Toczek will be at the Central Library (June 7) and the David Leather/Ramblers Assoc-iation is holding a walk, meeting at Waterstones at 6.30pm (June 10).

The finale is a reading by Will Self, back by demand to read from his latest novel Dorian at the Central Library (June 11).

For more festival information ring the Central Library on (01274) 433600, Pictureville on (01274) 202030 and the Alhambra on (01274) 432000.