From Liam Payne to Sven, Dame Maggie Smith and Rob Burrow, the beloved stars we tragically lost in 2024

2 days ago 32

FROM acting legends such as Dame Maggie Smith, to music icons like One Direction's Liam Payne, 2024 was a year full of sad showbiz losses.

Here The Sun remembers the stars we lost in 2024.

L-R Liam Payne, Sven-Göran Eriksson, Dame Maggie Smith, Annie Nightingale and Rob Burrow

January

Camila Batmanghelidjh, 61, January 1

THE controversial founder of the Kids Company charity and awarded a CBE, but stepped down as chief executive in 2015 after it hit financial difficulties.

Known for her exotic outfits. Died in sleep after a long illness.

Derek Draper, 56, January 3

HUSBAND of TV host Kate Garraway.

Ex-lobbyist and adviser to Tony Blair.

Reportedly one of UK’s longest-suffering Covid patients, spending 13 months in hospital.

He died from a heart attack and viral complications.

Glynis Johns, 100, January 4

Glynis Johns died on January 4 at the age of 100

ONE of the last surviving stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, having played opposite Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins.

Sang Send In The Clowns for her Broadway role in A Little Night Music. Died in LA from natural causes.

Major Mike Sadler, 103, January 4

ARMY officer and the last original member of the SAS.

A navigator, his first successful SAS mission was in 1941 when his group blew up 24 aircraft in a raid in Libya.

Later joined MI6. Died in a nursing home in Cambridge.

David Soul, 80, January 4

AMERICAN actor and singer, best known as Hutch in the hit TV series Starsky & Hutch.

As a singer, Soul had No 1s in the UK and US.

A heavy smoker for 50 years and wed five times, Soul died in London after years of ill health.

Franz Beckenbauer, 78, January 7

FOOTBALL legend “Der Kaiser” was said to have invented the role of “modern sweeper”.

Led West Germany to World Cup glory in 1974, repeating the feat as coach in 1990.

Won four European trophies with Bayern Munich. Died from Parkinson’s, dementia and heart issues.

JPR Williams, 74, January 8

WELSH rugby full-back who was an iconic figure during the side’s golden era in the 1970s, winning three Grand Slams.

Played eight times for the British and Irish Lions. Awarded an MBE.

After retiring from rugby, he resumed his career as a surgeon. Died from bacterial meningitis.

Annie Nightingale, 83, January 11

Annie Nightingale died on January 11 at age 83

FIRST female DJ on Radio 1 in 1970 and on TV’s Old Grey Whistle Test.

As the longest-serving broadcaster in its history, she held the world record for the longest career as a female radio host.

Died at London home after a brief illness.

Alan Mills, 88, January 18

“MR WIMBLEDON” had notable run-ins with US tennis aces John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors during his 22 years as a top ref at the All-England Club.

A skilled player too, he reached the 1966 Wimbledon men’s doubles semis.

Norman Jewison, 97, January 20

CANADIAN director behind classics In The Heat Of The Night, Fiddler On The Roof and The Thomas Crown Affair. Often produced his own movies and worked with some of the biggest stars.

Died at his Malibu home.

Frank Farian, 82, January 23

GERMAN singer and producer famed as the founder of Boney M, who had huge hits with Rasputin and Daddy Cool.

Estimated to have sold 800million records worldwide. Died at his home in Miami, Florida.

FEBRUARY

Jonnie Irwin, 50, February 2

TV star appeared in C4’s A Place In The Sun.

Later hosted BBC shows Escape To The Country and To Buy Or Not To Buy, as well as Sky’s Dream Lives For Sale.

Was also a writer, lecturer and businessman. Died from lung cancer.

Ian Lavender, 77, February 2

DAD’S Army favourite who played Private Pike in the classic BBC comedy.

Frequently had run-ins with Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe) who called him “Stupid Boy”.

He was the last surviving member of the cast. Also starred in EastEnders and Yes Minister.

Stage roles included a 1970s appearance with Dustin Hoffman in The Merchant Of Venice.

