Celebrity Deaths 2021: Remembering The Much-Loved Stars We Lost In 2021

There have been huge losses from the worlds of TV, film, music and sport over the last 12 months.

We bid farewell to some of our most loved stars this year.

There were big losses from the acting world including Harry Potter and Peaky Blinders actor Helen McCrory, Sex And The City star Willie Garson, British TV royalty Una Stubbs, Friends actor James Michael Tyler, Michael K Williams of The Wire fame and Corrie legend Johnny Briggs.

The TV world mourned the deaths of Gogglebox favourites Mary Cook, Andy Michaels and Pete McGarry, comedian Sean Lock, TOWIE’s Mick Norcross and Big Brother’s Nikki Grahame.

And from the music world we lost Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding, ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill, Grammy winning rapper DMX and Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts.

Here we remember them all...

DECEMBER
PA Media
Janice Long (1955-2021)

The trailblazing DJ, who died on Christmas Day after a short illness, was the first woman to have her own daily show on Radio 1 and the first regular female presenter on Top Of The Pops.
DECEMBER
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Jean-Marc Vallée (1963-2021)

The director and producer won an Emmy for directing the hit HBO series Big Little Lies and his 2013 drama Dallas Buyers Club earned multiple Oscar nominations.
DECEMBER
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Carlos Marin (1968 – 2021)

The Spanish baritone was known to millions as a member of the vocal harmony group Il Divo.

Breaking the news of Carlos' death, his bandmates said: "There wiIl never be another voice or spirit like Carlos.

“For 17 years the four of us have been on this incredible journey of Il Divo together, and we will miss our dear friend.
DECEMBER
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Sally Ann Howes (1930 – 2021)

Best known for her much-loved performance as Truly Scrumptious in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sally Ann enjoyed a lengthy career in musical theatre.

As well as succeeding Julie Andrews in the Broadway production of My Fair Lady, she also landed a Tony nomination for her role in the play Brigadoon.
DECEMBER
Rex
Jethro (1948 - 2021)

The Cornish comic – whose legal name was Geoffrey Rowe – died after contracting Covid-19 at the age of 72.
NOVEMBER
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Lionel Blair (1928 - 2021)

Across a seven-decade career, the showbiz legend worked on television as an actor, tap dancer, presenter and choreographer.
OCTOBER
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James Michael Tyler (1962 - 2021)

The 59-year-old, who played Gunther in Friends, died at his home in Los Angeles after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

His Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston paid tribute, saying: “Friends would not have been the same without you. Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed.”
SEPTEMBER
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Willie Garson (1964 - 2021)

The US actor, best known for playing Stanford Blatch in Sex And The City, died at the age of 57 after being diagnosed with cancer.

Willie's friend, and SATC co-star Sarah Jessica Parker paid tribute, saying: “It’s been unbearable. Sometimes silence is a statement. Of the gravity. The anguish. The magnitude of the loss of a 30+ year friendship."
SEPTEMBER
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Michael K Williams (1966 – 2021)

Among the Hollywood star's many acting credits were The Wire, Boardwalk Empire and When They See Us, as well as films like Inherent Vice and 12 Years A Slave and
SEPTEMBER
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Sarah Harding (1981 – 2021)

Sarah rose to fame as a member of the chart-topping girl group Girls Aloud. She died aged 39, a year after sharing that she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer, which later spread to other parts of her body.
AUGUST
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Ed Asner (1929 – 2021)

A true legend of the big and small screen, Ed played Lou Grant in the Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off. More recently, he voiced Carl Fredricksen in the Pixar film Up and appeared in the Netflix dark comedy Dead To Me.
AUGUST
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Matthew Mindler (2001 – 2021)

The former child star's most prolific role was playing the son of Steve Coogan's character in the comedy Our Idiot Brother. He took his own life at the age of just 19.
AUGUST
Channel 4
Andy Michael (1960 – 2021)


Andy was one of Gogglebox's original cast members, appearing on the show alongside his wife and family.
AUGUST
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Charlie Watts (1941 – 2021)

Charlie served as the Rolling Stones' drummer for almost sixty years, touring with the hit rock group long into his seventies.
AUGUST
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Brian Travers (1959 – 2021)

The saxophonist was one of the founding members of the British reggae and ska group UB40.
AUGUST
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Una Stubbs (1937 - 2021)

The actor, best known for her roles in Worzel Gummidge, EastEnders, Til Death Us Do Part and Sherlock, died at her home in Edinburgh surrounded by her family at the age of 84.
AUGUST
Channel 4
Mary Cook (1929 – 2021)

A favourite among Gogglebox fans since her debut in 2016, Mary shared her hilarious commentary on the week's telly with her close friend Marina Wingrove.
AUGUST
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Don Everly (1937 – 2021)

Don made up one half the US musical duo The Everly Brothers, who enjoyed chart success and made a huge musical impact in the 1960s.
AUGUST
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Sonny Chiba (1939 – 2021)

Born Shinichi Chiba, the Japanese martial artist was one of the stars of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.
AUGUST
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Sean Lock (1963 – 2021)

