Top TV historian Lucy Worsley for North Yorkshire arts festival

One of Britain's most popular historians and TV presenters is to appear in a North Yorkshire festival.
Popular TV historian Dr Lucy Worsley. (Picture by Sophia Spring)Popular TV historian Dr Lucy Worsley. (Picture by Sophia Spring)
Popular TV historian Dr Lucy Worsley. (Picture by Sophia Spring)

Famed for bringing a sense of fun, as well as critical knowledge, to history, Lucy Worsley is set to star in this year's Northern Aldborough Festival.Her subject at Aldborough Church in the picturesque village near Boroughbridge? Her favourite author, Jane Austen.Dr Worsley's humorous and illustrated talk, which will take place on Saturday, June 23, follows her successful book and BBC 4 documentary called Jane Austen at Home, which both received great reviews last year.As well as being joint chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces, the English historian, author and television presenter has helmed dozens of historical documentaries on BBC4 and BBC2 on kings, queens and Tsars - and a lot more.Happy to resort to silly costumes and play acting, the likably chipper presenter is renowend for her temporary war of words with a fellow historian less known for a sense of humour, David Starkey.Worsley's appearance is just one of the highlights of this year's Northern Aldborough Festival which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.First launched in 1994, the festival gained a reputation quickly for attracting world class musicians to its historic location.This year's events, which run from June 21-30, boasts another impressive list of notable names - plus its usual splash of sheer fun.In that regard, the silver jubilee festival will see a new addition - a new piano bar concept, ‘The Shed’, allowing concert goers to extend their evening in a relaxed environment with a variety of live music and jam sessions.The festival#s musical director, Harrogate's Robert Ogden, said: “It has always been a festival that is strong on atmosphere and spirit, and I've always been keen to place as much of it as possible in its home of Aldborough."There can be few more idyllic locations to place a music festival. We hope that the introduction of the ‘Shed’ piano bar will ramp up the festival spirit to new levels!” Among the musical highlights will be a rare appearance from the cellos of the Hallé Orchestra, a one-man show by Lawrence Zazzo, one of the most recognised countertenors of recent years, the Royal Northern Sinfonia with two outstanding Yorkshire-based soloists, in soprano Bibi Heal and violinist William Dutton and former Leeds International Piano Competition prize-winner Kathryn Stott.For those who prefer the fresh air, the Emmerdale cast will team up to play a cricket match against Northern Aldborough Festival on Sunday, June 24, a celebratory occasion which will be free of charge to spectators. The festival's final night will see the return of its popular outdoor family concert with orchestrated fireworks in the grounds of Aldborough Manor celebrating the classic pop decade of the 1980’s.The box office for tickets for the 25th Northern Aldborough Festival will open on Monday, April 23.