Hay Weekend started with a fabulous sell out event for Archers Miscellany author Joanna Toye, with an audience packed full of Archers fans. Oliver James then spoke to an audience of hundreds about How Not To F*** Them Up, and Jamie Owen took the audience on a tour of Wales talking about his new book, Around Wales on B-Roads and Byways.

Saturday evening saw Shappi Khorsandi do a sell-out event in conversation with Francine Stock, followed by a long signing. Monday morning was bright and sunny and kicked off early with over 400 people packing the Guardian Stage to see Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi demo recipes. The audience then queued for over an hour to get their books signed, with many people buying two, three or even four copies of Plenty.

Yotam then headed down to the river Wye to film an interview about picnics with Simon Schama for Sky Arts.

A quick stop by the Swan Hotel kitchen to throw together the most delicious orange chicken dish - look out for the recipe in a Guardian summer food special in a couple of weeks - alongside a banquet of tuna, baba ghanoush, asparagus and Jersey Royals salad, chili and green bean salad and bread. The whole crew feasted on the food afterwards - along with some very lucky walkers who happened to be passing. Tune into the Book Show on Thursday to see the piece.

Then finally onto the Guardian house in Hay for Yotam to cook a Green Bean salad for their podcast.

In the evening Jeremy Hardy spoke to a sell-out 800 people audience about not only his book, My Family and Other Strangers, but also the current situation with the Israeli invasion of the Gaza aid boats.

Today see Joss Ackland record the Sky Arts Book Show and Guardian podcast before an event with Fiona Lindsay. And capping the week tomorrow is Lynda Bellingham at the Good Housekeeping Literary Lunch.

Caroline - Deputy Publicity Director

Immodesty Blaize made her presence known at The Guardian Hay Literary Festival this weekend.

With the stunning weather numbers were at record levels and over ten thousand people came through the gates. On Saturday she was the cover girl on the Independent on Saturday Magazine with a glowing interview feature crediting Tease. She was excellent on the Sky Book show with Mariella Frostrup and later performed part of her burlesque show with two dancers.

Julian Clary’s talk was packed out and he signed for a long time and Jeremy Paxman was also very popular with massive queues for The Victorians.

 Sarah - Publicity Director