The stand-up comedian was best known as a team captain on the panel show 8 Out Of 10 Cats and the creator of the sitcom 15 Storeys High.
AUGUST
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Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas (1951 – 2021)

Dee Tee was a founding member of Kool & The Gang, whose hits included Jungle Boogie, Steppin' Out and Celebration.
JULY
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Dusty Hill (1949 – 2021)

Born Joe Michael Hill, Dusty rose to fame as the bass player in the rock group ZZ Top, a band he played in for more than 50 years.
JULY
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Tom O'Connor (1939 – 2021)

The much-loved comedian helmed shows including Name That Tune, Password and Crosswits.
JULY
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Jonathan "Jono" Coleman (1956 – 2021)

Radio presenter Jono Coleman hosted shows on Virgin, Heart and the BBC over the course of his broadcasting career.
JULY
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Sebastian Eubank (1991 – 2021)


The boxer – son of boxing professional Chris Eubank – died after a "massive heart attack". A post-mortem revealed he had a previously undiagnosed heart condition.
JUNE
Netflix
Jannine Moar (1959 – 2021)

Jannine and her husband Mark were contestants on the Australian reality show Instant Hotel, which gained an international following after its debut on Netflix.
JUNE
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Pete McGarry (1950 – 2021)

One of the early stars of Gogglebox, Pete was heard commenting on the last week of television alongside his wife, Linda.
JUNE
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Johnny Solinger (1965 – 2021)

The lead singer of the US rock group Skid Row died at the age of 55, a month after revealing he was suffering with liver failure.
JUNE
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Lisa Banes (1955 – 2021)

Known for her roles in Cocktail and Gone Girl, Lisa died at the age of 65 after suffering a brain injury in a hit-and-run incident.
JUNE
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Ned Beatty (1937 – 2021)

The Oscar-nominated actor appeared in more than 160 films, including Deliverance, Network, All The President's Men and Toy Story 3.
JUNE
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Ernie Lively (1947 – 2021)

As well as The Dukes Of Hazzard and Passenger 57, Ernie appeared in The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants, playing the on-screen father of his real-life daughter, Blake Lively.
JUNE
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Ben Roberts (1950 – 2021)

The British actor played Chief Inspector Derek Conway in The Bill for 14 years, and later made appearances in Jane Eyre, A Little Chaos and Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children.
MAY
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Gavin MacLeod (1931 – 2021)

A veteran of US television, Gavin was most famous in the States for his leading role in The Love Boat. His other acting credits included The Mary Tyler Moore Show and McHale's Navy.
MAY
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BJ Thomas (1942 – 2021)

The Grammy-winning country and gospel musician is best known for hits like Hooked On A Feeling, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry and Raindrops Keep Falling On Head.
MAY
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Freddy Marks (1949 – 2021)

The children's entertainer made up one third of the group Rod, Jane and Freddy, who frequently appeared in Rainbow in the 1980s and 90s.
MAY
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Samuel E Wright (1946 – 2021)

The two-time Tony Award winner voiced Sebastian the crab in Disney's Little Mermaid franchise, as well as originating the role of Mufasa in the Broadway production of The Little Mermaid.
MAY
NBC
Mark York (1965 – 2021)

After playing property manager Billy Merchant in the US remake of The Office, Mark spent his final years working as an inventor, securing two patents.
MAY
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Norman Lloyd (1914 – 2021)

With a career in the entertainment industry spanning 90 years to his name, the veteran actor died in May 2021, at the age of 106.
MAY
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Olympia Dukakis (1931 – 2021)

The star of Steel Magnolias and Moonstruck, the latter of which earned her an Oscar win, will also be remembered by many for his role as Anna Madrigal in the TV adaptation of Tales Of The City.
APRIL
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Helen McCrory (1968 – 2021)

The Olivier-nominated actor's biggest roles included playing Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders, Cherie Blair in The Queen and Narcissa Malfoy in the final three Harry Potter films.
APRIL
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Joseph Siravo (1957 – 2021)

The actor and producer will be best remembered for playing Giovanni Francis "Johnny" Soprano in The Sopranos and performing in the stage musical Jersey Boys.
APRIL
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Nikki Grahame (1982 – 2021)

The much-loved Big Brother housemate is best known for her appearance on the seventh series of the Channel 4 reality show. She later returned for Ultimate Big Brother and Channel 5's "Timebomb"-themed series, and more recently competed on the Canadian version of the show.
APRIL
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DMX (1970 – 2021)

Legendary rapper and three-time Grammy nominee Earl Simmons – known in the music world under the stage name DMX – died in hospital after suffering "catastrophic cardiac arrest".
APRIL
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Prince Philip (1921 – 2021)

The Duke of Edinburgh died in April, just two months shy of his 100th birthday.
APRIL
ABC
Walter Olkewicz (1948 – 2021)


The character actor's most famous role was that of bartender Jacques Renault in the mystery drama Twin Peaks.
APRIL
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Paul Ritter (1966 – 2021)

The star of TV series Friday Night Dinner and Chernobyl died of a brain tumour at the age of 54.
MARCH
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Jessica Walter (1941 – 2021)

