News | Entertainment
29 Dec 2025 6:45
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Bill Nighy led tributes to Sir Martin Amis at a memorial service for the late author

    The world-renowned writer, who was behind novels such as 'Time's Arrow' - which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1991 - passed away last year aged 73, and several stars attended a special remembrance service for the late novelist on Monday (10.06.24) at London's St Martin-in-the-Fields, a Church of England parish church


    'Love Actually' star Bill - who is a huge fan of the author's work - gave readings from Martin's writings at the event, which was also attended by Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and his wife Polly Samson.

    According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Martin's widow, author Isabel Fonseca, gave an emotional speech at the service, and she was joined by the likes of fellow novelists Zadie Smith and Ian McEwan, and poet James Fenton.

    Sir Salman Rushdie, a friend of Martin, was unable to attend the service, but he penned a written tribute to his late pal.

    He said: "Only Martin sounded like Martin Amis, and it was unwise to try and imitate him.

    "He used to say that what he wanted to do was leave behind a shelf of books - to be able to say 'from here to here, it's me'.

    "His voice is silent now. His friends will miss him terribly. But at least we have the shelf."

    Following his death, Martin was posthumously knighted for services to literature.

    He passed away from oesophageal cancer in May 2023 at his home in Florida.

    Martin published 15 novels over the course of his career and was best known for his so-called London trilogy of novels, comprised of 'Money: A Suicide Note', 'London Fields', and 'The Information'.

    Speaking about his works in a 1985 interview, Martin said: "What I've tried to do is to create a high style to describe low things: the whole world of fast food, sex shows, nude mags.

    "I'm often accused of concentrating on the pungent, rebarbative side of life in my books, but I feel I'm rather sentimental about it. Anyone who reads the tabloid papers will rub up against much greater horrors than I describe."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     29 Dec: Brigitte Bardot, iconic French actor, sex symbol and animal rights campaigner, dies aged 91
     28 Dec: King Charles' Christmas speech will be available in virtual reality
     28 Dec: Lily Allen has been "shopping like an insane person" following the success of her album West End Girl
     28 Dec: Sean Ono Lennon fears that younger generations could forget about The Beatles
     28 Dec: Chris Rea shared a poignant social media post in the hours before his death
     28 Dec: Emma Heming Willis admits that Christmas has "changed" since her husband Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia
     28 Dec: Modern Family star Helen Siff has died at the age of 88
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Reigning world champion Luke Littler has fired a warning to his rivals after a dominant display in the third round of the world darts championship in London More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Melbourne could be facing water-restrictions from low-rainfall, a dry summer, and high water-use More...



     Today's News

    Law and Order:
    The family of a convicted sex offender found dead in his cell at Ngawha Prison - are still seeking answers nearly 400 days later 6:27

    Entertainment:
    Brigitte Bardot, iconic French actor, sex symbol and animal rights campaigner, dies aged 91 4:37

    Motoring:
    Crews are cleaning up an oil spill along a stretch of State Highway 73, between Christchurch and the West Coast 21:57

    Motoring:
    In Upper Hutt near Kaitoke, the intersection of SH2 and Waterworks Road has reopened after a collision 21:47

    Entertainment:
    King Charles' Christmas speech will be available in virtual reality 20:20

    Entertainment:
    Lily Allen has been "shopping like an insane person" following the success of her album West End Girl 19:50

    Entertainment:
    Sean Ono Lennon fears that younger generations could forget about The Beatles 19:20

    Environment:
    Sandbagging stations are open in Australia's far north, where residents are braceding for a drenching, with a slow-moving monsoon expected to dump up to 700mm of rain 18:57

    Entertainment:
    Chris Rea shared a poignant social media post in the hours before his death 18:50

    Environment:
    Thousands of displaced people in Gaza are preparing threadbare tents in the face of more winter rain 18:37


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd