Farewell history-makers and much-loved cultural icons
IT’S been a tumultuous year in many respects, but when it comes to the number of great and good we’ve lost, 2016 has felt like the year of never-ending celebrity deaths.
Some had lived long and full lives. Royle Family actress Liz Smith was 95 when she passed away on Christmas Eve. The later years of her career were especially rewarding – she was 49 when she got her big break.
Others, like George Michael at 53, felt horribly premature, sad and unexpected.
Some actually played a huge part in global history – Muhammad Ali, who passed away in June, was the boxing champ as famous for his activism and charm as he was for his knockout punches.
The passing in January of broadcaster Terry Wogan at 77 was particularly sad. The lilting Irish tones and mischievous wit made him a national treasure.
Likewise Ronnie Corbett, 85 when he passed away in March, but still raising a smile when we think of his hilarious partnership with Ronnie Barker.
Or David Bowie, one of the biggest stars of the past 50 years whose continual artistic reinvention was emulated by other musical giants like Madonna.
The list of famous people we lost last year feels longer than usual. But have more famous people died in 2016?
The BBC confirmed a spike in the number of deaths of famous people it reported on. The Beeb used 30% more pre-prepared obituaries in 2016 than the year before.
Maybe it’s down to the fact that celebrity culture itself is getting on a bit.
The entertainment boom as we know it began with the golden age of Hollywood and exploded in the 1960s with The Beatles.
And many would agree it’s a lot easier to become famous and make money out of it than it used to be.
There are simply more celebs around. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that we lost some much-loved legends this year.
We feel an attachment to the celebs who brighten our lives. So to lose the likes of Victoria Wood, Prince, Caroline Aherne, Jean Alexander, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher means we will surely remember 2016 as the year we lost some of our most glittering stars.