Celebrity deaths: Keith Flint and Albert Finney among stars lost in 2019

Carol Channing, January 15, 97

The American actress, singer, dancer, and comedian was best known for starring in Broadway and film musicals. She began as a Broadway musical actress starring in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1949 and Hello, Dolly! in 1964, which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She revived both roles several times throughout her career, most recently playing Dolly on Broadway for the final time in 1995.

The League of Professional Theatre Women described her as "a gift of inspiration to so many".

She died of natural causes at her home in California after suffering two strokes in 2018.

Windsor Davies, January 17, 88

Davies will never be forgotten for his role as Battery Sergeant Major Williams in It Ain't Half Hot Mum, which followed the adventures of a Royal Artillery concert party.

Before securing his most famous part, the actor appeared in an episode of Doctor Who in 1967, and would later play a starring role in Carry On Behind in 1975, Carry On England in 1976, and rugby comedy Grand Slam in 1978. In later years, he was paired with Donald Sinden in 80s comedy Never The Twain.

The father of five retired the south of France and died peacefully, just four months after Eluned, his wife of 61 years, passed away.

Boo, January 18, 12

Boo was "the world's cutest dog" who became an Internet sensation and was pictured with celebrities including former One Director star Liam Payne and actor Seth Rogen, and even had his own book.

In an emotional post to his 17m social media followers, his owners in the US said he died in his sleep, aged 12, and that they were "heartbroken".

Boo had been suffering heart problems since the death of Buddy, his companion of 11 years, in 2017, they said.

In July 2012, Boo was named the Official Pet Liaison of Virgin America, which featured photos of him in an airplane along with advice for people travelling with pets.

Andrew Fairlie, January 22, 55

Credited with leading the transformation of Scotland’s culinary scene, Fairlie won his first Michelin star at One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow – where he was appointed head chef in 1994.

His watchword was to “let the cooking do the talking” and his Gleneagles restaurant was the only one in Scotland to have two Michelin stars.

Fellow Michelin star chefs Tom Kitchin and Nick Nairn paid to tribute to his impact on Scottish cooking with Kitchin saying: "He was the most humble, humble man, but he was a real thinker. What he has done for the Scottish culinary side of things is just unbelievable.

Fairlie stood down from his restaurant in November 2018 after revealing he had a brain tumour.

Clive Swift, February , 82

Best known for playing Richard Bucket, the long-suffering husband of Hyacinth Bucket, in the classic BBC comedy Keeping Up Appearances.

The series mocked British class obsessions and ran for five years in the 1990s, with Swift appearing in 42 episodes alongside Routledge, who became known for her pronunciation of her surname - "bouquet".

Swift also appeared in two episodes of Doctor Who – the 1985 Revelation of the Daleks and with David Tennant in the 2007 Christmas special with Kylie Minogue.

He died at home aged 82 following a short illness.

Albert Finney, February 7, 82

A five-time Oscar nominee, British film legend Albert Finney was known for playing many different characters, with his extensive list of film credits including Erin Brockovich, Big Fish, Scrooge, Annie and Murder On The Orient Express.

Known for his versatility, he played a huge range of characters during a screen career spanning more than 60 years, from Winston Churchill to Pope John Paul II, and most recently starred in the James Bond film Skyfall and the Bourne films.

He received several awards for his performance as Churchill in the 2002 BBC–HBO television biographical film The Gathering Storm.

He died following a short illness.

Alfred Radley, February 14, 94

Founder of fashion brand Radley, he was described as the patron saint of British fashion by Sir Philip Green.

Radley nurtured and developed some of the most famous names in British design, from Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell to Terence Nolder and Betty Jackson.

Working with so many well-known designers, Radley was credited with the idea of bringing high-end couture to the high street at affordable prices.

Karl Lagerfeld, February 19, 85

One of the world's most famous – and prolific – fashion designers, Lagerfeld cultivated his own distinct style with his white ponytail, black sunglasses, gloves and high starched collars,

He was Chanel's creative director since 1983 and had also worked for Chloe and Fendi, collaborated with labels such as Diesel, Hogan and H&M, and designed costumes for theatrical productions and singers including Madonna and Kylie Minogue.

Known for his muses, stars including Schiffer, Vanessa Paradis, Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne were among those who inspired his creative vision.

“I would like to be a one-man multinational fashion phenomenon,” he once said.

Andre Previn, February 28, 89

As a composer, Andre Previn worked on films such as Gigi, Porgy And Bess, My Fair Lady and Irma La Douce – and he won best music Oscars for all four.

He later left Hollywood to conduct orchestras and was principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1968 to 1979.

