UK

Sister Wendy Beckett dies at the age of 88

The art critic was known for presenting a series of documentaries in the 1990s

Image from 2006 of Sister Wendy Beckett visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England. File photograph: Edmond Terakopian/PA Wire

Wed Dec 26 2018 - 18:38

Sister Wendy Beckett has died aged 88.

The BBC journalist, writer and art critic passed away at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham in Norfolk, England.

Sister Wendy rose to international fame by presenting a series of documentaries for the BBC during the 1990s, including Sister Wendy’s Odyssey and Sister Wendy’s Grand Tour.

Xinran Xue, a close friend, said: “It is very sad news. Many people see her as a religious person and she was far more than that.

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“It’s a huge loss for the art world. She was a brilliant art critic.”

Sister Wendy was born in South Africa and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, where her father studied medicine.

She later taught in cities including Cape Town and Liverpool.

It was only in later life that she found fame. – PA

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