TALKS by two TV academics are expected to be the hottest tickets in town for this Devizes Arts Festival being staged from June 2 to 19.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, April 25, but friends of the festival who have been able to get their hands on seats for the past couple of weeks have shown that historian Lucy Worsley and IVF pioneer Robin Winston are likely to be the biggest crowd pullers.

Dr Worsley, who is a regular on the BBC with programmes about historic houses, will kick off the festival on June 2 with a talk called An Evening Of Murder in St John's Church at 8pm.

She will examine some notorious crimes and criminals and explain how through novels murder became a form of middle-class entertainment in the Victorian era.

Professor Winston will ponder What Makes Us Happy? in the Corn Exchange on June 15.

But for those hoping to see comedian Rob Beckett it is already too late as tickets for his show on June 3 are already sold out as they went on sale back in December as part of a special agreement with his management company.

Another big name putting in an appearance in Devizes will be Paul Jones who will be part of The Blue Band appearing at the Corn Exchange on June 18.

Poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy may not be such a household name but her act alongside musician John Sampson is also sure to draw a big audience to St John's Church at 7.30pm on June 4. She will read from her acclaimed collections including The World's Wife And The Bees.

The following evening Irish singer Cara Dillon will be on stage in the Corn Exchange from 8pm. The award winning singer brings her own take on folk with traditional songs mixed with her own compositions.

There will be a change of pace and style when adult humour comes to the same stage on June 7 in the shape of the Fabulous Bacon Boys. Three builder brothers, who have played across the country to rave reviews, tell the story of Living Spit about a controversial village development in rhyme and song.

A free fringe event on June 8 at the The Lamb will showcase the dark talents of The Twins Macabre. The comedy duo, who have featured on BBc3's Live At The Electric and BBC Radio 4's Sketchorama, are gaining a strong following.

For full details of all events go to www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk