British-American playwright, novelist and cultural commentator Bonnie Greer has died at the age of 77 after a brief illness, her husband, David Hutchins, has announced.
Greer died on Tuesday evening, September 15, 2026, according to Hutchins. He described her as an acclaimed playwright, author, critic and cultural commentator whose work made a lasting contribution to British cultural and public life.
Born in Chicago on November 16, 1948, Greer moved to the United Kingdom in 1986 and became a British citizen in 1997. She built a career spanning theatre, literature, television and cultural institutions.
Her works included the novels Hanging by Her Teeth and Entropy, as well as Obama Music and a biography of Harlem Renaissance writer Langston Hughes. She also received the Verity Bargate Award for Best Play for Munda Negra.
Greer became a familiar face on British television, regularly appearing as a panellist on programmes including Newsnight Review and Question Time. She also served on the boards of the British Museum, Royal Opera House and London Film School, and was Chancellor of Kingston University.
She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2010 for services to the arts and became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2022.
In announcing her death, Hutchins remembered Greer as his “partner, confidante and inspiration” and said those closest to her would remember her warmth, humour, generosity and ability to bring people together.
The family has asked for privacy as it mourns her death.