For many, he is probably best known for trying to help Eric Morecambe as the British star attempted to perform Grieg's Piano Concerto during a sketch in the 1971 Christmas special. Morecambe's son Gary later said it was the show his father was proudest of, saying the morning after it aired: "Whatever we do in the rest of our careers, at best we can only equal that."

He died at his home in New York with Mia Farrow and Stephen Fry among those paying tribute.

Keith Flint, March 4, 49

Frontman of The Prodigy, the twisted firestarter who brought the sound of British rave music to an audience of millions across the world.

Famous for hits with the band including Firestarter, Breathe and Out Of Space, he was known as much for his punk aesthetic of often fluorescent horned hair and black eyeliner as his music.

He died by hanging, sparking worldwide tributes, although a coroner said there was not enough evidence to conclude that his death was suicide.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: "We will never quite know what was going on in his mind on that date.

Luke Perry, March 4, 52

Perry was an American actor who shot to fame playing Dylan McKay in the US teen series Beverly Hills, 90210 from 1990 to 1995, and again from 1998 to 2000.

More recently he appeared as the construction business owner Fred Andrews in the US drama Riverdale, and as Scott Lancer in Quentin Tarantino's latest film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie.

He died after suffering a stroke, and his former Beverly Hills 90210 co-star Shannen Doherty revealed she had been in touch with him after he suffered the stroke saying "He knows I love him. It's Luke, and he's my Dylan."

Magenta Divine, March 6, 61

TV presenter Magenta Divine was known for her trademark black sunglasses, stylish attire and husky voice.

Born Kim Taylor in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, she became a star in the 1980s on Channel 4's cult youth show Network 7, and later presented factual show Reportage and the travel series Rough Guides on the BBC.

She died in hospital after undergoing treatment for a short illness, with her family paying tribute to her "extraordinary kindness and generosity".

Mike Thalassitis, March 15

Mike Thalassitis was a footballer and one of the stars of season three of reality ITV hit Love Island in 2017.

The 26-year-old ended his own life, with a coroner saying the death was suicide.

There was an outpouring of tributes following his death, with Love Island presenter Caroline Flack calling Thalassitis a "total gentleman".

His death followed that of Sophie Gradon, 32, who had taken part in the show in 2016 and took her own life in June 2018.

Her's, March 27

Indie duo Her's, from Liverpool, had played a gig in Phoenix and were travelling to California when they were involved in a head-on car crash in Arizona.

Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading were killed in the crash alongside their tour manager, Trevor Engelbrektson, with officials saying the collision was caused by another driver travelling the wrong way.

They had recently performed at the influential South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, and were named as ones to watch by The Guardian in 2018.

Peter Mayhew, April 30, 74

The 7ft 3ins star will be forever remembered for his role as Chewbacca in the Star Wars series – the loyal sidekick to Harrison Ford's Han Solo and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon.

Known as Chewie to his friends, the actor was in Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return Of The Jedi (1983), Revenge Of The Sith (2005) and The Force Awakens (2015).

Ford described the London-born actor as "a kind and gentle man, possessed of great dignity and noble character. We were partners in film and friends in life for over 30 years and I loved him."

Freddie Star, May 9, 76

The comedian, who was the subject of the Sun's infamous headline Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster, died at his home in Spain.

He became a household name after rising to fame in the 1970s following an appearance on Opportunity Knocks.

Fellow comedian Bobby Davro told Sky News: "Out of all the comedians from the past era, I would have to say he was the funniest man I've ever seen in my life."

It later emerged that disgraced publicist Max Clifford, who was Starr's agent at the time, concocted the hamster story as a joke. The publicity led to an extra 12 dates being added to Starr's tour and is said to have boosted his fee by £1 million.

Brian Walden, May 9, 86

British journalist and broadcaster who spent over a decade as a Labour Member of Parliament.

Walden was considered one of the finest political interviewers in the history of British broadcasting. He won awards for broadcasting including the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby Award for television in 1986, and in 1991 was named ITV personality of the year.

He was known for interviews of politicians, especially Margaret Thatcher – and was said to be her favourite interviewer although he never gave her an easy time – and, in 1989, gave an interview which was credited as helping to bring about the end of her time as prime minister.

Doris Day, May 13, 97

One of Hollywood's biggest stars of the 1950s and 60s, she starred in Calamity Jane, Love Me Or Leave Me and Pillow Talk, and famously sang Que Sera, Sera in the Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much.

After retiring from acting, Doris Day retired from the limelight and worked with her animal charities – the Doris Day Animal Foundation and the Doris Day Animal League.

She never won an Oscar but did receive the Cecil B DeMille award at the Golden Globes in 1989 and the presidential medal of freedom in 2004.

