Behind the scenes on the BBC recording of a Ruth Rendell murder mystery. To be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 8th June.

Lady Rendell is a member of the APPG on Social Tourism and asked this question following the recent publication of the group's inquiry into social tourism Giving Britain a Break.

“Ruth Rendell is one of the great storytellers this country has produced and this is a great opportunity to rediscover her work for television. We are excited to be working with ITV to bring Adrian Hodges’s brilliantly crafted script to a whole new audience, as well as Ruth’s legions of fans across the country.”

After a decade as Dr Julia Parsons in BBC1’s Doctors, Diane Keen is leaving the daytime drama this month.

Christopher Ravenscroft (the sidekick detective in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries) plays Arthur Winslow as a chronic arthritic with a caustic wit and fatherly sternness mixed with an absolute determination to see the cause through to the end, no matter how difficult that may be.

In the lead part of Arthur Winslow, Christopher Ravenscroft gives a remarkable performance of a man crippled by arthritis, obsessed with his cause but painfully aware of what it is doing to his family—but there are so many layers and subtle notes to his portrayal that it is impossible not to warm to this fully-rounded character.

It will be produced by Neil Zeiger (Collision), with Alan Moloney (Treasure Island) and Mary Callery (The Clinic) exec producing and Marek Losey (DCI Banks) directing.

An ITV commissioned, two-part drama based on Ruth's 2004 standalone novel, 'Thirteen Steps Down', is now in production. The drama is being produced by Neil Zeiger and directed by Marek Losey with a screenplay by Adrian Hodges.

Barbara Vine's new novel, her first since The Birthday Present in 2008, is an intriguing examination of betrayal in a family, and of those two once-unmentionable subjects, illegitimacy and homosexuality. Set in London and in Devon now and more than half a century ago, it shows vividly how society's attitudes and mores have changed in many respects - yet stubbornly remain the same in others.

Lady Rendell is the latest Labour peer to clash with Black Rod, who is responsible for security at the House of Lords, who some believe has been acting like a “dictator”.

Christopher Ravenscroft will be taking on the role of Arthur Winslow in a new production of Rattigan's 'The Winslow Boy' at the Octagon Theatre Bolton. From 29 March – 21 April 2012.

The Labour revolt against the Queen’s representative in Parliament grew last night after it was revealed that crime writer Ruth Rendell is the latest peer to fall foul of his iron rule.

The youth club he established in his home village of West Lavington meant more to actor George Baker than his entire theatrical career, his daughter said after unveiling a plaque in his name on Saturday.

The youth club set up by the late actor George Baker is to be named in his honour.

Mr Baker’s daughter, Sarah Pearson, who lives locally, is to unveil the plaque at the youth club building in West Lavington at noon on Saturday, after which it will be known as the George Baker Youth Centre.

A tree will also be planted in Mr Baker’s memory.

Names already confirmed include crime writers PD James and Ruth Rendell, who will appear together at Winchester Guildhall on Friday, June 1 for an event entitled Queens of Crime.

Life in the well-manicured London locale of Hexam Place is not as placid and orderly as it appears. Behind the tranquil gardens and polished entryways, relationships between servants and their employers are set to combust.

Henry, the handsome valet to Lord Studley, is sleeping with both the Lord’s wife and his university-age daughter. Montserrate, the Still family’s lazy au pair, is helping to hide Mrs. Still’s illicit affair with a television actor—for a small fee. June, the haughty housekeeper to a princess of dubious origin, is hard at work forming a “society” for servants to address complaints about their employers. Meanwhile, a disturbed gardener, Dex, believes a voice in his cellphone is giving him godlike instructions—that could endanger the lives of all who reside in Hexam Place.

12:30PM on 23/11/2011

Celebrated author, Ruth Rendell, will be visiting Ipswich County Library on Saturday 26 November. Full details of the visit are still to be finalised so please look out for more information about this exciting event soon! 

At Mr Baker’s funeral service last week in West Lavington his family accepted the youth club committee’s suggestion that they rename the centre The George Baker Youth Centre – Home of West Lavington Youth Club.

International star of stage, screen and television, writer, director and raconteur George Baker has been laid to rest in the churchyard at West Lavington, the village he had made his home for the past 22 years.

The funeral of the actor George Baker took place in his home village in Wiltshire.

All Saints' Church in West Lavington was full for the funeral today of international star of stage, screen and television George Baker.

George Baker, the film, stage and TV actor, will long be remembered by the community of Devizes which he made his own for more than 20 years.

The funeral will take place at All Saints Church, West Lavington, on Monday, October 24, at noon with a memorial service in London at a later date.

With Matthew Bannister. Obituary series, analysing and celebrating the life stories of people who have recently died. 14/10/2011

Devizes people were surprised when actor George Baker and his wife came to live in their midst in 1990. But what surprised them even more was his openness, friendliness and lack of any self-importance or snobbery.

ITV3 are showing the Wexford edition of Super Sleuths on Tuesday at 11:35PM as a tribute to George who sadly died on Friday. Simisola with an introduction by George will also be transmitted on 26 October 2011.

He was, according to Ruth Rendell, ‘not just an unforgettable actor, but the most wonderfully warm and vibrant person’.

The actor George Baker, who starred as Chief Inspector Wexford in ITV's Ruth Rendell Mysteries, has died at the age of 80. The star spent a great deal of time filming in the Meridian region and lived near Salisbury in Wiltshire. A multi-talented man, he'll be remembered for both his on-screen and off-screen presence. Juliette Fletcher spoke to his close friends Eric Freeman and Lyn Dyson.

George Baker, who starred as Chief Inspector Wexford in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, has died aged 80. His daughter Ellie Baker looks back at his life.

The TV star, from West Lavington, Wiltshire, died of pneumonia yesterday following a recent stroke, his daughter Ellie Baker said.

“I had one inquiry in particular where I was asked to kill his wife so she could marry him,” says Rendell.

The play is driven by an engine of older actors, all of whom have wonderful moments to shine. Christopher Ravenscroft’s, reasonable and ideologically superior Prosecutor is perhaps the highlight, he embodies a weariness and dissatisfaction which was wonderfully engaging.

Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell talks to Ruth Rendell about "Vault", her 23rd Inspector Wexford novel.

Author Ruth Rendell is set to attend a traditional garden fete hosted by St Gregory’s Church in Sudbury on Saturday.

Ruth Rendell at Montpellier Gardens: Saturday, October 8, 2011.

The prolific author of over seventy novels and creator of Inspector Wexford, Ruth Rendell is one of our most distinguished crime novelists. She joins us to discuss her latest book The Vault which sees the now retired Wexford return to take on a case of fiendish difficulty and danger.

Ruth Rendell’s Wexford is now an OAP but, at 81, the author’s own life is far from quiet retirement, finds Jake Kerridge.

Christopher Ravenscroft will be appearing in Vaclav Havel's 'The Conspirators' at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond from August 31st - October 1st 2011.

6 October 2011, 2.00 - 4.30pm
The Ivy Restaurant, 1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ
Tickets: £75 each
This is a unique opportunity to hear renowned authors Ruth Rendell and P D James talk about their lives in an intimate setting with a chance to ask them questions and purchase signed books.
All this is accompanied by canapés and a glass of bubbly in the restaurant's exclusive Private Dining Room, followed by tea and coffee. Please note that there are a limited number of places available.

“I am simply delighted to become vice president of the North of England Zoological Society. It marks the beginning of a wonderful new chapter in my life.”

Sunday 25th September 2011 - 5:30pm

The top two British crime writers join forces to discuss crime writing, murder mysteries and psychological thrillers. Between them, they have written over 100 books and the names of their protagonists, such as Inspector Wexford, Adam Dalgleish and Cordelia Gray, are known world-wide. Many credit them for upgrading the entire genre of whodunit, shaping it more into a whydunit.

Donald Hewlett, who was best known for his role in the 1970s BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum, has died aged 90.

The Westminster Society invites you to a literary evening with two successful and well know crime writers; PD James and Ruth Rendell. The evening's conversation will be chaired by a third writer; David Benedictus and there will be support from the Maurice Horhut Jazz Trio. Tickets cost £35 each and can be purchased by contacting the main office on 020 8968 7376.

In the first ever Book Review Show, Kirsty Wark is joined by guests including Germaine Greer and John Mullan to discuss the state of women's literature. Topics include the shortlist for the Orange Prize and posthumous publications from Daphne Du Maurier and Beryl Bainbridge. There will also be an interview with Lionel Shriver, the adaptation of whose 'We Need To Talk About Kevin' has just premiered at Cannes, and a literary 'salon' with Fay Weldon, Kate Mosse and Ruth Rendell.

Ruth Rendell has been appointed vice-president of the children's heart charity Little Hearts Matter, which supports children born with non-correctable and complex heart conditions. "I have a soft spot for charities that help children," she said. "I try putting myself into the shoes of these children's parents. I have, as you might guess, a pretty active imagination - and although I don't come near entering into their fear or feeling with their love, I do manage a degree of empathy."

5 September – BaronessRuth Rendell CBE: Bestselling mystery author, who also writes under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, has penned more than 60 novels and is best known for weaving tales about iconic character, “Chief Inspector Wexford.” She and her friend, fellow novelist P.D. James, have been credited with reshaping the mystery and detective genre of novels. Rendell will sail an Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing on Queen Mary 2.

Tuesday 10th May, UK Stroke Awareness Day, sees the launch of the second Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition, hosted by the award winning charity InterAct Reading Service.

Louie Ramsay achieved widespread fame when she played Dora, the down-to-earth wife of Chief Inspector Wexford in the Ruth Rendell Mysteries on ITV.

Back in the 1970s, I was a trainee hack down in Devon and an avid consumer of crime fiction. I can still remember the jolt of reading Detective Inspector Reg Wexford’s beginnings in From Doon With Death (published in 1964) and being bowled over.

Labour peer Ruth Rendell, creator of Inspector Wexford, an unusually genial figure for a detective, is estimated at £30m plus and is ranked seventh, followed by Ian Rankin, creator of the more typically glum Rebus, at £25m. Colin Dexter, creator of Inspector Morse, just missed the top 10, with a fortune estimated at £20m.

The funeral of actress Louie Ramsay, who has died at the age of 81, has been held up because her only son is in hospital. Mr Baker, nearly 80, is now in a frail condition at Market Lavington nursing home, where Ms Ramsay died.

Louie Ramsay, who died on March 6 aged 81, was best known to television viewers as Dora, the spiky but down-to-earth wife of Chief Inspector Reg Wexford in the hugely popular Ruth Rendell Mysteries series on ITV.

Actor known for her role as Dora, the wife of Inspector Wexford in the popular TV series.

This incredible Ruth Rendell Collection is filled with thrilling crime tales, punctuated by fascinatingly complex plotlines. Including the first ten novels in her popular Inspector Wexford series, reissued with new glossy jackets, this set is great as an introduction to the famous author’s work or as a reminder of her talents for those that have read these captivating crime thrillers in the past.

I am sad to announce that Louie passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Sunday, 6th March 2011.

In this Culture Show special, Sue Perkins investigates crime and experiences 'new romance' in an attempt to discover the essential ingredients of a bestselling novel.

Along the way, Sue also meets bestselling authors Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell, Colin Dexter, Anthony Horowitz and Joanne Harris along with some of the UK's biggest crime, thriller and romance fans to find out what they like best about their favourite authors.

RT @AliChemist: Crime / Thriller Novels featured on BBC World Book Nite > with intvu's Lee Child, Ian Rank ...

A new Wexford Novel

RT @holmesnews: Ruth Rendell Discusses Sherlock Holmes - Faulks on Fiction Ep 1: The Hero …

Character actor who was an ensemble player to the core

Celebrities sing AWAY IN A MANGER by candlelight at the Kids for Kids Christmas concert in London. The line-up included RUTH RENDELL, DIANA QUICK, RICHARD WILSON, CHARLOTTE HAWKINS, JACQUIE BELTRAO, LORD COPE, ALASTAIR STEWART and RUTH PALMER.

Published by Hutchinson on 4 Aug 2011.

Ruth Rendell presents the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of the Family Holiday Association.

Swedish Wallander and Foyle both triumph at this year's CWA television awards. (via Mystery Fanfare)

George Baker stars as the East End villain with social aspirations. Bowler was a Fenn Street Gang spin-off which, although written after both Please Sir! and The Fenn Street Gang, chronicled the earlier adventures of former Fenn Street pupil Craven’s shady boss, Stanley Bowler – the Del Boy of his generation.

Christopher Ravenscroft is currently appearing in 'The Talented Mr Ripley' at Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton.

Acclaimed crime writer Ruth Rendell speaks to Virginia Haussegger about her life's work - and it's not the Inspector Wexford novels.

To celebrate the opening of the newly refurbished Church Street Library, the library is hosting a series of free events including Ruth Rendell talking about her work on Wednesday 1 September 2010 from 11am to 12 noon.

Ruth will be reading from her new novel 'Tigerlily's Orchids' at England's Lane Books in Hampstead on Thursday 16 September at 7.30pm.

Ruth Rendell isn't sure when she gave her first interview. Perhaps 40 years ago, she thinks; about the same time she first autographed a book for a member of royalty. She wasn't quite sure what to put in the novel for the then-Dutch queen, Juliana. But she has since learned that "when it is British royals, you simply write, 'with my humble duty' ".

Details of the 2010 Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards Season including the shortlists for the Crime Writer’s Association (CWA) Daggers were announced yesterday at Harrogate Crime Writing Festival. A six-week season of documentaries on ITV3 will showcase the CWA shortlisted books and twelve celebrated fictional television detectives will be profiled in a six-part series The People’s Detective.

Popular northern dramatist for TV, theatre and radio, his works guaranteed humour, heart and humanity.

Literary critic Barbara Fass Leavy's The Fiction of Ruth Rendell: Ancient Tragedy and the Modern Family aims to explain the multi-layered themes of Ruth Rendell's work and establish Rendell's position as a major novelist worthy of serious literary acclaim.

Former TV detective George Baker has apologised and says he is resigned to losing his driving licence after being pulled over on suspicion of drink driving on Friday evening.

Ruth Rendell answers questions and reads from her 2008 novel Portobello at West End Books in Hampstead.

The artwork was unveiled by actor George Baker, club president and founder, last Wednesday.

On Monday 26th April, Baroness Ruth Rendell of Babergh, C.B.E presented the Ruth Rendell Short Story Competition Award at the October Gallery in Bloomsbury, London, a competition conducted by the award winning charity InterAct Reading Service.

Christopher Ravenscroft will be appearing in a new production of The Comedy of Errors at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this summer.

To celebrate World Book Day, Quick Reads is exclusively offering one title – The Thief by Ruth Rendell – as a free download for one week only from 4th March 2010.