Barry John, 79, February 4

WELSH rugby legend dubbed “The King”, who made his name in the 60s/70s amateur era, forming a famous partnership with Gareth Edwards.

Won 25 caps, retiring at 27 as side’s highest scorer at the peak of his powers.

Steve Wright, 69, February 12

BELOVED, groundbreaking and wacky Radio 1 and 2 DJ who also presented Top Of The Pops.

In 2023, he took over the long-running Pick Of The Pops chart show.

Died of a ruptured ulcer just 24 hours after hosting a pre-recorded Valentine’s special for his Sunday Love Songs show.

Alexei Navalny, 47, February 16

POLITICAL prisoner and former lawyer who was an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He survived a number of assassination attempts, finally dying in jail in unexplained circumstances.

Robin Windsor, 44, February 19

STRICTLY Come Dancing professional best known for his three-year stint on the show, partnering Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson, Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden.

Found dead in a London hotel room.

Pamela Salem, 80, February 21

BRIT actress who played Miss Moneypenny in Never Say Never Again with 007 Sean Connery.

Worked on both sides of the Atlantic and later portrayed crime family member Joanne Francis in EastEnders. Died at home in Florida.

John Savident, 86, February 21

PLAYED Fred Elliott in more than 1,000 episodes of Corrie and also well known for his portrayal of Monsieur Firmin in a West End run of Phantom Of The Opera.

His 45-year career took in a huge number of roles in TV and film.

Stan Bowles, 75, February 24

THE football star was never far from the headlines, often for his off-the-field antics.

Opened up about his drinking, womanising and gambling in autobiography.

Played for QPR, Man City and England. Died from Alzheimer’s.

David Myers, 66, February 28

HAIRY Bikers star who, with Si King, made their cookery/travel TV show a big hit.

Myers got his first motorbike as a student and rode around the world with his TV pal, cooking and sampling dishes en route.

Died from cancer.

MARCH

Steve Harley, 73, March 17

COCKNEY Rebel singer whose hits included Make Me Smile.

Developed polio as a child and spent four years in hospital.

Was a journalist before embarking on a music career.

Died from cancer at his home in Suffolk.

Richard Taylor, 75, March 23

DAD to murdered schoolboy Damilola, he won an OBE for his tireless campaign against gang violence after his innocent ten-year-old son was killed in London in 2000.

Died after a long battle with prostate cancer.

Larry Lloyd, 75, March 28

LIVERPOOL star who was in the Bill Shankly side that landed the League and Uefa Cup double in 1973.

Left to join Nottingham Forest where he won back-to-back European Cups.

Died at home in Nottingham.

Louis Gossett Jnr, 87, March 29

US star best known for playing the hardman drill sergeant in 1982’s An Officer And A Gentleman, which won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

He appeared in more than 60 films.

Died from a lung condition.

APRIL

Joe Kinnear, 77, April 7

DEFENDER from Dublin who won the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup with Spurs and was capped 26 times for Ireland before turning to management, including time with Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang”.

Died from dementia.

Sir Paul Fox, 98, April 8

BBC exec who launched Dad’s Army, The Two Ronnies and talk show Parkinson.

Also devised BBC Sports Personality Of The Year. Rose from scriptwriter to be the corporation’s controller. Knighted for services to TV.

OJ Simpson, 76, April 10

FORMER US football star who was acquitted of the murders of ex-wife Nicole and a male friend in a famous 1995 trial that made headlines across the world.

Later found liable for their deaths in a civil case and ordered to pay more than £26million in damages.

Died from cancer.

Roberto Cavalli, 83, April 12

ITALIAN designer famed for his animal prints, inspired by his own menagerie, and a sexy style that was his trademark.

Among those who paid tribute were Georgio Armani and Victoria Beckham.

Died in Florida after a long illness.

Derek Underwood, 78, April 15

ENGLAND spin bowler who took 297 wickets in 86 Tests from 1966- 1982 – still a record.

Dubbed “Deadly”, he claimed 2,465 victims in first-class matches and was made an MBE.

Died of complications from dementia.

Frank Field, 81, April 23

LONG-serving Labour MP who represented Birkenhead for 40 years and was a leading voice on welfare reform.

Director of the Child Poverty Action Group from 1969-1979. Later joined the Lords in 2020. Died from cancer.

Duane Eddy, 86, April 30

US guitarist hailed as founding father of rock ’n’ roll.

Known as the “King Of Twang” for his style, and in seven-decade career had a string of instrumental hits including Rebel-Rouser.

Was a big influence on George Harrison.

MAY

Kris Hallenga, 38, May 4

FOUNDER of the breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!, which saved thousands by teaching women how to check their boobs.

The Sun writer was diagnosed with the disease at 23 and given a few years to live.

Died at home in Newquay, Cornwall.

Bernard Hill, 79, May 5

ACTOR who came to prominence as Yosser Hughes in 1982 TV classic Boys From The Blackstuff.

Had a versatile career in film and television, spanning more than 50 years.

Also played King Theoden in two Lord Of The Rings films.

Frank Ifield, 86, May 18

BRITISH-born yodelling singer who had four No1s in the early Sixties including I Remember You and Lovesick Blues.

Gave The Beatles an early break when he booked them as a support act in 1962. Died in hospital in Sydney.

David Wilkie, 70, May 22

ONE of Britain’s greatest swimmers.

The Scot won silver at the 1972 Munich Games in the 200m breaststroke then gold at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, breaking the world record.

Three times world champ. Died from cancer.

Morgan Spurlock, 53, May 23

SUPER Size Me filmmaker who shot to fame with 2004 docu movie which saw him eat only McDonald’s for a month, gaining 11kg in 30 days.

The film resulted in McDonald’s removing the super size option from its menu.

Died from cancer.

JUNE

Colin Gibb, 70, June 2

SINGER who recorded Agadoo with Black Lace – voted “The Worst Pop Song of All Time” but it still sold millions of copies.

Also had hits with Superman and Do The Conga.

Died just days after announcing his retirement.

Jeannette Charles, 96, June 2

ROYAL likeness who impersonated the late Queen Elizabeth for 43 years.

Had a string of movie credits to her name, including The Naked Gun.

Passed away in an Essex care home at the same age reached by the monarch.

Rob Burrow, 41, June 2

Rob Burrow died in June after a four-year battle with MND

RUGBY League ace who star became a household name for his campaign to raise funds and awareness of motor neurone disease.

He was diagnosed with MND two years after retiring in 2017.

Dubbed the “Smallest Player in Super League”, the 5ft 5in playmaker appeared nearly 500 times for Leeds Rhinos, as well as representing Great Britain and England.

Died after four-year battle with MND.

Nicholas Ball, 78, June 4

ACTOR best known for playing the title role in ITV’s 1978 private detective series Hazell and vicious crime lord Terry Bates in BBC soap EastEnders.

Also starred as Gary Ryan in another hit ITV show, Footballers’ Wives.

Michael Mosley, 67, June 5

TV presenter who popularised the 5:2 diet in his BBC Horizon programme Eat, Fast And Live Longer.

Pushed his body to extremes in his broadcasts, even consuming weird “meals” such as tapeworms and black pudding made with his own blood.

Later launched the hit podcast Just One Thing.

Died during a holiday on the Greek island of Symi after going missing during a walk.

Tragically, following a four-day search, his body was found just 50 yards from a source of help.

Kevin Campbell, 54, June 15

STRIKER who won four major trophies with Arsenal.

Also played for clubs including Everton, Nottingham Forest and West Brom, scoring more than 140 goals.

Suffered multiple organ failure following a heart infection.

Donald Sutherland, 88, June 20

THE quirky Canadian actor enjoyed a succesful career over six decades.

Most famous for roles in MAS*H, Ordinary People and The Hunger Games.

Also starred opposite Jane Fonda in Klute and Julie Christie in Don’t Look Now.

Dad to actor Kiefer Sutherland, his many accolades included a Primetime Emmy award and two Golden Globes.

Died after a long illness.

JULY

Jeff Whitefoot, 90, July 2

ONE of the original Manchester United Busby Babes, who made his debut under Sir Matt Busby at the age of 16 in 1950.

Won the title in 1952 and 1956.

His transfer to Grimsby in 1957 meant he missed the Munich air crash a year later.

Shelley Duvall, 75, July 11

THE Texas-born film star often collaborated with director Robert Altman, who first cast her in black comedy Brewster McCloud in 1970.

Also teamed up with legend Stanley Kubrick for her most famous role, as Jack Nicholson’s wife Wendy in The Shining.

Died from diabetes.

Dr Ruth Westheimer, 96, July 12

TV sex therapist famous for her candid approach to talking about taboos.

Known simply as Dr Ruth, she first hosted a radio show.

German-born Holocaust survivor. Died peacefully in her sleep in New York City.

Shannen Doherty, 53, July 13

Beverly Hills, 90210 star Shannen Doherty died on July 13

AMERICAN actress who played some notable characters during her film and television career, including Jenny Wilder in Little House On The Prairie, Maggie Malene in Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Kris Witherspoon in Our House and Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210.

Married three times, she died after a nine-year battle with breast cancer.

Ray Reardon, 91, July 19

SNOOKER star who dominated in the Seventies, winning the world championship six times.

Was nicknamed Dracula because of his distinctive hairstyle.

Awarded an MBE in 1985, and guided ace Ronnie O’Sullivan. Died from cancer.

John Mayall, 90, July 22

THE Godfather of British Blues who formed the Bluesbreakers and whose proteges became some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood.

Died at home in California.

Duke Fakir, 88, July 22

HALL of Fame singer with the Four Tops, whose recording of the million-selling Baby I Need Your Loving was a turning point for the band.

Hits including I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) followed.

Died from heart failure.

Edna O’Brien, 93, July 27

NOVELIST whose books were burned in the Sixties after she outraged the Catholic Church.

Her first, The Country Girls, was banned in her native Ireland for its references to sex and female sexuality.

Died in London after a long illness.

John Anderson, 92, July 28

TV GLADIATORS referee famous for his booming catchphrase: “Contenders, ready! Gladiators, ready!” in his role on the hit Nineties TV challenge show.

Formerly a highly successful athletics coach in his native Scotland.

AUGUST

Graham Thorpe, 55, August 4

CRICKETER who played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005.

Scored a century on his debut against Australia at Trent Bridge.

Later became a batting coach.

Took his own life suffering depression and anxiety.

Alain Delon, 88, August 18

FRENCH movie idol dubbed “the male Brigitte Bardot”.

Appeared in more than 100 films, many of which he produced himself.

Suffered poor health in recent years and had a stroke in 2019.

Died at his village home south of Paris.

Mike Lynch, 59, August 19

BUSINESSMAN who was involved in a 12-year legal battle over the sale of his tech firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard.

Was celebrating his acquittal on his superyacht when it sank off Sicily.

His daughter and five others also died.

Sven-Goran Eriksson, 76, August 26

Sven-Goran Eriksson passed away on August 26

THE first foreign manager of the England football team who did a decent job with his “Golden Generation” of players but whose off-field activities caused a media frenzy.

Raised in Torsby, Sweden, Sven played pro football before bossing Goteburg to a Uefa Cup win. League and cup successes followed at Benfica, Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio.

He reached three major championship quarter-finals with England after taking over from Kevin Keegan in 2001.

But his relationship with lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio and affairs with TV’s Ulrika Jonsson and FA secretary Faria Alam dominated the headlines as much as his football.

Also bossed Man City, Leicester City and Notts County. Died from pancreatic cancer.

Fatman Scoop, 56, August 30

AMERICAN hip-hop artist who had a No1 with Be Faithful in 2003.

Performed on 2005 hits Lose Control by Missy Elliott and It’s Like That with Mariah Carey.

Got his nickname for his love for ice cream. Died from heart disease.