George W Bush called it "a good day for America when Doris Marianne von Kappelhoff, of Evanston, Ohio, decided to become an entertainer".

Grumpy Cat, May 17

The permanently scowling Grumpy Cat, real name Tardar Sauce, had 1.5 million followers on Twitter, more than 8 million followers on Facebook and 2.4 million on Instagram when she died.

According to owner Tabitha Bundesen, her facial expression was caused by feline dwarfism and an underbite.

She was so famous that in 2018, she won a $710,000 (£556,000) payout following a lawsuit against a coffee company that used her image beyond the limits of a contract they had signed with her owners. Madam Tussauds in San Francisco unveiled a waxwork of Grumpy Cat in 2015.

Her owner quit her job "within days" of Grumpy's first appearance on social media.

William Simons, June 21, 79

Heartbeat actor William Simons played the role of PC Alf Ventress in the hit TV police drama for nearly two decades, starring in all 18 series of the show between 1992 and 2010.

Simons enjoyed his role in Heartbeat so much that he bought a house in the village of Goathland, where much of the show's filming took place, but was forced to give it up when "it was impossible to step outside without being recognised".

During his 60-year acting career, he also appeared in Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Last Of The Summer Wine, The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries and Bergerac.

Jason Durr, who appeared alongside Simons in Heartbeat paid tribute to the "lovely man".

John McCririck, July 5, 79

John McCririck became a household name as the flamboyantly attired face of British racing and went on to star in reality tv shows Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Wife Swap.

With his signature deerstalker hat and cigar, and his emphatic hand gestures, he was known even to those who didn't follow the sport, which he started broadcasting for in the 1980s

He was axed by Channel 4 Racing in 2012, subsequently losing a high-profile age discrimination case against the station.

McCririck would often make disparaging remarks about his wife Jenny, nicknaming her 'The Booby', but they were said to be a strong and happy couple.

Rutger Hauer, July 19, 75

Actor Rutger Hauer appeared in more than 100 Dutch and international films and won a Golden Globe for his role in the 1988 film Escape from Sobibor.

In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public the Best Dutch Actor of the Century.

He was best known for his portrayal of the replicant Roy Batty in sci-fi blockbuster Blade Runner in 1982. His appearance as the blond-haired “replicant” remained his signature, with Hauer writing much of the dialogue for his memorable final speech.

Harold Prince, July 31, 91

"King of the Broadway musical" Harold Prince worked on shows including Cabaret, Phantom Of The Opera and Sweeney Todd, winning a record 21 Tony awards in a theatre career which spanned seven decades.

Known by friends as Hal, he was awarded for both producing and directing, and in 2006 was given the special award for lifetime achievement in the theatre.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber said it was impossible to overestimate the importance of Prince to musical theatre.

“All of modern musical theatre owes practically everything to him,” he said.

Toni Morrison, August 5, 88

Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison was the first black woman to receive the prize for literature, which she was awarded in 1993.

Over her six-decade career, she wrote 11 novels, five children’s books, two plays, a song cycle and an opera.

She also won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988 for her novel Beloved which was adapted into a film of the same name, starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover.

The author also received honorary degrees from Oxford, Geneva and Harvard, was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in France, and was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama, who was one of her notable admirers.

Peter Fonda, August 16, 79

American actor, director, and screenwriter. He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda.

He went on to become an actor and director but was not thought of as a conventional leading man. Best known for Easy Rider (1969) – a film about two long-haired bikers travelling through the southwestern and southern United States – he was also nominated for the Oscar for best actor for Ulee's Gold (1997).

Robert Mugabe, September 6, 95

Robert Mugabe was the former president of Zimbabwe ousted in a military coup after 37 years in power.

He ruled the country from 1980 and was the world's oldest head of state before his dramatic exit in 2017.

Despite leading Zimbabwe after independence from Britain in 1980, Mugabe's brutal regime saw him regarded by his own hard-pressed people as a tyrant with a penchant for luxury.

Before his death, it is understood he had made frequent visits to Singapore for medical care — because Zimbabwe's own public health system crumbled thanks to his government's lack of investment.

Fernando Ricksen, September 18, 43

Rangers legend who won two Scottish Premier League titles, two Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups while at Ibrox.

He joined Rangers for £3.75 million in 2000 and left in 2006 for Zenit Saint Petersburg, initially on loan, and won honours including the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 2008.

His career highlight at Rangers came in the 2004-05 season, when he jointly won the SPFA player of the year award after scoring nine goals from midfield in his 40 appearances for the club.

