CAN a middle-aged woman have it all, asks South London comedian, actress, presenter and novelist Helen Lederer in her Losing It appearance at York Literature Festival on Saturday night.

Helen will be in conversation with BBC Radio York presenter presenter Elly Fiorentini at St Peter’s School, discussing her debut novel, Losing it, the role of chunky KitKats, writing, losing weight and, well, all sorts of things.

Published by Pan Macmillan, Lederer's story follows the plight of Millie, agony aunt for The Good Woman magazine. In debt, divorced and desperate, she's about to lose her house. Worse, she has no money, a best friend with a better sex life than her, a daughter in Papua New Guinea and too much weight in places she really doesn’t want.

Helen, now 60 herself, constructs a brutally honest exploration of a woman who still feels 30, but can't deny the odd stray grey hair, as the first-time novelist ponders whether a middle-aged woman really can have everything. Helen, by the way, has a GP husband, Chris, and an actress daughter, Hannah.

First making her name on the 1980s alternative comedy circuit, most notably at London's Comedy Store alongside Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Helen is best known for her role as dippy Catriona in Absolutely Fabulous and also created the "Girl at the Bar" in BBC2's Naked Video. She is now filming her part as an alcoholic midwife in Channel 4's Hollyoaks, to be screened next month.

To book tickets for Saturday, visit yorkliteraturefestival.co.uk/event/helen-lederer-losing-it/