Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard has died aged 88

Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard, who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the screenplay for Shakespeare In Love, has died at the age of 88.

In a statement issued on Saturday, United Agents said: “We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved client and friend, Tom Stoppard, has died peacefully at home in Dorset, surrounded by his family.

“He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language.

“It was an honour to work with Tom and to know him.”

Queen Elizabeth II shakes meets Stoppard before presenting him with the insignia of a Member of the Order of Merit at Buckingham Palace. / Credit: PA

Stoppard captivated the hearts of audiences for more than six decades with his unparalleled ability to seamlessly blend intellect, emotion and humour in his writing.

The playwright’s contribution to the dramatic arts won him a host of Tony and Olivier awards, as well as a Golden Globe and an Academy Award with Marc Norman for their 1998 screenplay Shakespeare In Love – starring fellow Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow.

Although primarily entertaining, Sir Tom’s work explored philosophical and political themes, challenging societal norms to remind audiences of the power of thought.

Award-winning plays such as Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead, The Real Thing and Travesties highlighted the enduring impact of art tackling complex ideas, sharp dialogue and unrivalled wit.

He also wrote prolifically for TV, radio, and film, including adapting Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina for the 2012 film starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law, and TV series Parade’s End with Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall – adapted from novels by Ford Madox Ford.

In 2020, Sir Tom released his semi-autobiographical new work titled Leopoldstadt – set in the Jewish quarter of early 20th century Vienna – which later won him an Olivier award for best new play and also scooped four Tony awards.

He was also honoured by PEN America, the literary and human rights organisation, receiving the Mike Nichols Writing for Performance Award for the West End play which featured his son Ed Stoppard.

Born Tomas Straussler in Czechoslovakia, he fled his home during the Nazi occupation and found refuge in Britain where he learned a new language and his remarkable career took off.

He became a journalist in Bristol in 1954 before becoming a theatre critic and writing plays for radio and TV, including The Stand-Ins, later revised as The Real Inspector Hound, and Albert’s Bridge first broadcast by BBC Radio.

During the course of his career, he received countless accolades and honours, including being knighted by the late Queen for his services to literature in 1997.

He followed in the footsteps of laureates Harold Pinter, Hilary Mantel and Seamus Heaney winning the David Cohen Prize For Literature in 2017.