Today’s birthdays

Sir Bruce Forsyth, entertainer, is 88; Miss Sheila Hancock, actress, director and writer, 83; Mr B.C. Beazer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Beazer plc, 1983-91, 81; Sir Samuel Whitbread, Lord-Lieutenant for Bedfordshire, 2001-12; Chairman, Whitbread, 1984-92, 79; Sir Brian Follett, Chairman, Training and Development Agency for Schools, 2003-09, 77; Miss Judy Cornwell, actress and author, 76; Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, former diplomat, 74; Baroness Garden of Frognal 72; Sir Christopher Meyer, Chairman, Press Complaints Commission, 2003-09; former diplomat, 72; Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore, a Justice of The Supreme Court, 68; Mr Niki Lauda, former Formula One racing driver; three-times World Champion, 67; Miss Julie Walters, actress, 66; the Rev Prof Bernard Silverman, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Home Office; Master of St Peter’s College, Oxford, 2003-09, 64; Mr Ian Stark, champion three-day eventer, 62; Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, 60; Sir John Leighton, Director General, National Galleries of Scotland, 57; Lord Strathclyde 56; Lord Adonis, former Labour Cabinet Minister, 53; Mr Devon Malcolm, former England cricketer, 53; Mr Kieren Fallon, flat racing jockey; six-times Champion Jockey, 51; Mr Justice MacDonald 46; Mr Rolando Villazón, tenor, 44; and Mr Michael Chang, tennis player and coach, 44.

Today is the anniversary of the announcement that scientists in Roslin, Scotland, had successfully cloned an adult sheep, Dolly, in 1997.