Playwright Harold Pinter dies at 78

Pinter, 78, who had been suffering from cancer, died on Christmas Eve.

Lady Antonia Fraser, told the Guardian newspaper: "He was a great, and it was a privilege to live with him for over 33 years. He will never be forgotten."

Pinter was due to pick up an honorary degree earlier this month from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

But the east London-born playwright, director, actor, poet and political activist was forced to withdraw from the event due to illness.

During his lifetime he was widely accepted as one of the world's greatest playwrights.

Pinter shot to fame with works including The Birthday Party and Betrayal.

Pinter was well-known for his left-wing political views and was a vociferous critic of US and UK foreign policy, voicing opposition on a number of issues including the bombing of Afghanistan in 2001.

BBC Creative Director Alan Yentob told BBC News: "He was a unique figure in British theatre. He has dominated the theatre scene since the 1950s."

Also speaking to the BBC, Sunday Telegraph theatre critic Tim Walker said: "This was a man who had plays with long silences, where characters did not always go anywhere - very much like real life. He brought a realism to the business."