A pioneering legendary comic star is to appear this week at Harrogate’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

The world’s most prestigious celebration of crime fiction and thriller writing is set to run at Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from July 18-21 with an all-star line-up of acclaimed writers and global bestsellers.

Now comes the announcement that Julian Clary, who has become something of a national treasure since first appearing on Friday Night Live in the mid-1980s, has been added to the VIP guest list.

The ground-breaking comedian, actor and writer will be at the crime writing festival to talk about his new book, Curtain Call to Murder, a hilarious and entertaining murder mystery which will be published in hardback, e-book, audiobook and trade paperback in October 2024.

Julian Clary, who has become something of a national treasure since he first emerged in the mid-1980s, has been added to the VIP guest list at this week's Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)

placeholder image — Julian Clary, who has become something of a national treasure since he first emerged in the mid-1980s, has been added to the VIP guest list at this week's Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate. (Picture contributed)

The self-proclaimed “renowned homosexual and national trinket” will be appearing at The Incident Room, Orion’s immersive events space, this Friday, July 19 from 3pm to 3.45pm at an ‘In Conversation with’ event interviewed by publisher Sam Eades.

Curated by 2024’s Festival Chair, bestselling crime novelist Ruth Ware, this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival promises a festival for everyone with a host of opportunities for readers to engage with their favourite writers.

Highlights include Richard Osman unveiling an exciting new crime writing talent for 2025 and a lunch with Queen of Crime, Lynda La Plante.

The programme also includes appearances by Mick Herron, Louise Candlish, M.W. Craven, James Comey, Lucy Foley, Femi Kayode and Saima Mir joining special guest headliners Chris Carter, Jane Casey, Elly Griffiths, Peter James, Erin Kelly, Vaseem Khan, Dorothy Koomson, Shari Lapena, Abir Mukherjee and Liz Nugent.

There’s also the hotly-contested Late Night Quiz hosted by Val McDermid and Mark Billingham, the highly-anticipated Confessions of a Crime Writer, where well-known authors disclose deliciously dreadful secrets from their past, and the much-anticipated Critics’ New Blood panel which showcases four talented debut novelists.

Tickets: https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/whats-on/

This week’s appearance by Julian Clary at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival precedes another visit next year when he brings his A Fistful Of Clary tour to Harrogate Theatre on Friday, May 2, 2025.