First female director general of MI5 Dame Stella Rimington dies aged 90
Dame Stella Rimington died "surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath", her family announced.
The 89-year-old was appointed director general of MI5 in 1992, and the first woman to ever hold the position.
After her retirement in 1996, she became a non-executive director of Marks & Spencer and the BG Group.
She leaves behind two daughters.
Dame Stella previously told the Telegraph how she became a spy.
"In 1965 my then-husband John, a treasury official, was offered a posting to the British High Commission in New Delhi," she said.
"In the summer of 1967, I was walking through the compound there when someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Psst... Do you want to be a spy?'
"It transpired this man was MI5's liaison officer in New Delhi and he offered me a job as a clerical assistant on £5 a week."
She said her role mainly consisted of typing out his reports.
1
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
MPs call on Government to recognise live comedy as distinct art form
MPs have called on the Government to recognise live comedy as its own distinct art form to ensure the sector can access funding. It comes after the Culture Media and Sport (CMS) Committee held an evidence session on live comedy in April which found that, due to differences in infrastructure, workforce and audiences, the sector experienced significant restrictions when accessing funding bodies, including Arts Council England (ACE). In a letter to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), MPs called for the sector to be recognised as its own art form in order to be able to access more funding and investment opportunities. This comes days after the start of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest performing arts festival in the world which has largely been cited as the event that helped acts make their break in the industry. The chairwoman of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said: 'The gathering of performers and audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe showcases the tremendous impact live comedy can have on people's lives and the wider economy. 'But despite proving its cultural and economic importance across the country, a reluctance to see live comedy as a distinct cultural craft has hampered its access to the funding open to other performing arts. 'It's time the Government took the first step to helping the live comedy sector continue to deliver the huge benefits it provides by recognising it as a specific art form and properly engaging with the sector. 'There also needs to be more support for its workforce and a real focus on making sure that participation in and enjoyment of live comedy is something that is open to all.' In a letter addressed to culture minister Sir Chris Bryant, the CMS committee also laid out additional recommendations to protect the workforce including a voluntary scheme, similar to the grassroots music levy, for the biggest comedy venues, producers and promoters to commit to. It also called on the Government to work with funding bodies to establish an 'independent, accurate assessment of the size and distribution of the live comedy sector'.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
We just tried Tesco's viral 'birthday cake' sandwich – and we have mixed thoughts
M&S no doubt started the latest food trend when it launched its viral strawberry and creme sando earlier this summer. Now, Tesco have unveiled its own version of the hybrid sweet treat: the birthday cake sandwich. Celebrating 30 years of the Tesco Clubcard, the limited-edition sandwich is available in more than 1,000 stores nationwide - but only until 31 August. M&S's sandwich became so popular it daily sold out in most stores across the UK, and there's similar hype mounting for Tesco's take. The idea of a sweet sandwich is derived from the Japanese fruit sando, a popular snack that includes fresh fruit, sliced white bread, and fresh whipped cream. This isn't the first time Tesco has nodded to the signature treat –14 years ago, the supermarket chain launched a strawberries and cream sandwich to mark Wimbledon. But its latest offering has a playful spin thanks to its strawberry jam and cream cheese filling with a colourful sprinkling of rainbow confetti. Better yet, it costs £3 and is included in Tesco's office-favourite meal deal (a main, side and drink for just £3.60). But is it a nostalgic homage to childhood birthday parties or a sickly addition to the meal deal line-up? Four of our team testers at IndyBest swapped their usual sarnie for the new birthday sando – here are our (mixed) thoughts.
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Love Island host takes brutal swipe at Harry and says he ‘held Shakira back' from winning show
A LOVE Island host has taken a swipe at Harry and says he 'held Shakira back' from winning the show. Last night viewers watched as Toni Laites and Cach Mercer won the latest series of the ITV2 reality show. 5 5 After weeks of drama in the villa, the series came to a close yesterday with a battle between Toni & Cach, Shakira Khan & Harry Cooksley, Angel Swift & Ty Isherwood and Yasmin Pettet & Jamie Rhodes. Many fans thought Shakira had it in the bag, but after Harry's villa antics some viewers speculated that the pair wouldn't win because of him. This is a sentiment that Aftersun host Sam Thompson appeared to agree with. 'Shakira was slightly held back by Harry yeah, but do you know what he had a bit of a personality transplant at the end. 'Now, I think he's madly in love with her and that won't change. They'll come out and he'll see how well she's doing and probably even more in love with her.' Sam, who spoke to The Sun on behalf of M&Ms Couch Confessions, added: 'I think they'll go strong for a while. 'She could've won it, but I think Toni and Cach are amazing.' The 33-year-old threw his full support behind winners Toni and Cach, adding: 'I loved his tears. I know it sounds weird but I love that he showed that emotion. 'He also would never look at her when talking to her, which I found so interesting. I think he's really shy, but I think that's really endearing and you can tell he's just a nice guy. 'It's good to see nice guys do well who don't start as the OG's. He doesn't have to be the life of the party, and he wasn't the most entertaining person in the world, but he was just a lovely guy.' Sam, who listed Love Island as his favourite TV show ever, also spoke about the divide between the girls in the villa. Millions of viewers watched the likes of Toni Laites and Shakira Khan clash with Helena and Meg Moore. Things got especially heated when Harry Cooksley's head was turned back to Shakira after he made his partnership with Helena 'exclusive'. Sharing his thoughts on the matter, Sam told us: 'You're going to get all of that happening. 'I went into the house a few days ago and it's small. You're on top of each other and you know how it is, they'll get out and all be best of pals. 'They'll have a WhatsApp group, someone will leave it first, but they're all pals.' The Aftersun star wasn't too sure which couple will be the first to split, but was adamant that Yasmin was his favourite Islander of the series. He continued: 'Do you think it'll be Meg and Dejon? I do think they've got something to prove now. I don't think they'll break up any time soon. 'And I think we've got some really strong couples. Yas had an amazing story arc, at the start she was risque and I love now that we've seen a little bit of warmth and heart. 'She was my favourite Islander.' On the topic of TV, Sam was chatting to The Sun about all things telly while enjoying some M&M'S, to launch Couch Confessions, a playful new pop-up experience coming to Battersea on 5th August, built around Britain's funniest (and most relatable) TV-watching habits. He opened up on his own TV watching habits, saying: 'I'm a pauser, I'm a talker, I'm a sub-titler, I'm a tea maker, I'm a fiddler.' The 33-year-old also said he was keen to buy a slanket, which boasts the unique features arm holes, foot pockets, and areas for snacks, so he could share it with his cats. Asked if his best mate Pete Wicks would be accompanying him in the slanket, Sam was quick to say: 'I'm not sharing it with anyone at the moment, it'll just be me and my cats in the slanket.' M&Ms Couch Confessions, it's more fun together. 5 5 5