Sol Bamba, 39, August 31

FRENCH footballer with Middlesbrough, Leicester City, Leeds United and Cardiff City, who he helped win promotion to the Premier League in 2018.

Was technical director at the Turkish side Adanaspor when he died from cancer.

SEPTEMBER

James Earl Jones, 93, September 9

James Earl Jones was the voice behind Darth Vader in Star Wars

TONY-winning actor who was the menacing voice behind Darth Vader in Star Wars.

His other great booming voiceover role was as Mufasa in The Lion King.

His success was made more incredible by the fact that he was virtually mute until the age of 14 and also had to overcome a stutter as a child

Ron Yeats, 86, September 6

LIVERPOOL footie legend nicknamed The Colossus.

Led the team to the old First Division title twice and the FA Cup for the first time in the Sixties.

Capped twice for Scotland. Died from complications due to Alzheimer’s.

Kenneth Cope, 93, September 11

STARRED as the ghostly detective in the Sixties ITV series Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased), solving crimes from beyond the grave.

Had two stints in Corrie and did Carry On films. Was suffering from lung disease. Died in his sleep at home.

Tito Jackson, 70, September 15

JACKO’S brother who sang and played guitar alongside his siblings in the Jackson 5.

The band, formed in 1964, sold 150million records.

Had a love for Wolverhampton and visited Molineux to watch Wolves.

Died from a heart attack.

Geoffrey Hinsliff, 86, September 15

CORRIE actor who played Don Brennan for ten years. Began as a good-natured cab driver but later scripts turned him into villain.

Trained with RADA and had classical parts at the Old Vic and with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Gary Shaw, 63, September 16

ASTON VILLA striker whose goals helped his side win the 1981 League title and the European Cup the following year.

Came through the youth ranks and went on to score 79 goals in 213 games for them. Died from injuries after a fall.

Chris Serle, 81, September 16

TV presenter who was Esther Rantzen’s sidekick on BBC show That’s Life!

His first TV role was as a foil to comedian Dave Allen on his At Large series in 1971.

Host of radio’s Pick Of The Week between 1991-1998. Died after a stroke.

Clive Everton, 87, September 27

VOICE of snooker until he was into his seventies.

On the mic for many of its greatest moments, famously describing one Jimmy White century by saying, “Warning: genius at work”.

Died after a prolonged battle with Parkinson’s.

Martin Lee, 77, September 29

BROTHERHOOD of Man vocalist and guitarist who co- wrote the group’s Save Your Kisses For Me, which won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1976 and was No1 in UK and 30 other countries.

Died from heart failure after a short illness.

Dame Maggie Smith, 89, September 27

Dame Maggie Smith was a legend of stage and screen

LEGENDARY British actress who won multiple awards, including two Oscars, in a career across seven decades.

Her body of work ranged from Shakespeare to Harry Potter as she moved from aspiring star to national treasure.

Her professional debut was on Broadway and her significant early theatre successes came in Noel Coward’s Private Lives and Tom Stoppard’s Night And Day.

On the big screen, she starred in a host of major movies, including The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, A Room With A View and The Lady In The Van. On TV, she played the Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey, reprising her role for two Downton films.

Died in a London hospital.

Kris Kristofferson, 88, September 28

HALL of Fame singer- songwriter, known for his country hits – notably Me And Bobby McGee and Help Me Make It Through The Night.

He also enjoyed a successful career as a Hollywood actor, starring in movies including A Star Is Born. Passed away peacefully at his home in Hawaii.

OCTOBER

Alex Salmond, 69, October 12

FORMER First Minister of Scotland who in decades of campaigning grew the SNP from a fringe party and brought the country to the brink of independence in 2014.

Later formed his own Alba Party.

Had a spectacular falling out with his protege, fellow ex-FM Nicola Sturgeon, over her government’s handling of sexual assault charges brought against him, over which he was acquitted.

Died from a heart attack at a political conference.

Lily Ebert, 100, October 9

HOLOCAUST survivor wrote bestseller Lily’s Promise, telling how she rebuilt her life.

