British author of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy dies - John le Carré

The literary great, whose real name was David Cornwell, died after a short battle with pneumonia.

British author John le Carré, writer of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Night Manager, has died aged 89, his literary agent has said.

The literary great, whose real name was David Cornwell, died after a short battle with pneumonia. His death was not COVID-19 related.

His agent Jonny Geller, chief executive of the Curtis Brown Group, announced the news in a tweet on Sunday night.

"With much sadness, I must announce the passing of one the world's great writers - John le Carré," the post read.

Born in Poole, Dorset, in 1931, le Carré was educated at the universities of Bern, in Switzerland, and Oxford, before embarking on his undercover intelligence career.

He became an MI5 officer in 1958 and later transferred to MI6, the foreign-intelligence service, working under the cover of second secretary at the British Embassy in the German city of Bonn before turning his hand to writing spy novels.