WOW so it’s the 28th December and in the last three days we have lost Rick Parfitt, Liz Smith, George Michael and Carrie Fisher to name a few.
So many big named celebrities have passed away this year.
January
The Starman, David Bowie, Radio Broadcaster and Children in Need host Terry Wogan, One of my very favourite bands. The Eagles lead man Glenn Frey. My favourite male actor Alan Rickman, he nailed Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series,
February
In February we lost Harper Lee, who was the fabulous author of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Frank Kelly who played Father Jack in the comedy show Father Ted, David Duffield a cyclist and TV Commentator. We also lost our good friend Ken.
March
March saw the deaths of comedian Ronnie Corbett, Coronation Street creator Tony Warren, Emerson, Lake and Palmer founder and keyboard player Keith Emerson. Also the magical magician Paul Daniels.
April
April brought us the death of mega star Prince, TV agony aunt Denise Robertson, former Preston North End player Ken Waterhouse, actress and total funny woman Victoria Woods. She was such a talent and had so much more to give.
May
In May we said good bye to Carla Lane., the writer of Butterflies, The Liver Birds and Bread to name a few. Also Jonathan Cainer, the famous astrologer and Reg Grundy, Australian TV mogul, who brought us Sons and Daughter, Young Doctor and the famous soap opera Neighbours.
June
The “Greatest” boxer ever Muhammad Ali passed away in June, his death wasn’t unexpected as he had been diagnosed with Parkinsons’s Disease in 1984, but it was still a shock when it happened. We also lost MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in her constituency. Gordon Murray also died, he was a British puppeteer and TV producer that brought us classic favourites Trumpton, Camberwick Green and Chigley, these where favourite programmes of both Nanna Jane and Granddad Al when they was little.
July
July brought the death of comedian, actress and writer Caroline Aherne, she was only 52, she was also famous for playing Mrs Merton and Denise in The Royle Family. Vivean Gray who starred in a lot of Australian TV shows, you may remember her playing nosey Mrs Mangel in Neighbours.
August
Augusts deaths include Gene Wilder, who can forget his role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (I watched it again just the other day and it’s up there as one of my favourites).
Kenny Baker who played R2-D2 in the Star Wars films also died this month.
September
The death of Arnold Palmer in September brought sadness to the golfing world. Terence Brady also died this month, he was an actor and writer. He wrote for Upstairs Downstairs, Yes Minister and acted in the classic Z-Cars amongst others
October
October brought the death of Peter Burns, singer with Dead or Alive, he also starred in Celebrity Big Brother. The singer Bobby Vee also died he was know for singing Rubber Ball and Take Good Care of My Baby.
Also Coronation Street and The Last of the Summer Wine actress Jean Alexander, I no longer watch Corrie, but I remember the scene that Jean did playing the legendary Hilda Ogden when they had held a funeral for her husband Stan. That scene was so emotional.
November
Sir Jimmy Young the legendary radio broadcaster. Fawlty Tower’s bungling waiter Manuel played by Andrew Sachs and actors Florence Henderson, who is best known for playing Carol in the Brady Bunch, and Robert Vaughn an American actor known for starring in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Bullitt and the action/disaster film The Towering Inferno.
December
December seems to have been a terrible for celebrities passing away. seems like almost every day there has been one or more deaths. From the racing jockey Walter Swinburn to Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher. Also A.A.Gill the writer and restaurant critic, the TV weatherforcaster IanMcCaskill, American Astronaut John Glenn, Singer George Michael, Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, Status Quo legend Rick Parfitt, actress Liz Smith famous for playing Nanna in The Royle Family and Letitia Cropley in The Vicar Of Dibley.
We still have three days to go, how many more will 2016 take from us? I bet I have missed someone out, so feel free to tell me.
We’ve had a few family losses in one way or another this year, if you have lost family members, friends, please accept our condolences.
Nanna Jane
As time passes we have so many more great people to add too – gone but never forgotten