We bid farewell to some of our most loved stars and respected public figures this year.
The world mourned the death of the UK’s longest-ruling monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, in September - just a month after the death of the former leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev.
And in July, the death of Japan’s longest serving PM, Shinzo Abe, shocked the world following his assassination.
In showbiz, there were big losses from the music world including Meatloaf, Olivia Newton John, Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, Ronnie Spector, Coolio and Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins.
The worlds of film and television mourned the deaths of Sidney Poitier, Bill Turnbull, Robbie Coltrane, Leslie Jordan, Dame Angela Lansbury, William Hurt, Ray Liotta, Anne Heche, James Caan and EastEnders legends June Brown and Bill Treacher.
Here we remember them all...
JANUARY
Meat Loaf (1947 – 2022)
The US rocker and music legend was known for hits including I’d Do Anything For Love, Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad and Bat Out Of Hell, as well as playing Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Sidney Poitier (1927 – 2022)
The groundbreaking star of films like Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, To Sir With Love and The Defiant Ones died in January 2022. He made history in 1963 when he became the first Black performer to be awarded Best Actor at the Oscars, an accolade he received for his role in Lillies Of The Field.
Gary Waldhorn (1943 – 2022)
Most well-known for playing councillor David Horton in the comedy The Vicar Of Dibley, Gary’s other on-screen credits included Brush Strokes and Escape To Victory.
André Leon Talley (1948 – 2022)
The fashion icon worked as a journalist for numerous publications, most notably serving as Vogue’s editor-at-large.
Bob Saget (1956 – 2022)
The US comedy actor stand-up comic is best remembered for his role as Danny Tanner in the family sitcom Full House. He also lent his voice to How I Met Your Mother and presented America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Ronnie Spector (1943 – 2022)
An icon of pop music and 1960s culture in general, Ronnie Spector made her name as the lead singer of The Ronettes, whose hits included Be My Baby, Baby I Love You and Walking In The Rain.
Gaspard Ulliel
The French actor who starred in Marvel’s Moon Knight was also the face of Bleu De Chanel. He died at the age of 37, following a skiing accident.
Nino Cerruti (1930 - 2022)
Italian fashion designer Nino Cerruti founded the luxury fashion house Cerruti 1881 and was credited with revolutionising menswear in the 1960s with his elegant tailored looks. He even designed for the Ferrari Formula 1 team.
Sean Rice (1972 – 2022)
The Canadian ice skater was introduced to a whole new audience when he became a professional skater on Dancing On Ice in 2011. During his two-year stint on the show he performed with TV legend Angela Rippon and Olympian Chemmy Alcott.
Nicholas Donnelly (1938 – 2022)
Nicholas’ most famous role was as teacher Craig McKenzie in the children’s series Grange Hill. He also appeared in the police drama Dixon Of Dock Green as Sergeant Johnny Wills.
Thierry Mugler (1948 – 2022)
A true icon of the fashion world, Mugler launched his fashion house in the 1970s and was a favourite of everyone from David Bowie, Lady Gaga and Cardi B to Grace Jones, Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé.
Louie Andeson (1953 – 2022)
The Emmy-winning stand-up comic and actor appeared in Coming To America, Baskets and Life With Louie.
Barry Cryer (1935 – 2022)
As well as being known as a comedy legend in his own right, Barry Cryer wrote for the likes of The Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise and Bruce Forsyth over the course of his career.
Cheslie Kryst (1991 – 2022)
Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst was also a correspondent for the entertainment news show Extra, an attorney and activist.
Leonard Fenton (1926 – 2022)
The late actor was best known to soap fans for playing Dr Harold Legg in EastEnders, making his final appearance in the soap in 2019.
Moses J Moseley (1990 – 2022)
The US actor’s credits included Watchmen and, most notably, The Walking Dead, which he appeared in multiple times between 2012 and 2015.
Maria Ewing (1950 - 2022)
The soprano and mezzo soprano US opera singer made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera and went on to perform at the Metropolitan Opera almost 100 times. She was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording in 1984 and again in 1994.
Michael Lang (1944 - 2022)
The American concert promoter and producer was best known for co-creating the historic Woodstock Music and Arts Festival in 1969. He went on to produce the Woodstock ’94 and Woodstock ’99 festivals.
FEBRUARY
Bamber Gascoigne (1935 – 2022)
The original University Challenge host was 87 when he died in February. Fellow quizmasters Stephen Fry and Victoria Coren Mitchell were among those to pay tribute.
