BIG names are already being lined up for the Swindon Festival of Literature 2015, with Sandi Toksvig, Rory Bremner and Ruby Wax virtually confirmed.

Festival director Matt Holland has been working hard to piece together his timetable for the latest edition of an increasingly popular set of dates in the Swindon diary.

After the likes of Anne Widdecombe, Jacqueline Wilson and John Carey in 2014, Matt has pulled in a provisional cast of names bulging with creativity and star quality.

He was keen to stress the timetable is subject to change, but along with Toksvig, Bremner and Wax, he also hopes to confirm Michael Morpurgo, Jung Chang, Suzannah Lipscomb and Nell McAndrew.

“It will be nice to start the new year upbeat. Rather than slagging off Swindon, we should be cheering it up,” said Matt, who also operates Lower Shaw Farm.

“Confirmed are Jung Chang, Sandi Toksvig, Michael Morpurgo and Dr Suzannah Lipscomb, and then we have almost confirmed Nell McAndrew.”

McAndrew, 41, has hit fame for her road running exploits with a marathon personal best under three hours, and Matt has lined her up to kick start the festival.

Matt is keen to continue the annual tradition of starting the festival outdoors, with a run and walk at Lydiard Park, which is used as a chance for a famous face to endorse the benefits of talking on the run.

This is just one of the many ideas which have taken the festival away from the straightforward literature format in recent years, as Matt looks to boost debate among attendees away from fiction and poetry.

“Swindon has moved from its early roots of being a festival of literature, poetry and fiction writing to being that and a festival of ideas,” he said.

“Swindon people have emerged as those who really like to think and chat about things.

“Over the past four or five years, the more popular attractions are not so much the celebrity novelist events, but the one where a scientist talks about outer space or mindfulness.

“That is the one event Ruby Wax would like to do.

“Politics and sports is also popular. It’s the ideas events, meaning of life sort of stuff rather than escapist novels.”

Despite the festival’s established name, Matt admits it is still a challenge to pull in the biggest names when there are 250 other festivals going on around the country through the year.

“The best authors have the least time, for obvious reasons and we don’t secure authors by being able to say we have regency buildings, chandeliers, great lecture halls and big halls. We have to rely on other strengths, like not making any spelling mistakes on the timetable for example.”

This year’s festival will run from May 4 to May 16 and the final timetable will be unveiled on March 19. Matt is still asking the public to recommend authors and writers they would like to see at the event. Suggestions can be sent to swindonlitfest@lowershawfarm.com, or via the website at www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk.