As far as I’m concerned the obvious alternative to Digance is someone who would already be on site, a certain Mr Anthony John Clarke.

Mike Harding introduced the Liege and Lief lineup to the stage in 2007, with Chris While covering for Sandy.

Looks like your "hunch" is wrong, I've been to every one starting on Crossman's lawn. To be honest, it's a "Beach Boys, Alice Cooper" price but not the acts to warrant the price IMO

Just a hunch but I very strongly suspect that most of the moaners about the line-up started going to Cropredy in the last 20 years and aren't on the main, Fairport stalwarts of old.  Those of us who first knew the festival in the 80s (or earlier) probably recognise it as much closer to the spirit of those festivals than the anything goes as long as it's a big name jumble of the post-Pegg Cropredy Convention years.

I do think the price is pushing it a tad - especially the camping which seems utterly excessive to me.  The festival I do every year now (Krankenhaus) is almost exactly the same price but camping is included.  But that's only a quarter of the size of this one (1500).

Good point. He apparently did Crops in 2007 but I have no recollection of that.

Maybe Dave Eagle?

Does MH still perform live?
According to his website his last tour was 2015.

I don't think it's a very impressive line up for £240. Hayseed Dixie are on local to me, in a few weeks, for £25 and I don't think there are any other bands that you would pay much more to see on the bill. The New Forest Festival has quite a few of the same bands, over 5 days and is just over half the price of Cropredy and 5 days of camping for £40 !
 

He's a bit Marmite, really. I do know that many people appreciate him. I'm not one of them after I had a run-in with Mr Digance at Skeggy a few years ago.

Ho-hum.

As to another, similar artist, replacing him: Jasper Carrott has been tried and worked once, but not the second time, largely because he was a much-overhyped mystery star guest. Has Mike Harding ever appeared at Croppers?

Warner Holidays are welcome to him. Other opinions are, as always, available.

PS I'll just add a bit of flesh to the above comment - I enjoyed Digance when he first took over the Saturday lunchtime slot for my 2nd visit to Cropredy in 2002. He was funny in an old-school "this is how they used to do it" kind of way, and I used to look forward to him every year. Trouble is, his act became samey, stale and more "Daily Mail" over the years to the point of embarrassment. He became more thin-skinned ; he could dish it out but couldn't take it. The year he called out the Talkawhile forum from the Cropredy stage for daring to criticise him was the start of the decline. The final straw was probably the "England one day will be great, we just don't know the date..." song...

I'm not knocking those who still enjoy his brand of comedy, however, I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing they'd give another standup a try in that slot, mix it up a bit, keep it fresh and interesting.

According to his website he's at Corton Coastal Village nr. Lowestoft - August 15-Warners, Corton Coastal Village, Corton, Nr Lowestoft -

From his website: Richard is delighted to have signed an agreement with Warner Hotels for regular monthly appearances during 2026 at Warner Leisure Hotels & Breaks. Warners appearances are shown in purple. For Warners information visit www.warnerhotels.co.uk