Those We Lost in 2016

THOSE WE LOST IN 2016
Hello again everyone. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) and you are all happy and well as the New Year approaches.
Today’s post is going to be a rather sad one unfortunately.
It’s no secret that this year has been terrible in terms of celebrity deaths. Here I’m going to talk about just a few of the huge number we have lost this year.


RICK PARFITT
For nearly fifty years, Status Quo were one of the greatest rock bands in this country, with hits such as Rockin’ All Over the World, In The Army Now, and Whatever You Want among many others.
Sadly, guitarist Rick Parfitt died on Christmas Eve, after suffering an infection on a shoulder injury.  
PETE BURNS
I spoke about the death of Pete Burns a few months ago, when I added You Spin Me Right Round (Like A Record) to my Through the Decades playlist as a bonus track. The link to that post is below.
PRINCE
Another musical icon who passed away this year, Prince died at his home in Minnesota in April at the age of 57.
His career spanned nearly four decades, and included, amongst a huge catalogue of hits, his most iconic song, Purple Rain.
ALAN RICKMAN
“I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses”
Alan Rickman was one of the UK’s finest actors, starring in films such as Die Hard and the recent animated adaptations of Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass.
But, it will be as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films that he will be remembered most by millions around the world. His portrayal of this character who appeared evil but ultimately turned out to be a hero will in my view be the role which will send him down in history as an acting great.
ANDREW SACHS
"¿Qué?"
This year, we also lost another great sitcom star in Andrew Sachs. His role as the Spanish waiter Manuel in 1970s classic Fawlty Towers will go down as one of the greatest comedy characters of all time.
TERRY WOGAN
Sir Terry Wogan was one of the UK’s most recognisable TV presenters throughout his many decades on TV and radio. His death at the end of January this year seemed to come out of the blue, and so was a total shock to the nation.
For me, I will always remember him for his appearances as a presenter on Children in Need, and for his witty, often critical, commentary of the Eurovision song contest which he did until 2008.
VICTORIA WOOD
Of all the famous deaths this year, I think Victoria Wood’s hit me the hardest. One of the funniest female comedians this country has ever produced, she entertained millions with her wit, and incredible talent for writing comedies, particularly when she worked alongside Julie Walters.
Not only was she great at writing comedy shows, but she also combined her musical ability with her writing to produce a whole range of very funny songs. I will drop a link to my favourite one below.
MUHAMMAD ALI
“The Greatest”
Undoubtedly the world’s most famous athlete of all time, Ali was a true icon throughout his career and inspired so many others to take up not just boxing, but other sports as well. His incredible career earned him so much acclaim around the world. Sadly, he lost his battle with Parkinson’s disease in June this year, but he left behind a legacy unrivalled in the sporting world.
He was simply “The Greatest”.
DAVID BOWIE
“There’s a starman waiting in the sky”
The first celebrity we lost this year, David Bowie died on 10th January. He had such a huge impact on the music over the course of four decades, collaborating with some true music greats and giving us some of the best songs of all time.
He may be gone, but his legacy is huge and we will never forget the influence he had on all of our lives.
CAROLINE AHERNE AND LIZ SMITH
The Royle Family with its simple, documentary-esque style and geniusly written comedy make it one of my favourite comedy series of all time.
This year, we lost Caroline Aherne to cancer back in July at the age of 52. She not only co-wrote the show, but also starred as Denise in the series.
If that weren’t bad enough, just a few days ago, on Christmas Eve, Liz Smith also passed away at the age of 95. Her portrayal of Nana in the series was so amazing, and showcased just what a great actress Smith really was, particularly in the 2006 Christmas Special The Queen of Sheba, in which Nana died. That episode perfectly blended comedy with serious emotional scenes, and that is why I adored not only Liz Smith’s skills as an actress, but also Aherne’s gift as a comedy writer. Simply brilliant.
CARRIE FISHER AND DEBBIE REYNOLDS
What a week!
On December 27th, Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60. She had a heart attack a few days earlier whilst flying back home from London to Los Angeles. The whole world was left in complete shock at the death of such a huge Hollywood star, and there has been a huge outpouring of grief from fans all around the world.
If that weren’t bad enough, the following day, whilst making preparations for her funeral, Carrie Fisher’s mother, the Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds also died.
Both of them are legends of the film world, and quite rightly deserve the title which I have heard thrown around about them over the last few days – Hollywood royalty.
RONNIE CORBETT
Ronnie Corbett, one half of the famous comedy duo The Two Ronnies, died on March 31st aged 85. He had a career spanning five decades which included appearances in several films, and made cameos in other comedy series. He earned himself a place as one of our best-loved comedians in that time, and will go down in history as a comic legend here in the UK.  
GENE WILDER
“Come with me, and you’ll be, in a world of pure imagination”
Gene Wilder brought Willy Wonka to life and turned Roald Dahl’s most eccentric character into a cultural icon for generations of children who grew up with the film.
GEORGE MICHAEL
Another loss in recent days, George Michael passed away at his home in Oxfordshire on Christmas day at the age of 53, which like so many other famous deaths this year, has left the world stunned.
Having found huge fame as part of Wham! in the early 1980s, he went on to have an incredible solo career and became one of the greatest singer-songwriters this country has ever known. Amongst others, he had hits like Faith, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me, and the beautiful Careless Whisper.

There are so many more we have lost this year that it would be almost impossible to speak about them all here. I invite you to share your memories of what these people meant to you either down in the comments, or on my social media links in the table below. Even though this year has been incredibly sad because we have lost so many people, I believe we should all remember that despite the fact they’re gone, they have had such a hugely positive impact on all of our lives and as long as we remember that, they will never really be gone.
Until next time, keep positive, keep smiling, and always keep believing!

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

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