As the year comes to a close, we look back on a 12 months that has been challenging for many people in a world that has become somewhat unrecognisable.
Now more than ever, it is important to be able to escape into music, movies, television shows, books, video games and other forms of entertainment, and so it is incredibly sad when we lose prominent figures in those fields to the inevitability of death.
Here’s a look back at the celebrities who have died in 2021.
Larry King: A man who shook up the entertainment world with his legendary interviewing skills and someone who was allowed access to some of the greatest minds on the planet, from Presidents to A-list blockbuster movie stars.
Larry’s career began in the 1970s with a radio show and would go on to include a solo CNN series that spanned 25 years and, at the end of his life, a move to streaming service Hulu.
Aged 87, Larry was taken into hospital a few weeks after contracting coronavirus and would die in Los Angeles due to the effects of sepsis.
Cicely Tyson: At 96, Cicely was a woman who had spent her life fighting for social justice and equality, especially when it came to issues of race, and her work on both the screen and the stage had landed her a plethora of Emmy Awards, as well as a Tony.
No cause of death was given, but her manager of over four decades, Larry Thompson, said that she died peacefully in Harlem.
Christopher Plummer: Well-known for his role as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, as well as a string of other high-profile projects including Knives Out and All the Money in the World, this Canadian actor was one of the most recognisable faces on the big screen.
So celebrated was he, that he had throughout his career, taken home a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA, an Oscar, a Golden Globe, two Primetime Emmys and, two Tony Awards.
Aged 91, Christopher took a tumble at his home in Weston which resulted in a blow to his head, dying two-and-a-half weeks later. His family released a statement saying he had passed peacefully, with wife Elaine Taylor by his side.
Johnny Briggs: One of the most iconic soap characters of all time was Mike Baldwin, in no small part thanks to Johnny’s incredible skill at capturing the character’s personality and showcasing it on Coronation Street’s cobbles for the country to see.
The father-of-six was surrounded by family when he died aged 85, after battling a long-time illness. His Corrie costars shared tributes on social media and in statements, recalling their fondest memories of working with one of the show’s most memorable characters.
Sabine Schmitz: This German professional motor racing driver became a television personality when she started regularly appearing on BBC's Top Gear, appearing alongside the show's regular presenters.
She would later be selected as a presenter on the revamped version of the show, following Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond's move to Amazon Prime Video.
Sabine passed away following a battle with cancer at a hospital in Trier, Germany on March 16th, 2021. She was just 51 at the time of her death. The first corner of the Nordschleife loop was renamed the Sabine-Schmitz-Kurve in her honour.
Prince Philip: Just a couple of months before his 100th birthday, Prince Philip passed away following one of the most momentous Royal Family tenures in history.
Married to Queen Elizabeth II for over 70 years, he is renowned as the longest-serving consort in British history and carried out over 22,000 solo engagements, before stepping back from public life in 2017.
Helen McCrory: Britain has a knack of procuring some of the finest acting talents and, at the top of that pile are the likes of stars such as Helen McCrory.
Known for her work in a string of unique projects, such as Peaky Blinders, Penny Dreadful and of course the Harry Potter film series, she commanded attention whenever she appeared on stage or screen.
After being diagnosed with cancer, she died aged 52. Her husband and fellow actor Damian Lewis remembered her as “a beautiful and mighty woman” who “blazed so brightly”. A fitting tribute for a one-of-a-kind star.
Nikki Grahame: In 2006, a young Nikki’s life was about to change. She entered the Big Brother house at the peak of the show’s popularity and quickly became a marmite figure that the audience either loved, or loved to loathe.
What followed was a series packed full of catchphrases, which led to Nikki being invited back not just for future seasons of the British show, but even a stint in Big Brother Canada.
After battling against eating disorders her entire life, she died aged 38.
Dusty Hill: As the bassist and a vocalist for hit US rock band ZZ Top, Dusty formed the band back in 1969 with Frank Beard and Billy Gibbons, ahead of their debut album recording a year later.
“We, along with legions of ZZ Top fans around the world, will miss your steadfast presence, your good nature and enduring commitment to providing that monumental bottom to the ‘Top’," said his bandmates in tribute to Dusty, who died in his sleep following a hip injury, aged 72.
