Cheltenham Literary Festival 2012

For one reason or another, I hadn't booked any events at this year's Festival. But today I found myself with a few hours to use up in Cheltenham, so whilst wandering about the Festival area seeing who I might bump into, realised there were still tickets to see the filming of a Sky Arts programme - namely Mariella Fostrup's Book Show. And very interesting it was too. Not only to see how an hour's worth of recording is put together, but to be close up to the guests that included the perfect gentleman that was Sir Roger Moore. A timely appearance given the 50th anniversary of the first Bond film.

Enjoyed it so much, that I then returned for a second recording an hour later, sitting on the front row to see Rupert Everett, Mary Robinson and Jack Straw be interviewed about their own books and about those that influenced them.

All this for a fiver per ticket. Shame I haven't got Sky to watch the finished output in November. Oh, and I did bump into two celebs - Kirsty Young and Where's Wally.