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Star author Fay Weldon is dead
In a statement released on Wednesday, January 4, her family wrote: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Fay Weldon (CBE), author, essayist and playwright.” Weldon died “peacefully” on Wednesday morning. The former Berlinale judge is known for capturing the ups and downs of British life in her work. Her sharp dialogue and wit quickly gained Weldon a large reading community.
Her best-known work, The Devil, was published in 1983 and is about a housewife named Ruth Patchett who seeks revenge after learning that her unfaithful husband is leaving her. The book was adapted by the BBC in 1986. A Hollywood version starring Meryl Streep (73) and Roseanne Barr (70) was released three years later.
Separation in nursing home
Fay Weldon was a mother of four and divorced her third husband, Nick Fox, last year. According to the Daily Mail newspaper, she accused her ex-partner of “forced control and financial mismanagement”. The split reportedly came while Weldon was living in a nursing home, where she allegedly lost the ability to speak. Fox, in turn, stated after the separation that he was confused and sad about the marriage. (bang/read)