The stars we lost in 2021
31 December 2021, 21:02 | Updated: 22 November 2024, 10:35
Radio X remembers the musicians, actors and other celebrities that passed away over the past 12 months.
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Ed Asner, actor
The actor, best known for the US sitcom Lou Grant and roles in Up and Elf, died on 29th August aged 91.
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Ned Beatty, actor
Best known for his roles in Deliverance, Superman and All The President's Men, Beatty died on 13th June, aged 83.
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Lionel Blair, TV presenter and dancer
Lionel Blair in Brighton 2005. Picture: Jim Holden / Alamy Stock Photo Blair started his entertainment career as a dancer, but later became famous as a TV personality, appearing on shows like Give Us A Clue. He died on 4th December, aged 92.
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Johnny Briggs, actor
Johnny Briggs as Mike Baldwin in Coronation Street. Picture: ITV ARCHIVE The London actor was most famous for his long-running role in Coronation Street as Mike Baldwin. He died on 28th February, aged 85.
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Steve Bronski, Bronski Beat
Bronski Beat in July 1984: Larry Steinbachek, Jimmy Somerville and Steve Bronski. Picture: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo The founder of the 80s synth-pop trio died after a fire at his flat in London on 7th December. He was 61.
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John Challis, actor
John Challis as Boycie with his TV wife Sue Holderness in 2011. Picture: Jon Furniss/WireImage/Getty Most famous for his role as "Boycie" in the sitcom Only Fools And Horses, Challis died on 19th September aged 79.
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Dustin Diamond, actor
Dustin Diamond in 1992. Picture: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo The US actor achieved fame as "Screech" in the series Saved By The Bell, He died on 1st February, aged 41.
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DMX, musician
DMX performing in Moscow in 2014. Picture: Gennadiy Kravchenko / Alamy Stock Photo The US rapper, real name Earl Simmons, died on 9th April, aged 50 from a heart attack.
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Richard Donner, director
Richard Donner behind the camera on the film The Toy in 1982. Picture: Album / Alamy Stock Photo The US filmmaker, best known for helming The Omen, Superman, The Goonies and Lethal Weapon, did on 5th July, aged 91.
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Nikki Grahame, TV personality
Nikki Grahame is evicted from the Big Brother house in July 2006. Picture: GettyMJ Kim/Getty Images The Big Brother 7 contestant died on 9th April of complications from anorexia nervosa. She was 38.
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Jimmy Greaves, footballer
Jimmy Greaves in 2010. Picture: Independent / Alamy Stock Photo The Spurs and England forward, later a TV sports pundit, died on 19th September, aged 81.
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Sarah Harding, musician
Sarah Harding in February 2013. Picture: LANDMARK MEDIA / Alamy Stock Photo The Girls Aloud singer died on 5th September after a battle with breast cancer. She was 39.
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Dusty Hill, ZZ Top
ZZ Top in 1983: Dusty Hill, Frank Beard and Billy Gibbons. Picture: GettyAaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images The ZZ Top bassist died on 28th July, aged 72.
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Sally Ann Howes, actor
Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). Picture: Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo Best known for her role as Truly Scrumptious in the film version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Howes died on 19 December, aged 91.
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Jethro, comedian
Jethro in July 2007. Picture: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo The veteran comic - real name Geoffrey Rowe - died from COVID on 14th December, aged 73.
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Joey Jordison, Slipknot
Joey Jordison in July 2010. Picture: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy Stock Photo The drummer for US metal act Slipknot died on 26th July aged 46. He'd suffered from the neurological condition acute transverse myelitis for many years.
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Nick Kamen, model and musician
Nick Kamen in 1987. Picture: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo Kamen became famous after appearing in a Levis TV ad, and then had a short musical career, with his hit Each Time You Break My Heart co-written by Madonna. He died from bone marrow cancer on 4th May, aged 59.
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Larry King, TV presenter
Larry King on the set of his US talk show, 1994. Picture: Danita Delimont / Alamy Stock Photo The veteran US TV host died on 23rd January, aged 87.
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Yaphet Kotto, actor
The New York actor was best known for appearing in the original Alien and as the Bond villain in Live And Let Die. He died on 15th March, aged 81.
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Sean Lock, comedian
Sean Lock performing at Latitude Festival in 2013. Picture: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo The stand up comedian, who made a TV career appearing on shows like 15 Storeys High and 8 Out Of 10 Cats, died of lung cancer on 16th August. He was 58.
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Biz Markie, musician
Biz Markie performing live in 2011. Picture: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo The rapper and producer, best known for 1989's Just A Friend, died on 16th July, aged 57.
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Carlos Marin, musician
Carlos Marin in 2008. Picture: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo The Spanish baritone was a member of classical group Il Divo. He died from COVID on 19th December, aged 53.
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Gerry Marsden, musician
The lead singer of Liverpool band Gerry & The Pacemakers died on 3rd January, aged 78. Contemporaries of The Beatles, the Pacemakers were the first band to have their first three singles all make No 1 in the UK charts.