On October 30 2013, Ricksen revealed that he was terminally ill and had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He set up a charity that raised over £1 million for research into the condition.

Despite being given 18 months to live, Ricksen refused to give in and tributes were paid from around the world on his death.

Jacques Chirac, September 26, 86

Former French president who championed the European Union, but whose later years were blighted by corruption scandals.

He was the first president to acknowledge France's role in the Holocaust, and he defiantly opposed the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

French president Emmanuel Macron mourned his death, calling him a president who "embodied a certain idea of France".

"Whether we share, or not, his ideas or what he fought for, we all recognise ourselves in this man who resembled us, and brought us together," he said.

Peter Sissons, October 1, 77

Renowned journalist and newscaster who worked predominantly for Channel 4 and the BBC – where he found himself at the centre of a media row over the colour of his tie (burgundy) during the announcement of the Queen Mother's death on the BBC news channel.

Sissons was wounded by gunfire whilst covering the Biafran War in 1968, sustaining severe nerve damage in his left leg.After recovering from his injuries, he became ITN's industrial editor, covering many high-profile disputes during the 1970s.

A familiar face on the BBC's nine o'clock news, he also presented Question Time from 1989 to 1993.

He was dropped from the 10pm bulletin in 2003 and accused the BBC of ageism but continued to work for them on the news channel until retiring in 2009 when he was considered one of the longest serving news presenters.

Terry O'Neill CBE, November 6, 81

Photographer to the stars, O'Neill became known as one of the chroniclers of the Swinging 60s, snapping all the cool young dudes of the time from the Beatles and the Stones to Brigitte Bardot and Elton John.

BBC Arts Correspondent David Sillito said O'Neil's work helped to define the Swinging Sixties.

He photographed the Queen twice. In 2001 he revealed on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs how he had got her to smile during the second photo shoot in 1992 – a year described by the Queen as an "annus horribilis" – by telling a horse-racing joke.

Comedian and children's author David Walliams called O'Neill "a huge talent and an absolute gentleman" and said his death was the "end of an era".

Clive James, November 24, 80

Broadcaster, poet, TV presenter and prolific author Clive James was at ease in any medium, serious or light hearted.

He appeared on radio as well as TV from the 1970s to the 2010s and achieved his greatest success with Clive James On Television, which drew a prime-time audience of millions on Sunday nights in the 1980s.

By 2012, he had published more than 30 books and several collections of poetry. That same year, he was awarded a CBE for services to literature and the media.

Reverend Richard Coles called him “the best telly critic that there ever was”, while Margarita Pracatan, the Cuban singer whom James helped to make a household name, remembered his “intelligence, talent and beautiful way of living”.

Gary Rhodes, November 26, 59

Celebrity chef known for his spiky hair and passion for British cuisine, Rhodes was one of the first tv chefs, starring in Rhodes around Britain and Masterchef.

Despite being trained in French cuisine, he championed English cookery, bringing traditional British recipes to the world of fine dining, and published 18 cookery books.

Gordon Ramsay led the tributes to Rhodes, writing on Twitter: "We lost a fantastic chef in Gary Rhodes. He was a chef who put British Cuisine on the map."

Jamie Oliver described him as an inspiration and added: "Gary was a fantastic chef and incredible ambassador for British cooking."

He died from a bleed on the brain.

Bob Willis, December 4, 70

Former England captain and Sky cricket expert Bob Willis played 90 Tests and 64 one-day internationals.

When Willis retired in 1984, he held the record for the most Test wickets and his tally of 325 has only been passed by three England players since.

After his retirement in 1984, he went on to enjoy a long career in broadcasting.

Sir Ian Botham told Sky News: "If I had problems in the cricketing world or in my personal life, he’d always be there to help me. He was like a big brother."

He died of prostate cancer.

Caroll Spinney, December 8, 85

Puppeteer Caroll Spinney portrayed the beloved Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for nearly 50 years until he was well into his 80s.

Spinney had portrayed the characters - including providing their voices - since the show's start in 1969.

"Before I came to Sesame Street, I didn't feel like what I was doing was important," he said. "Big Bird helped me find my purpose."

The Sesame Workshop paid tribute to "an artistic genius" with a "loving view of the world" who helped shape the long-running children's show over five decades, leaving behind a legacy that "will be unending".

Marie Fredriksson, December 9, 61

The Roxette lead singer achieved global success in the 1990s with hits like Joyride, The Look and It Must Have Been Love, from the film Pretty Woman.

"You were the most wonderful friend for over 40 years," her bandmate Per Gessle said. "Things will never be the same."

Fredriksson had been diagnosed with a brain tumour 17 years earlier and despite recovering following treatment, had become ill again in the last few years.