Rayne Kruger was born in South Africa and began his working life in a Johannesburg goldmine before becoming in succession a lawyer, broadcaster and actor. He immigrated to England in 1947 where he joined the BBC. He wrote a number of successful novels, followed by a history of South Africa in 1959, Goodbye Dolly Gray, which has remained in print ever since. An astute businessman, he then founded a property group. He subsequently went into partnership with his wife, the successful restaurateur and cookery school entrepreneur, Prue Leith. He died on 21 December 2002.