Edinburgh International TV Festival confirm Ricky Gervais and Twitter events.

LONDON, Monday, 27th June 2011: The MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival today confirm the addition of multi-award winning writer and comedian, Ricky Gervais to this year’s already stellar line-up.

Comedy treasure Ricky Gervais has been very busy in the USA – producing hit TV shows, making movies, hosting awards shows and making mischief with the Hollywood A-list. The comedian, actor, director and multi-award winning writer will be quizzed on his experiences of the television industry in America. The star will give a personal insight into his Sky 1 hit, An Idiot Abroad in conversation with broadcaster Richard Bacon and an audience Q&A opportunity.

Also confirmed today is Chloe Sladden, Director of Content & Programming at Twitter, who works with media, news and entertainment organizations to imagine and implement new approaches to content creation, audience engagement, and journalism. Chloe will be giving the keynote address for the MGEITF Futureview, discussing the power of Twitter to revolutionize the way TV viewers discover and interact with programming in real time. Sladden will provide a provocative view of what’s changed so far –and what happens next.

Sladden commented: “I’m excited to join the Edinburgh International Television Festival to share, debate and discuss how Twitter is changing the TV viewing experience. I look forward to conversations with colleagues and partners about what the future holds for interactive TV.”

Additionally joining the high-calibre list of contributors at MGEITF this year are comedian and actor Lee Mack, English journalist and television presenter Esther Rantzen, Irish television writer, actor and director Graham Linehan, and BBC Drama Commissioning Controller, Ben Stephenson.

Other industry luminaries already confirmed to appear include; Dr. Eric Schmidt (Executive Chairman of Google), Professor Brian Cox, the stars of The Only Way Is Essex and Downton Abbey, Miranda Hart and The Killing’s Sofie Gråbøl.

The Festival will take place from August 26 – 28 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. To find out more about the programme and to register, please visit www.mgeitf.co.uk.

Press Contact: Taylor Herring PR