Jamal Edwards (1990)
As founder of SB.TV, Jamal is credited with helping launch the careers of Stormzy, Ed Sheeran and Dave among countless other artists. He died at the age of 31.
Jane Kristen Marczewski (1990 – 2022)
Also known under the moniker Nightbirde, singer-songwriter Jane appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2021, and received a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell. Unfortunately, due to health issues, she was forced to bow out of the competition early. She died from breast cancer in February 2022, aged 31.
Mark Lanegan (1964 – 2022)
Rock musician Mark Lanegan was a member of bands including Queens Of The Stone Age, Screaming Trees and The Gutter Twins.
Anna Karen (1936 – 2022)
Best known for portraying Olive Rudge in On The Buses and Aunt Sal in EastEnders, Anna died in a house fire at her home.
MARCH
Shane Warne (1969 – 2022)
A true icon of the cricket world, Shane began his professional sports career in the 1990s and is is credited with “reviving the art of leg-spin”.
Mitchell Ryan (1928 – 2022)
The star of stage and screen’s credits included Lethal Weapon, Dharma & Greg, Dark Shadows and Santa Barbara.
Lynda Baron (1939 – 2022)
Lynda’s most popular roles were Nurse Gladys in Open All Hours, Linda Clarke in EastEnders and Aunt Mabel in the children’s show Come Outside.
William Hurt (1950 – 2021)
The acclaimed actor won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Kiss Of The Spiderwoman. He was later nominated for Children Of A Lesser God and Broadcast News.
Ron Pember (1934 – 2022)
The British actor appeared in a number of TV comedies including Only Fools And Horses and Red Dwarf, in addition to his stage career.
Peter Bowles (1936 – 2022)
Peter’s most famous role was as Richard DeVere in the BBC sitcom To The Manor Born. He also starred in Victoria and The Avengers.
Taylor Hawkins (1972 – 2022)
Although best known as the drummer in Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins’ music career was far-reaching, including playing on tour with Alanis Morrissette and playing in his own side project Taylor Hawkins And The Coattail Riders.
Tom Parker (1988 – 2022)
During his time as a member of The Wanted, Tom racked up a string of hits, including two UK number ones. He died at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
Patrick Demarchelier (1943 - 2022)
After starting his career working at Vogue in 1975 the fashion photographer went on to work on advertising campaigns for Chanel and Dior. He was perhaps best known for his portraits of Princess Diana.
APRIL
Naomi Judd (1946 - 2022)
County singer Naomi Judd scored 20 top 10 hits in the US with the Judds, alongside her daughter Wynonna Judd. The duo won five Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2021.
Estelle Harris (1928 – 2022)
Over the course of her illustrious career, Estelle Harris’ most notable credits included playing Estelle Costanza in Seinfeld and voicing Mrs Potato Head in the Toy Story finals.
June Brown (1927 – 2022)
June Brown is known for playing one of British TV’s most iconic roles ever, as the chain-smoking, Bible-quoting launderette manager, Dot Cotton. Her role even earned her a Bafta nomination in 2009.
David McKee (1935 – 2022)
Children’s author David McKee is responsible for creating beloved stories like Not Now, Bernard and the Elmer The Patchwork Elephant series.
Melanie Clark Pullen (1975 – 2022)
The Irish star played Mary Flaherty in EastEnders in the 1990s. She died from a brain tumour in April 2022, at the age of 46.
Gilbert Gottfried (1955 – 2022)
The US stand-up comic was known for his crude sense of humour and unmistakeable speaking voice, which earned him the role of Iago in Disney’s animated classic Aladdin.
MAY
Dennis Waterman (1948 -2022)
The actor first found fame as tough cop George Carter in The Sweeney opposite John Thaw and later went on to star in the hugely successful series, Minder and New Tricks.
Kailia Posey (1996 – 2022)
Reality star, pageant star, actor and contortionist Kailia Posey appeared as a child in the US show Toddlers & Tiaras, which inspired a popular meme featuring a clip of her.
Mike Hagerty (1954 – 2022)
Friends fans will know Mike for playing superintendent Mr Treeger in the hit sitcom. More recently, he won praise for his performance in the show Somebody Somewhere, which he was still filming at the time of his death.
Jethro Lazenby (1991 – 2022)
Musician Nick Cave announced in May that his son, the model, actor and photographer Jethro Lazenby, had died at the age of 31.
Kay Mellor (1951 – 2022)
A true great of British TV writing, Kay’s hit shows include Fat Friends, The Syndicate, Band Of Gold and A Passionate Woman. Her final show, Girlfriends, aired in 2018.