Charlie Watts: Another legendary musician who died this year was this Rolling Stones drummer, who joined the band in 1963 and lent his talents to some of the group’s most iconic hits, such as I Can’t Get No Satisfaction and Brown Sugar.
His cause of death wasn’t revealed to the public, when the drummer died at 80.
Sean Lock: A comedian who delivered an experience unlike any other with his stand-up and straight-to-camera deadpan joking, Sean died aged 58 after battling against cancer; a diagnosis that he had kept private from the public right up until the time of his passing.
Sean had appeared in a whole host of hilarious TV shows including Have I Got News For You, They Think It's All Over and 8 Out of 10 Cats; fellow comedians including Ricky Gervais paid tribute to who they labelled as “one of the funniest, most influential” comics of the generation.
Sarah Harding: Another star who had been battling with cancer was Girls Aloud favourite, Sarah Harding. She had recently appeared in Celebrity Big Brother and walked out of the house as the winner, but was later diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, announcing that it was terminal and she wasn’t expecting to see another Christmas Day.
Following her death, Sarah’s mother said in a statement: “I know she won't want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease - she was a bright shining star and I hope that's how she can be remembered instead”.
Michael K Williams: This multiple Emmy nominee is best-known for his stunning work in the likes of Bessie, When They See Us and Lovecraft Country, but it was as Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire and, as Omar Little in The Wire that gained him countless fans.
A post-mortem found that the 54-year-old died from an accidental drug overdose; a tragedy, but one that those who loved him won’t allow to tarnish his incredible career.
John Challis: Known for bringing Boycie to life in Only Fools and Horses alongside a host of other roles, John was often at the centre of some of the show’s most hilarious scenes, thanks to his marriage which became a running joke, thanks to his on-screen wife’s apparent infidelity.
After a long battle with cancer, his family announced that he had passed away peacefully whilst sleeping, at the age of 79.
Halyna Hutchins: One of the biggest tragedies of the year happened on the set of the movie Rust, in which the film’s leading star Alec Baldwin held a gun which discharged during a rehearsal, the bullet from which collided with Halyna and took her life.
She was just 42 when she died and was enjoying a promising career, having worked on the likes of Archenemy and Blindfire in the past.
James Michael Tyler: Anyone who has watched a handful of episodes of Friends will recognise this star as Gunther; a worker at the coffee shop who had an unrelenting crush on Jennifer Aniston's Rachel Green, through all 10 seasons of the show.
Following his brief appearance on HBO’s Friends reunion, James passed away aged 58, following a diagnosis of prostate cancer back in 2018.
Lionel Blair: Working in showbiz for an incredible seven decades, Lionel was one of Britain's most recognisable famous faces. Whether he was tap dancing, doing magic tricks, presenting or simply being his brilliant self, he was forever entertaining.
At 92, following recent appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and The Real Marigold Hotel, he passed away surrounded by his family.
Carlos Marin: As part of classical group Il Divo, Carlos was a part of 30 million record sales across 10 studio album releases, as well as enjoying roles in stage shows such as Grease and Les Miserables.
Aged 53, the singer caught the Delta variant of coronavirus and was taken to hospital in Manchester, where he passed away.
"There will never be another voice or spirit like Carlos," said his fellow Il Divo group members.
Desmond Tutu: A staunch fighter for social justice, Desmond Tutu will be remembered as an outspoken and forward-thinking critic of apartheid and South Africa's oppression against the Black community.
Back in 1984, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize thanks to his campaigning of non-violent opposition to the white minority rule in the country.
He passed away aged 90.
Other stars and notable figures we lost in 2021 include The Monkees artist Michael Nesmith, comedian Jethro, fashion designer Virgil Abloh, composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, MP Sir David Amess, MP James Brokenshire, football legend Jimmy Greaves, Gogglebox stars Andy Michael, Pete McGarry and Mary Cook, actress Una Stubbs, actor Dilip Kumar, author Eric Carle, actor Charles Grodin, rapper DMX, reggae legend Bunny Wailer, Formula One commentator Murray Walker, Saved By The Bell's Dustin Diamond, Captain Sir Tom Moore and, Gerry and the Pacemakers' own Gerry Marsden.
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