Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Staff and agencies

Sister Wendy Beckett death: Art historian and nun dies aged 88

BBC journalist and art historian Sister Wendy Beckett has died aged 88.

The writer passed away at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham in Norfolk.

Sister Wendy, a religious sister of the Catholic church, presented 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.

"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 Sister Wendy found TV fame presenting programmes for the BBC.

Additional reporting by Press Association

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.