The husband of a Bafta-nominated make-up artist is in police custody this morning after he was arrested on suspicion of her murder, sources said.

Diane Chenery-Wickens, 48, who has worked on shows including Dead Ringers, The League Of Gentlemen and Casualty, has not been seen or heard from since last Thursday.

Police said she was last seen by her husband, David, who travelled with her by train from East Grinstead, to the capital to attend a meeting at the BBC.

Sussex Police said yesterday that a 51-year-old man from East Sussex had been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

Last night impressionist Jon Culshaw - who worked with Mrs Chenery-Wickens on Dead Ringers - said her disappearance was out of character and concerning.

He told BBC South East Today: "We knew her really, really well. She has been our make-up artist on our show for about five years.

"We spend a lot of time together and she is a really, really lovely woman, really organised. It's just really out of character, which makes it all the more concerning and bewildering.

"You just hope that somewhere there is one of those sensible explanations to this."

Once Mrs Chenery-Wickens and her husband arrived in London, they were said to have parted in the Shepherds Bush area with an agreement to meet up again later at a hairdresser's, where she had an appointment.

But Mrs Chenery-Wickens, from Duddleswell, near Uckfield, East Sussex, failed to turn up for the appointment and she has not been seen or heard from since.

Her husband reported her missing to the Metropolitan Police the same night and her disappearance is being investigated by detectives.

Mrs Chenery-Wickens has worked for more than 20 years on hair and make-up design on some of television's best-known shows.

Her work has been seen by millions of viewers on programmes such as The League Of Gentlemen, Casualty, Pride And Prejudice and Dead Ringers.

Her brother, Russell Wickens, said their parents were "frantic" with worry.

In a statement, Mr Wickens, who yesterday travelled to Sussex from his home in Bristol, added: "Her disappearance is uncharacteristic behaviour and causing us great concern. We urge her to get in touch just to let us know she is safe."

He said later, of his sister's husband: "I don't really know enough about him but from what I understand he is not a vicar but I believe he is involved in a spiritualist church."

In an interview in 2006, Mrs Chenery-Wickens said that at school she aspired to become a hairdresser and beauty therapist, and went on to the London College of Fashion.

She later took a two-year in-house traineeship at the BBC before starting work on her own.

She said: "The variety of work that I do is phenomenal. I feel so fortunate."

In 2003, she was nominated for a Bafta in the make-up and hair design category for her work on Dead Ringers, missing out to an artist on Little Britain.

Anyone with information is asked to call Sussex Police on 0845 6070 999, quoting Operation Hartley.