BORN ON THIS DAY

AA GILL (1954-2016). The Sunday Times journalist died just three weeks after revealing in a restaurant review that he had ‘the Full english’ of cancers. The ex-husband of former Home Secretary Amber Rudd had severe dyslexia and had to dictate his articles. His views often sparked outrage, for example calling Norfolk ‘the hernia on the end of england’, but he revealed his softer side when he chose his children’s pillows as his luxury on BBC’s Desert Island Discs. RICHARD RODGERS ( 1902- 1979). The American behind the musicals South Pacific, oklahoma! and The King And I, was the first composer to win an emmy, Grammy, oscar and Tony, and was also honoured with a Pulitzer. The prolific writer of 1,500 songs — above, with Julie Andrews, star of another of his hits, The Sound of Music — was able to compose a tune over breakfast. He said: ‘I admit, with no modesty whatever, that not many people can do it. But when they say: “You’re a genius,” I say: “No, it’s my job.”’