Our thoughts go out to Ms. Mortimer and her family as her beloved dad died last week on January 16.

HAMPSTEAD born writer and barrister Sir John Mortimer has died at the age of 85.

The creator of Rumpole of the Bailey lost his fight against a long-term illness at 6am today.

His wife and two daughters, including actress Emily Mortimer, were by his side at the family home in Buckinghamshire.

In a statement, his family said he had dies peacefully.

Sir John, who was born in 1923, won respect and acclaim as he juggled a legal career with his love of writing.

During the Second World War when he took on a role as scriptwriter with Pinewood Studios but after VE Day he joined his father’s business in the legal profession.

He carved a hugely successful career as a barrister but still found time to write. His first radio play was broadcast in 1958. His most famous creation, Rumpole, was introduced to the world in the 1970s and led to further books and a major television series starring Leo McKern.

Biographer and friend Melvyn Bragg led the tributes to the much-loved writer, saying he had a “wonderful life, beginning and ending”.

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Emily Mortimer had to be trained to run properly on film.

The British actress - who can soon be seen in action movie ‘Transsiberian’ - admits she was so bad at performing an acceptable sprint on camera that she had to be given tips on improving before shooting started.

She said: “The crew kept trying to adjust my run so it would look action heroine-esque. I don’t look very cool or sexy running. My friends get me to run for a bus to give themselves a good laugh!”

Emily - who has a four-year-old son with husband Alessandro Nivola - also revealed she never thought she would star in a thriller because she didn’t think she was cut out for such a physically exhausting role.

She added to Details magazine: “I am pale, I smoke cigarettes and I’m allergic to physical activity. But just because I get cast as the sweet innocent doesn’t mean that I necessarily am that way. When I was little, I didn’t want to be an actress to delve into another consciousness - I wanted to wear fancy clothes and go to parties.”

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