Bonnie Greer, writer and cultural commentator, dies aged 77

The British-American novelist, playwright and commentator Bonnie Greer has died aged 77.

In a statement, her husband David Hutchins said that she died on Tuesday evening following a brief illness.

Greer’s “intelligence, courage and distinctive voice made an enduring contribution to British cultural and public life”, said Hutchins. “To me, she was my partner, confidante and inspiration, and I feel profoundly privileged to have shared my life with her”.

Born 16 November, 1948, Greer moved from the US to the UK in 1986. She published several books including A Parallel Life and Langston Hughes: The Value of Contradiction, and in 2022 was made a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Greer regularly appeared as a panellist on Newsnight Review and Question Time. She served on the boards of the Royal Opera House, the British Museum and the London Film School, and was chancellor of Kingston University, London.

Hutchins said that “those closest to Bonnie will remember her warmth, humour, generosity and extraordinary ability to bring people together”.