Latitude Festival founder Melvin Benn has said that this year’s line-up, including a string of new acts unveiled today, would prove good enough to retain the “best line-up” award the event received last year.

And he promised that some special guests would give a “very secret” performance at some point over the weekend.

He was speaking at Sadler’s Wells in London as the third and final headliners - The Black Keys - was announced along with a host of other acts.

Talking to BBC Radio 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, who will be broadcasting from the site over the weekend, Mr Benn said last year’s festival had been the “best yet” and once again this summer the arts extravaganza would be offering acts the chance to show that they could be a Reading & Leeds or Glastonbury headliner of the future.

He added: “It was (the best ever Latitude) - there’s no question for me, amazing. We won the ‘line-up of the year’ (at the Festival Awards 2013) last year and I see no reason why we won’t do the same – I think this year tops last year’s line-up.”

When quizzed about what he was looking forward to most, he said “I guess the whole thing, inevitably”.

Mr Benn also kept tight-lipped about a surprise addition to the event, adding: “We have a very secret performance from a guest playing on the main stage that we won’t be able to reveal until the weekend itself.”

In past years Tom Jones, Thom Yorke and Joanna Newsom have played low-key slots on the Obelisk Arena main stage to rave reviews.