Controversial MP George Galloway is being lined up to appear at next year’s Ludlow Festival, organisers revealed today. Director Glen Walford will also be returning to south Shropshire to direct the festival play, Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors.

The provisional line-up for the 2007 Ludlow Festival was unveiled at a meeting in the town last night.

Festival chairman, Ray Sykes, said the event was on a firmer financial footing after recording a profit of £30,000 this year.

He warned the festival would have been in trouble if it had not recovered from a £100,000 loss three years ago.

Mr Sykes said: “I feel that the festival can be likened to the Marks & Spencer situation, which has had a change around by going back to basics.

“The festival council responded to the challenge, and my thanks go to them. The measures we took prevented a loss in 2006. Those measures had to include difficult decisions, such as redundancy, reduction in other events, and review of expenditure.”

Glen Walford directed this year’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which Mr Sykes said was very successful and he was delighted she had accepted the invitation to return.

Meanwhile, George Galloway will appear at next year’s festival to talk about his new book on Fidel Castro and Cuba.

The MP was roundly mocked after his bizarre antics on Celebrity Big Brother, which included him pretending to be a cat and dressing in a leotard.