The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

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Sky books show set to return

08.09.08 Katie Allen

The Sky Arts Book Show is to return for a third series on 23rd October, again hosted by Mariella Frostrup. New features will include "A Fine Line" where authors read their favourite literary sentence and explain why they chose it. A monthly guest reviewer will also discuss a selection of new book releases. The first reviewer will be Peter Kemp of the Sunday Times.

Producer Anne Elletson said she was trying to feature "more new authors and trying to increase the number of new books" on the show.

Each hour-long episode will be broadcast on Sky 1, 2 and HD on Thursdays, and repeated on freeview channel Sky 3 on Sundays with a 30-minute version on Sky 1 on Saturday mornings. The series will continue for 20 weeks, with four compilation shows to follow in April 2009. It will also be repeated during the week on Sky Arts.

The series' weekly visits to different booksellers will also be more varied. Elletson said: "[We are] aiming to visit as many specialist, second-hand and indie shops as possible, as well as all the big names". She also intends to "get out of London more". The first show will visit Brighton, Hove and Lewes in East Sussex.

The programme will continue its format of brief interviews with three guest authors, who converge to discuss the series’ theme, this year “favourite literary hero or heroine”. Guests signed include Alastair Campbell, Fay Weldon and Sophie Dahl.

Continuing features include “What’s on my Bedside Table?” where an author talks about the books they are currently reading. Authors lined up to contribute include India Knight, Philip Hensher, Zoe Heller and Candace Bushnell. Also “The Write Place”, which explores where authors write and how, with contributors to include Gerald Scarfe, Antonia Fraser and Tony Parsons.

Media Books Sky Katie Allen