One of the UK’s most famous and respected poets, Roger McGough, has been confirmed as one of the headline acts at York Literature Festival 2014, supported this year by City of York Council. McGough will perform at Joseph Rowntree Theatre on Friday 28 March 2014 at 7.30pm.

McGough is well known as a champion of poetry, and is the current presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please. He was one of the Mersey Poets, alongside Brian Patten and Adrian Henri. As a member of pop group The Scaffold, he penned the lyrics for number one hit Lily The Pink in 1968. He also contributed to the script for The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine film. His work has appeared in over 50 books, and has included writing for children and autobiography. He is an honorary fellow of Liverpool John Moores University, fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and President of the Poetry Society. McGough was made an OBE in 1997 and a CBE in 2004.

Miles Salter, Director of York Literature Festival, said: “We are delighted to welcome Roger McGough to the 2014 Festival. He has been a figurehead for British poetry and the spoken word and is a nationally known presenter of poetry.

“We have raised over £20,000 towards the 2014 festival and have some nationally recognised names from the worlds of literature, politics and broadcasting coming to York. We’re looking forward to an ambitious festival that will attract visitors to York from around the UK. It’s great to see the festival develop incrementally each year.”

The 2014 festival will run from 20 – 31 March and will feature well-known names as well as writers from the York area. The Festival is sponsored by York St John University and has recently secured funding from several sources: £6,000 from the Community York Fund from City of York Council, £7,500 from the Arts Council, and £7,745 from Clore Duffield Foundation for a project with Young People.

In 2013, the festival had its most successful year to date, with gross ticket sales topping £10,000 for the first time. The festival was started in 2007 by City of York Council’s Libraries, and became a voluntary group in August 2009. The Festival works with local partners including York St John University, York Theatre Royal, York Museums Trust, City Screen Cinema, St Peter’s School and more.
Tickets for the Roger McGough show are priced £13 each and are on sale from York Theatre Royal from Monday 14 October.