Ray Liotta (1954 – 2022)
Emmy winner Ray Liotta is best known for his roles in films like Goodfellas and Field Of Dreams. He died in the Dominican Republic, where he had been working on the film Dangerous Waters.
JUNE
Hilary Devey (1957 – 2022)
In addition to her work as a businesswoman and entrepreneur, Hilary was a panellist on the BBC series Dragon’s Den and fronted the Channel 4 show The Intern.
Philip Baker Hall (1931 – 2022)
Throughout his five decades in Hollywood, Philip Baker Hall racked up roles in everything from Modern Family and Boogie Nights to Seinfeld and M*A*S*H.
Dame Deborah James (1981 – 2022)
Dame Deborah – also known online as BowelBabe – was a journalist and broadcaster who received huge acclaim for her work raising awareness of bowel cancer, a condition she died of six years after her initial diagnosis in 2016.
Tyler Sanders (2004 – 2022)
The young actor appeared in Fear The Walking Dead and 9-1-1: Lone Star. He was previously nominated for an Emmy for his performance in Amazon’s Just Add Magic: Mystery City.
Graham Skidmore (1931 – 2022)
The broadcaster was known as the “voice of Blind Date”, providing iconic commentary on the hit 90s dating show.
Mary Mara (1960 - 2022)
The actor, best known for her roles in the US series ER, Dexter and Law & Order died in a suspected drowning incident at the age of 61.
Julee Cruise (1956 - 2022)
The American singer, songwriter and actor was best known for her collaborations with composer Angelo Badalamenti and film director David Lynch in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her biggest UK hit was Falling, the theme from Twin Peaks.
JULY
Shinzo Abe (1954 - 2022)
The world was shocked when Japan’s longest-serving prime minister was assassinated on 8 July by a man with a homemade gun.
James Caan (1940 - 2022)
The famed actor was best known for his performances in films such as Misery, Elf and the Godfather, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Sonny Corleone in the Francis Ford Coppola 1972 classic.
Mona Hammond (1931 – 2022)
The EastEnders and Desmond’s star was hailed as a “trailblazer” and “phenomenal actress” following her death.
Gregory Itzin (1948 – 2022)
Among the many roles played by the US actor were president Charles Logan in the action-packed drama 24 and Theodore Hannigan, the on-screen father of Paul Rudd’s character, in Friends.
Monty Norman (1928 – 2022)
Monty Norman was responsible for creating one of the most iconic pieces of music in cinema history, the James Bond theme tune featured in all 25 films of the series.
Paul Ryder (1964 – 2022)
Paul was one of the founding members of the Madchester group Happy Mondays, in which he played bass.
Rebecca Balding (1948 – 2022)
Soap and Charmed star Rebecca Balding died in July 2022 at the age of 73, after a battle with ovarian cancer.
Shonka Dukureh (1977 – 2022)
Shonka Dukureh made her major film debut in 2022 as Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic of Elvis Presley.
David Warner (1941 – 2022)
The actor was best known for his film roles including Titanic, The Omen and the Star Trek franchise. He died aged 80 after a cancer-related illness.
Paul Sorvino (1939 – 2022)
Actor, opera singer, businessman, and writer Paul Sorvino’s most famous role was as Paulie Cicero in Goodfellas.
Bernard Cribbins (1928 – 2022)
Throughout his seven decades in the entertainment industry, Bernard racked up appearances in everything from The Railway Children, Doctor Who and Coronation Street to Jackanory and The Wombles, which he narrated.
Pat Carroll (1927 – 2022)
As well as winning an Emmy for her role in Caesar’s Hour and a Grammy for her one-woman show, Pat will be best remembered for voicing the iconic Disney villain Ursula in The Little Mermaid.
Bill Russell (1934 - 2022)
Bill Russell’s 6 foot 9 inch height helped him attain legendary status on the basketball court, becoming known as the Greatest Player in the History of the NBA’.
Ivana Trump (1949 - 2022)
Czechoslovakia-born Ivana moved to New York in 1976 and married the future US president Donald Trump in 1977. The couple separated in 1990 and they divorced in 1992. She took part in Celebrity Big Brother in 2010.
AUGUST
Mikhail Gorbachev (1931 - 2022)
The former Soviet president won the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the Cold War by removing the Iron Curtain between Russia and the West. He also worked with President Ronald Reagan to slow the nuclear arms race and loosened restrictions inside the communist country.
Nichelle Nichols (1932 – 2022)
A true pioneer in the acting world, Nichelle was best known for her portrayal of Nyota Uhura in Star Trek and its big-screen spin-offs. After leaving Star Trek, she went on to work closely with NASA.
