An award-winning novelist and playwright will return to his hometown for the first ever Epsom and Ewell Arts Festival this summer.

Michael Frayn is the author of 15 plays including Noises Off and his best-selling novels include Headlong, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and Spies, which won the Whitbread Best Novel Award and is now a staple on the A-Level syllabus.

He will appear in An Evening with Michael Frayn at the MGSO4 Festival, held across the borough between June 24 and June 26.

The event will be hosted by his nephew, Sky Sports News presenter, and Epsom resident, Julian Walters.

The audience at Bourne Hall in Spring Street, Ewell will be treated to highlights of rare footage from Frayn’s 1978 BBC documentary about Ewell and a discussion of the local area and how it has provided inspiration for his distinguished body of work.

Michael Frayn said: “A lot has happened in Epsom and Ewell since I grew up there, back in the middle of the twentieth century, but one of the best things of all must surely be the new Festival.

"Congratulations and good wishes. I’m honoured to be taking part, together with my nephew Julian Waters, in episode one.”

Festival Director Sarah Dewing said: “We’re thrilled that Michael and Julian have agreed to this very special event, and have been so supportive.

"We want to bring many high-quality events to the borough such as this.

"The launch of MGSO4 Epsom & Ewell Arts Festival is going to be a great testament to the hard work of all of our volunteer organisers, but our programme is reliant on donations and sponsorship. 

"We have begun a fundraising campaign through Local Giving, and ask that people donate whatever they can, to make the Festival a great success.”

To make a donation, or to find out about tickets and festival information, go to mgso4festival.org

Like our What's On page on Facebook for entertainment news, interviews, reviews and features.