Bonnie Greer, Writer and Broadcaster Known for Late Review Appearances, Dies at 77

Bonnie Greer, the writer and broadcaster celebrated for her incisive and composed commentary on British television, has died at the age of 77, according to an obituary published by The Guardian.

Greer built her reputation through appearances on the BBC2 cultural programmes Late Review and Newsnight Review, which she began contributing to from the 1990s onwards, the obituary states. She was described as a wry and lively critic whose broad technical experience spanned drama, fiction, biography, memoir and documentary work.

According to the obituary, Greer's perspective was shaped by having spent the first half of her life in the United States before relocating to the United Kingdom, where she spent the second half. This transatlantic background, the piece notes, positioned her well to comment on cultural duality during an era when British writers, film-makers and artists were increasingly engaging with American subjects, as well as on what the obituary calls the escalating Americanisation of British politics.

The obituary highlights Greer's personal connections within the arts world as a distinctive asset in her critical work. It notes that when reviewing a David Mamet play, she drew on having worked with the playwright in Chicago theatre, and that she had met Madonna years earlier as a young aspiring musician sharing a Manhattan apartment.

Beyond her critical writing, Greer was also known to British audiences for her appearances on the BBC's Question Time programme, where the obituary says she became known for her sharp and composed contributions.