Olivia Newton-John (1948 – 2022)
A four-time Grammy-winning artist, actor and cancer campaigner, Olivia Newton-John is best known to millions around the role for her performance as Sandy Olsson in the big-screen musical Grease.
David McCullough (1933 - 2022)
The prize-winning author and historian won two Pulitzer Prizes for his presidential biographies, Truman in 1992 and John Adams in 2002.
Anne Heche (1969 - 2022)
The actor, known for Donnie Brasco, Psycho and many more, died after being involved in a car crash in Los Angeles.
Issey Miyake (1938 – 2022)
In his lifetime, Issey Miyake built was one of Japan’s biggest fashion brands and was known for his boldly sculpted, signature pleated pieces.
Lamont Dozier (1941 – 2022)
As part of the songwriting trio Holland-Dozier-Holland, Lamont was responsible for penning some of Motown’s most iconic songs, including You Can’t Hurry Love, You Keep Me Hanging On and How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).
Denise Dowse (1958 – 2022)
The US performer’s on-screen credits included teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210 and the hit comedy Insecure.
Darius Campbell Danesh (1980 - 2022)
The chart-topping singer had a string of hits in the early 2000s after making appearances on the reality shows Popstars and Pop Idol. He later embarked on a career in musical theatre, after winning the show Popstar To Operastar.
Bill Turnbull (1956 – 2022)
A prolific broadcaster with a career spanning decades, Bill will be best remembered for his years spent co-anchoring BBC Breakfast.
SEPTEMBER
Jean-Luc Godard (1930 – 2022)
Hailed as a pioneer in the world of filmmaking, the french director helmed the likes of Breathless and It’s My Life.
Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022)
Queen Elizabeth II was the UK’s longest-ruling monarch, spending 70 years on the throne.
Harry Landis (1926 – 2022)
Fans of the Channel 4 comedy Friday Night Dinner will remember Harry’s memorable guest stint as Mr Morris, a love interest of the Goodman family’s grandmother.
George Ward, aka Cherry Valentine (1993 – 2022)
Cherry Valentine was the drag alter-ego of mental health nurse George Ward, who competed on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2021.
Dame Hilary Mantel (1952 – 2022)
The author of the much-loved Wolf Hall trilogy made history when she became the first woman and only the fourth writer ever to win the Booker Prize twice.
Coolio (1963 – 2022)
The Grammy-winning rapper made music history with his signature 90s hit Gangsta’s Paradise.
Hilaree Nelson (1972 -2022)
Hilaree was an epic ski mountaineer who made a career climbing the world’s biggest peaks ― and skiing down them. The mother of two was the first woman to summit Mounts Everest and Lhotse within 24 hours. She died on Manaslu in Nepal in an avalanche.
Louise Fletcher (1934 - 2022)
The actor’s unflinching portrayal of the villainous Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest earned her an Oscar. “It looks like you all hated me so much that you’ve given me this award for it,” she said in her 1976 Oscar acceptance speech.
Bernard Shaw (1940 - 2022)
The pioneering American journalist and broadcaster was one of the first Black anchors in TV news. He became CNN’s chief anchor when the network launched in 1980.
OCTOBER
Jerry Lee Lewis (1935 -2022)
The rock n roll legend was known for his wild and rebellious performance style and stage presence - and his biggest hit Great Balls Of Fire.
Julie Powell (1973 - 2022)
Julie Powell was best known as a food writer and the inspiration behind the 2009 movie Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep. She became an internet darling after making every recipe in Julia Child’s 1961 book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Ashton Carter (1954 -2022)
The former US Defence Secretary trained as a physicist and medieval historian at Yale and Oxford. He served under both Republican and Democratic administrations in the Defence Department.
Loretta Lynn (1932 – 2022)
The game-changing country music queen had a career spanning six decades, releasing a total of 60 albums in her lifetime and winning four Grammys, most recently in 2010 when she scooped a Lifetime Achievement award.
Dame Angela Lansbury (1925 – 2022)
A true legend of stage and screen, Dame Angela was perhaps best known for her Emmy-nominated performance as Jessica Fletcher in the mystery series Murder, She Wrote. She also appeared in films like Gaslight, The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Bedknobs And Broomsticks and Beauty And The Beast. In 2013, she was given an Honorary Academy Award, having already scooped six Tonys and six Golden Globes over the course of her career.
