Film critic Barry Norman, 83

Film critic Barry Norman has died at the age of 83. The journalist and former BBC presenter died in his sleep, his family said.

A statement from his daughters, Samantha and Emma, described him as “remarkable” and added: “He had a great life, a wonderful marriage and an enviable career.

“He leaves behind a family who adore him and a great roster of friends who love him too. We will miss him more than we can say.”

Norman hosted BBC1’s show Film... between 1972 and 1998 and wrote for the Daily Mail and the Guardian.

His literary agent Gordon Wise said he was “the defining voice of film criticism and insightful interviewing of screen legends from both sides of the camera”.

He said the presenter had been living with lung cancer for a number of years, and that he would be remembered as “one of the true greats” of film.

“It was probably that background as a newspaper journalist, interviewer and features writer that all came together to make him such a gifted film critic,” he told BBC News.

Norman’s wife Diana Norman, who wrote a series of best-selling historical thrillers under the name Ariana Franklin, died in 2011 aged 77.

The couple met while working as journalists and married in 1957.

Norman said at the time: “I was working as a gossip writer on the Daily Sketch for my sins, which was the only job I could get, and she was working as a very highly respected writer on the Daily Herald, as it was then. “We met in Fleet Street and married.” Norman, formerly a Radio 4 presenter on the Today programme, quit the BBC in 1998 after 26 years to work for Sky.

He left TV in 2001 and was awarded a CBE for services to broadcasting.

BBC director-general Tony Hall said: “Barry Norman was a firstclass presenter and critic. Film buffs always found his programmes essential viewing. He dominated broadcasting about films for a generation with wit and great knowledge. He will be greatly missed and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Jonathan Ross, who succeeded him as host of Film... from 1999 to 2010, tweeted his sadness.

Barry Norman hosted Film... from 1972 to 1998.