DAME Judi Dench is set to make her third appearance at the Winchester Festival.

The Oscar-winning actress is one of a host of star names lined up for this year's event, launched yesterday at Winchester Guildhall by Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire Mary Fagan.

The star of such films as Shakespeare in Love, Iris and Chocolat has stepped in to replace writer and comedian Barry Cryer. She will be performing a comedy recital Fond and Familiar at the theatre Royal on Sunday, July 6.

This is the second time Dame Judi - a friend of the festival's artistic director John Miller - has appeared as a replacement act. Last year she took the place of fellow actress Joan Plowright.

Mr Miller said: "It is impossible to book such great names a year or two in advance - particularly when they are working in film - but sometimes things just fall into place and suddenly we have an Oscar-winning star in our midst."

The sixth annual festival, which runs from July 4 to 13, features several other big names from theatre, literature, music and the visual arts.

Talent includes film critic Barry Norman, TV news presenter George Alagiah, Whitbread Book of the Year prizewinner Claire Tomalin and Jane Clark, widow of controversial Conservative MP Alan Clark.

Tickets for all events go on general sale from April 28. The box office is at Music at Winchester in the Brooks Shopping Centre. Tel: 01962 877977.