Robbie Coltrane (1950 – 2022)
As well as his portrayal of Hagrid in the Harry Potter series, Robbie’s on-screen credits included the James Bond films GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough, Van Helsing and Disney’s Brave. He also received a string of TV Bafta nominations for his performances in Tutti Frutti, National Treasure and Cracker, the latter of which he won.
NOVEMBER
Leslie Phillips (1924 - 2022)
The legendary actor was best known for his roles in the Carry On films and more recently, Harry Potter.
Leslie Jordan (1955 – 2022)
A beloved character actor with a string of credits to his name, Leslie will be best remembered for his hilarious Emmy-winning portrayal of Beverly Leslie in the sitcom Will & Grace.
Takeoff (1994 – 2022)
Better known by the moniker Takeoff, Kirshnik Khari Ball made up one third of the hip-hop trio Migos.
Aaron Carter (1987 – 2022)
Former child star Aaron Carter began his music career at seven years old, reaching the UK top 10 with his debut single Crush On You. In the years since, he continued to release music, and also turned his hand to acting on a number of occasions.
Bill Treacher (1930 – 2022)
The soap veteran was one of EastEnders’ original cast members, playing Arthur Fowler in the BBC show for over a decade.
Tom Owen (1949 – 2022)
Tom joined the Last Of The Summer Wine cast in the year 2000 as the long-lost son of his real-life father Bill Owen’s character. He remained with the show until its end in 2010.
John Aniston (1933 – 2022)
The Emmy-winning actor will be best remembered for his portrayal of Victor Kiriakis in the US daytime soap Days Of Our Life. He was also the father of fellow actor Jennifer Aniston.
Jason David Frank (1973 – 2022)
The actor and martial artist played Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, in various Power Rangers projects.
Irene Cara (1959 – 2022)
Oscar and Grammy-winning actor and musician Irene Cara was renowned for her contributions to the soundtracks of the 80s films Fame and Flashdance, the former of which she also played the lead in.
Christine McVie (1943 – 2022)
Music legend Christine McVie was best known for her work in the group Fleetwood Mac, penning hits including Don’t Stop, Everywhere and Little Lies.
Clarence Gilyard Jr (1955-2022)
The actor made his film debut in 1986′s Top Gun, starring alongside Tom Cruise as F-14 Tomcat radar intercept officer, Lt. (jg) Marcus ‘Sundown’ Williams.
Brad William Henke (1966-2022)
The actor, who was best known for his role in Orange Is The New Black, died on 29 November, aged 56.
DECEMBER
Kirstie Alley (1951 – 2022)
After originally rising to fame in the sitcom Cheers, Kirstie’s additional credits included Look Who’s Talking, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Fat Actress and The Last Don.
Gary Freidkin (1952 – 2022)
Gary’s on-screen roles included the sitcom Happy Days and the Star Wars film Return Of The Jedi, in which he played an Ewok.
Georgia Holt (1926 – 2022)
Although she was known to many as the mother of award-winning entertainer Cher, Georgia Holt was a singer in her own right, finally releasing her first album Honky Tonk Woman in 2013 at the age of 87.
Ruth Madoc (1943 – 2022)
A cult figure within the world of British entertainment, with a career spanning 60 years, Ruth was best known for her memorable stint in the comedy Hi-De-Hi!.
Victor Lewis-Smith (1957 - 2022)
As well as the writer and broadcaster’s TV career, he was a regular hoax caller of public figures including Diana, Princess Of Wales.
Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss (1982 - 2022)
The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s resident DJ and sometimes presenter died at the age of 40. Ellen led tributes, describing him as “pure love and light” and said she would miss him “with all my heart”.
Terry Hall (1959 -2022)
The lead singer of The Specials died in December at the age of 63 following a short illness. In a statement released on social media following his death, the Coventry ska-punk band paid tribute to “our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced”.
Martin Duffy (1967 - 2022)
The musician was best known for having played keyboards as a member of Primal Scream since 1989, as well as his work with the bands Felt and the Charlatans. He dies at the age of 55 when he died in December.
Pele (1940 - 2022)
Brazil declared three days of national mourning when arguably the greatest footballer of all time died at the age of 82 in December.
The striker is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 career appearances and he is the only man to have won the World Cup three times - in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Vivienne Westwood (1941 - 2022)
The family of the British fashion legend said she had died “peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London” on 29 December.
Her friend, supermodel Naomi Campbell, described her as “the original Queen of Fashion”.
Former Pope Benedict XVI (1927 -2022)
The former pope died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 95 in his residence at the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story used an incorrect surname for Tyler Sanders. We apologise for this error.