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Jackie Mason, comedian
Jackie Mason in March 1992. Picture: GettyMichel Delsol/Getty Images The American stand-up and actor died on 24th July, aged 93. In later years, Mason voiced Krusty The Clown's father on The Simpsons.
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Helen McCrory, actor
Helen McCrory in April 2015. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images Known for her roles in Peaky Blinders and The Queen, McCrory died on 16th April, aged 52.
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Michael Nesmith, The Monkees
Michael Nesmith at the start of his Monkees career in 1966. Picture: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo The guitarist for the "manufactured" band - best known for his woolly hat and laconic persona - died on 10th December aged 78 from heart failure. After The Monkeys, Nesmith had a solo career and was instrumental in the founding of MTV.
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Lee "Scratch" Perry, musician
Lee "Scratch" Perry in 2013. Picture: LE PICTORIUM / Alamy Stock Photo The influential Jamaican producer and singer died on 29th August, aged 85.
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Prince Phillip
The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, at Jubilee celebrations in 2012 at Henley on Thames. Picture: Charlotte Snowden / Alamy Stock Photo Although not strictly a star from the entertainment world, HRH The Duke Of Edinburgh was one of the most famous people in the world, having been married to Queen Elisabeth II since 1947. He died on 10th June, aged 99.
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Mick Rock, photographer
Mick Rock in 2016. Picture: Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo Rock was best known for his images of Queen, Lou Reed and David Bowie in the early 1970s. He died on 18th November, aged 72.
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Anne Rice, author
Anne Rice at a book signing in October 2003. Picture: UPI / Alamy Stock Photo The American writer, best known for Interview With The Vampire, died on 11th December following a stroke. She was 80.
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Paul Ritter, actor
Paul Ritter with Tamsin Grieg in Friday Night Dinner. Picture: Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo The British actor, known for his roles in Friday Night Dinner, Chernobyl and Quantum Of Solace, died on 5th April, aged 54.
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Phil Spector, musician and producer
Phil Spector leaves the courtroom during a break in opening statements in his murder trial at Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles April 25, 2007. Picture: REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo The controversial producer died on 17th January, aged 81. Spector developed the legendary "Wall Of Sound" for artists like The Ronettes and Ike & Tina Turner and went on to produce material by The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison and The Ramones. In 2003, he was convicted of the murder of actress Lana Clarkson and died in prison.
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Jim Steinman, songwriter and producer
Meat Loaf (left) and Jim Steinman promoting Bat Out Of Hell in March 1977. Picture: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy Stock Photo Steinman was best known for his work with Meat Loaf on the Bat Out Of Hell album and died on 19th April, aged 73.
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Ian St John, footballer
Ian St John in April 1996. Picture: Allsport/Getty Images The Scottish professional footballer, who played for Liverpool and later enjoyed a TV career alongside fellow sportsman Jimmy Greaves, died on 1st March, aged 82.
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Dean Stockwell, actor
Stockwell started his career as a child actor, but later appeared in movies such as Blue Velvet, Dune and Air Force One. He was also known for his role as "Al" in the TV series Quantum Leap. He died on 7th November, aged 85.
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Una Stubbs, actor
Una Stubbs in 2011. Picture: WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo Stubbs was best known for her appearances in the Cliff Richard vehicle Summer Holiday, the TV game show Give Us A Clue and as Aunt Sally in the 1980s version of Worzel Gummidge. She died on 12th August, aged 84.
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James Michael Tyler, actor
James Michael Tyler as Gunther. Picture: Collection Christophel / Alamy Stock Photo Tyler played the role of coffee shop barista Gunther in Friends between 1994 and 2004. He died from prostate cancer on 24th October, aged 59.
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Bunny Wailer, musician
Neville O'Riley Livingston was one of The Wailers, alongside reggae superstars Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. He died on 2nd March, aged 73.
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Murray Walker, journalist and commentator
Murray Walker in the commentary box. Picture: Jakob Ebrey / Alamy Stock Photo Walker was best known for his excitable commentaries on Formula One races on the BBC and ITV. He died on 13th March, aged 97.
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Charlie Watts, musician
Charlie Watts in Milan, September 2011. Picture: Rodolfo Sassano / Alamy Stock Photo Watts joined The Rolling Stones in 1963 and remained as their drummer until his death on 24th August, aged 80. Elton John said that Watts was "the ultimate drummer... the most stylish of men, and such brilliant company".
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Archibishop Desmond Tutu
Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2010. Picture: Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images Desmond Mpilo Tutu was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. The public figure, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, passed away on 26 December, aged 90.
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Janice Long
Janice Long. Picture: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo The legendary broadcaster, who was best known for her appearances across BBC Radio, sadly passed away after a brief illness, aged 66. Long was also the sister of television presenter and actor Keith Chegwin, who tragically passed away in December 2017.
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Betty White
Betty White in 2015. Picture: Amanda Edwards/WireImage/Getty The veteran actress Betty White, who was most known for starring in The Golden Girls passed away on Thursday 30th December 2021. She was sadly just under three weeks away from her 100th birthday.