The Emmy-winning star will be best remembered for her iconic portrayal of Lucille Bluth in the sitcom Arrested Development.
MARCH
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George Segal (1934 – 2021)

George Segal bagged an Oscar nomination for his performance in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, and went on to star in shows like Just Shoot Me! and, more recently, The Goldbergs.
MARCH
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Sabine Schmitz (1969 – 2021)

The German racing driver was known to many as a co-presenter on Top Gear. She died at the age of 51, following a long battle with cancer.
MARCH
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Yaphet Kotto (1939 – 2021)

Best known for playing the villain in the James Bond film Live And Let Die, Yaphet also appeared in the sci-fi classic Alien and earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the TV movie Raid On Entebbe.
MARCH
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Trevor Peacock (1931 – 2021)


Trevor will be best remembered for his portrayal of Jim Trott in The Vicar Of Dibley. He died at the age of 89 from a "dementia-related illness".
MARCH
Shutterstock
Bunny Wailer (1947 – 2021)

The pioneering reggae singer was one of the founding members of The Wailers, alongside childhood friend Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. After leaving the group in 1973, he went on to enjoy success as a solo artist.
FEBRUARY
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Johnny Briggs (1935 – 2021)

The veteran soap actor will forever be remembered by fans for his portrayal of Mike Baldwin in Coronation Street, a character he played for 30 years.
FEBRUARY
Shutterstock
Frank Mills (1929 – 2021)

Frank played Billy Williams, the husband of Betty Turpin, in Coronation Street for two years in the 1990s.
FEBRUARY
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Mary Wilson (1944 – 2021)

The singer was one of the founding members of The Supremes. Along with bandmates Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, the group scored huge hits including Stop! In The Name Of Love and Baby Love.
FEBRUARY
Channel 4
Rynagh O'Grady (1954 – 2021)

Rynagh played Mary in the hit sitcom Father Ted, and had a number of theatrical credits to her name in her home country of Ireland.
FEBRUARY
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Captain Sir Tom Moore (1920 – 2021)

The former British Army officer rose to prominence in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic thanks to his fundraising efforts in the lead-up to his 100th birthday. In the last year of his life, he released a best-selling autobiography and topped the UK singles chart with a cover of You'll Never Walk Alone.
FEBRUARY
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Hal Halbrook (1925 – 2021)

The American actor was best known for roles in films like All The President’s Men, Wall Street and Into The Wild, which earned him his first Oscar nomination at the age of 82.
FEBRUARY
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Dustin Diamond (1977 – 2021)

The former teen actor portrayed Screech in the hit high school drama Saved By The Bell. He died at the age of 44, just three weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.
JANUARY
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SOPHIE (1986 – 2021)

SOPHIE was a Grammy-nominated artist and music producer, renowned for her work with stars including Charli XCX and Madonna. Following her death, she was hailed not just as a game-changing musician, but an icon for the transgender community.
JANUARY
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Hilton Valentine (1943 – 2021)

Hilton was one of the founding members of the chart-topping rock group The Animals. He played guitar on their most famous track The House Of The Rising Sun, which reached number one on both sides of the Atlantic.
JANUARY
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Cicely Tyson (1924 – 2021)

A true Hollywood legend, Cicely worked long into her nineties, and was hailed as a pioneering actor following her death. She was known for recent roles in The Help and How To Get Away With Murder, as well as The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman and Sounder, for which she received an Oscar nomination.
JANUARY
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Cloris Leachman (1926 – 2021)

An Oscar-winning star and true showbiz legend, Cloris won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1972 for her role in The Last Picture Show.
JANUARY
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Mick Norcross (1963 – 2021)

As well as being the owner of the iconic Sugar Hut nightclub, Mick appeared in several series of The Only Way Is Essex, alongside his son, Kirk.
JANUARY
EMPICS Entertainment
Siegfried Fischbacher (1939 – 2021)

The world famous illusionist made up one half of the performing duo Siegfried & Roy, known for their elaborate Las Vegas shows.
JANUARY
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Michael Apted (1941 – 2021)

The award-winning British filmmaker was best known for directing the Up documentary series, as well as the James Bond outing The World Is Not Enough.
JANUARY
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Marion Ramsey (1947 – 2021)

Although best known for her role in the Police Academy films in the 1980s, Marion was also a Broadway star.
JANUARY
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Tanya Roberts (1955 – 2021)

Tanya's most famous role was playing Stacey Sutton in the James Bond film A View To Kill. She also appeared in the TV shows Charlie's Angels and That 70s Show.
JANUARY
Shutterstock
Barbara Shelley (1932 – 2021)

The British actor was hailed as the "technicolour queen of Hammer" for her work with the Hammer Horror production company.
JANUARY
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gerry Marsden (1942 – 2021)

A key figure in the Merseybeat musical boom of the 1960s, Gerry was frontman of Gerry And The Pacemakers, known for chart-topping hits I Like It, How Do You Do It? and You'll Never Walk Alone.
JANUARY
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Mark Eden (1928 – 2021)

The soap actor was best known to Coronation Street fans as the villainous Alan Bradley. Mark was married to former co-star Sue Nicholls, who plays Audrey Roberts in the ITV show.
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