Hugh Hudson, director of Chariots of Fire, dies in hospital at 86
Chariots of Fire director Hugh Hudson dies in hospital aged 86 after a brief illness, his family confirms
- Hugh died at Charing Cross Hospital on February 10, 2023 after a short illness.
- The director is best known for the Academy Award winning film Chariots Of Fire.
- He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue
Hugh Hudson, best known for the Academy Award-winning film Chariots Of Fire, has died at the age of 86, a statement on behalf of his family said.
The filmmaker, who was behind the 1981 drama about two British runners in the 1920s, died in a London hospital on Friday after a brief illness.
The film, which was Hudson’s big screen debut, won Best Picture, Original Score, Screenplay and Costume Design at the 54th Annual Academy Awards in 1982.
A statement on behalf of his family read: ‘Hugh Hudson, 86, loving husband and father, died at Charing Cross Hospital on February 10, 2023 after a short illness.
He was best known for directing the Oscar-winning film Chariots Of Fire. He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue.’
Farewell: Hugh Hudson, best known for the Academy Award-winning film Chariots Of Fire, has died at the age of 86, a statement on behalf of his family said (Chariots Of Fire pictured)
Veteran stage and screen actor Nigel Havers, who played Lord Andrew Lindsay in the critically acclaimed film, told the PA news agency: “I am beyond devastated by the death of my great friend Hugh Hudson, whom I know for more than 45 years.” .
‘Chariots Of Fire was one of the best experiences of my professional life and, like so many others, I owe much of what followed to it. I’ll miss him a lot.
Born in 1936 in London, Hudson went to boarding school before studying at Eton College, although he reportedly resented his association with the famous school.
After leaving Eton he began national service in the Dragoon Guards and remained in the Army Officers’ reserve until discharged in 1960.
His move into the creative industry came later in the 1960s, during which time he worked at a London-based advertising firm before making the move into documentaries and television commercials.
The work caught the eye of producer David Puttnam, who would later produce Chariots Of Fire.
The film was nominated for a total of seven Oscars, including Best Director for Hudson, and won four.
According to the British Film Institute (BFI), it became “one of the most controversial British films of the decade” due to its perception as a “radical indictment of established snobbery”.
Hugh is survived by his wife, former James Bond actress Maryam D’Abo, who starred in The Living Daylights, and their son Thomas.