A host of stars from broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan to former cricketer Imran Khan descended on Woodstock for the town’s third annual literary festival.

Ex-Chancellor Alistair Darling, Arsenal great Martin Keown, and scientist Richard Dawkins were also among speakers at the event, which ran from Wednesday to Sunday.

On Saturday, media commentators including Princess Diana’s former spokesman Patrick Jephson and ex-Independent editor Simon Kelner debated the News of the World hacking scandal.

Former Labour spin doctor Lance Price told the audience at St Mary Magdalene Church, that the Cabinet Office tried to suppress passages of his 2005 memoir revealing close links between Prime Minister Tony Blair and News of the World owner Rupert Murdoch.

He said: “More than half the things the Cabinet Office asked me to take out were about Murdoch. It was extraordinary.”

He added: “Rupert Murdoch was only one of three or four people whose opinion would be taken into account before making a decision.”

Media commentator and Daily Mail columnist Stephen Glover warned more regulation of the press “makes it more difficult for the press to do what it is supposed to do; look into the wrongdoings of servants of the state, politicians, businessmen, and rich people who don’t want to be written about”.

Mr Wogan was the speaker at Friday’s Black Tie Literary Dinner at Blenheim Palace, attended by festival patron HRH The Duke of Gloucester..

Mr Darling was interviewed by Woodstock resident Mr Kelner on Friday at the palace and other events featured Private Eye co-founder Richard Ingrams and county poet Pam Ayres.

Elsewhere, chocoholics were given a treat during a tutored tasting session with expert Manan Bhansali of the East India Company at The Feathers Hotel.

Mr Bhansali said: “It was the food of gods, the food of kings and the food of royalty, nobility and passion.

“Casanova was a famous chocolate lover, and believed it was an aphrodisiac. It was what gave him his mojo.”

Children’s author Helen Nathan promoted her new book, Flossie Crums and the Royal Spotty Dotty Cake, which encourages youngsters to take up baking alongside reading.

She said: “I’ve got three girls who love baking, and I realised there wasn’t anything in the market like this.

“I spend a lot of time reading to them, and at the weekend we do some baking together from the book.”

On Sunday, former cricketer turned Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan was interviewed by his ex-wife Jemima on his new book about his home country at the palace.

Lady Soames also spoke at the palace on Sunday about her childhood as the youngest daughter of Sir Winston and Clementine Churchill, in an interview with historian Philip Ziegler.