BIRTHDAYS
Fanny Ardant, actress, 69; Michael Aron, Ambassador to Yemen, 59; George Benson, singer and guitarist, 75; Lord Browne of Ladyton, Vice-Chairman, Nuclear Threat Initiative, and former MP, 66; Deborah Bull, former dancer, and Assistant Principal, King’s College London, 55; Mario Cipollini, former world road cycling champion, 51; Billy Collins, poet and former Poet Laureate of the United States, 77; George Ferguson, architect and former Mayor of Bristol, 71; Bruno Ganz, actor, 77; Rivka Golani, viola player, 72; Jon Hassell, trumpeter and composer, 81;
Maj-Gen Buster Howes, Defence Attaché, British Embassy, Washington, 57; David Jones MP, former Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European Union, 66; Beverley Knight (Beverley Smith), singer, 45; Yayoi Kusama, artist and writer, 89; Lord Lloyd-Webber, composer and impresario, 70;
Matthew Modine, actor, 59; John Mullin, journalist, 55; Tyler Oakley, YouTube broadcaster and LGBT activist, 29; Alan Opie, baritone, 73; Dick Pound, Chairman, Olympic Broadcasting Services, and former president, World Anti-Doping Agency, 76;
Rudy Rucker, mathematician and novelist, 72; Paul Schockemöhle, horse trainer and former showjumper, 73; William Shatner, actor and singer, 87; Stephen Sondheim, composer and lyricist, 88; Michael Emmet Walsh, actor, 83; Dame Fanny Waterman, pianist, teacher and founder, Leeds International Pianoforte Competition, 98; Roger Whittaker, singer and songwriter, 82; Reese Witherspoon, actress, 42; Pete Wylie, singer, songwriter and guitarist, 60.