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The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson's doctor husband Malcolm dies

Getty Images Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson poses with her husband Malcolm outside Buckingham Palace after she was awarded and MBEGetty Images
Malcolm Donaldson with his wife Julia after she was awarded an MBE for services to literature

Doctor Malcolm Donaldson, the husband of The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson, has died aged 75.

Dr Donaldson was a paediatric consultant and senior lecturer in child health at the University of Glasgow until his retirement in 2012.

The university later appointed him honorary senior research fellow at its School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing.

He was married to Julia - whose children's books The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child have been global best-sellers - for 52 years.

As a highly-respected academic, Dr Donaldson wrote or contributed to more than 180 publications, papers and books.

But he was also an accomplished actor, singer and guitarist who accompanied his wife to perform her songs and stories at festivals, schools, libraries and bookshops around the world.

His younger patients also gave him the affectionate nickname Dr Gruffalo.

The couple lived in the Glasgow suburb of Bearsden from 1987 until moving to Surrey in 2014.

The children's book The Gruffalo opened and sitting on a table
The Gruffalo has sold more than 13.5m copies

Axel Scheffler, who illustrated the Gruffalo books, said: “I have known Malcolm for 30 years and always admired his enthusiasm for our books, Julia’s work and children’s books in general.

"All this beside being a paediatric consultant and giving lectures all over the world.

"His true passion was performing with Julia on stage, playing the guitar and acting – especially his legendary suave role of the Fox in The Gruffalo.

"He will be deeply missed.”

Julia Donaldson is the author over of 184 published works and a former Children's Laureate.

The Gruffalo was first published in 1999 and has sold more than 13.5m copies.