King Charles and Sir Keir Starmer were among those who paid tribute to her work in raising awareness of the Holocaust.

Died at home in London.

George Baldock, 31, October 9

FORMER Sheffield United defender who twice helped the Blades win promotion to the Premier League.

After leaving the club he joined Greek side Panathinaikos. Was said to have drowned in the swimming pool of his home near Athens.

Sir Mike Jackson, 80, October 15

BRITISH general who famously refused to “start World War Three” during 1990s Kosovo conflict when disobeying US orders.

The move likely averted all-out conflict between Russia and the West.

Died of prostate cancer.

Liam Payne, 31, October 16

One Direction's Liam Payne died aged 31 in October

ONE Direction star who achieved global success after the boyband finished third on The X Factor in 2010.

Signed by Simon Cowell, they sold 70m records worldwide. Liam later had solo success.

His private life was complicated.

He dated Girls Aloud member Cheryl Tweedy and they had son Bear in 2017 – though the relationship ended. Later engaged to US model Maya Henry.

Struggled with drug abuse and mental health issues throughout his pop career.

Died in a fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Geoff Capes, 75, October 23

STRONGMAN shot-putter who represented GB at three Olympic Games.

Won World’s Strongest Man title twice, and could tear telephone directories in half with his hands as well as bend thick steel bars.

Died in a Lincoln hospital.

Jack Jones, 86, October 23

GRAMMY winner who sang the Love Boat theme and enjoyed huge success in the UK with Lollipops And Roses.

His fans included Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.

Died in hospital in California after a two-year battle with leukaemia.

Trevor Whymark, 74, October 31

FORMER Ipswich Town striker who played under manager Sir Bobby Robson during the club’s most successful spell in the 1970s.

Won one cap for England. Had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease since 2019.

Janey Godley, 63, November 2

SCOTTISH stand-up comedian whose career really took off when her voice-overs aping Nicola Sturgeon’s media briefings in the Covid lockdowns won her new fans.

Received multiple comedy awards. Died from ovarian cancer.

Quincy Jones, 91, November 3

CHICAGO music legend who went on to produce Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall, Bad and Thriller – the biggest-selling album in pop history.

Earlier, he worked on collaborations between Frank Sinatra and jazz star Count Basie.

He won 28 Grammys and seven Oscar nominations.

Composed numerous film scores including for 1967’s In The Heat Of The Night and The Italian Job two years later.

Died from pancreatic cancer.

John Dempsey, 78, November 6

FORMER Chelsea centre back who helped the side win the FA Cup against Leeds in the 1970 final and the following season’s European Cup Winners’ Cup.

The Ireland star, who also played for Fulham, died from cancer.

Sir John Nott, 92, November 6

TORY Defence Secretary twice offered his resignation in the wake of the Falklands War but was persuaded to stay on by Margaret Thatcher.

Famously stormed out of a TV interview with Robin Day. Later went into merchant banking.

June Spencer, 105, November 8

RADIO legend who was the world’s longest-serving soap star after appearing for 70 years in The Archers as matriarch Peggy Woolley from the first-ever episode in 1950.

Tributes were led by Queen Camilla. Died at her home in Surrey.

Trevor Sorbie, 75, November 8

CELEBRITY hair stylist who created the Wedge cut more than 50 years ago.

Also known for the Wolfman, the Sculpture and the Wave.

Star clients included Sir Paul McCartney, Adam Ant and Dame Helen Mirren. Died from bowel cancer.

Timothy West, 90, November 12

ACTOR who played everyone from King Lear to EastEnders’ Stan Carter.

Among his many triumphs was biopic Churchill And The Generals, but he insisted his biggest role was coping with wife and fellow star Prunella Scales’ dementia.

Lord Prescott, 86, November 20

Lord Prescott died on November 20th at age 86

LARGER-than-life political heavyweight who rose from trainee chef to become deputy to PM Tony Blair, helping New Labour win three successive elections from 1997.

A boxer in his youth, he famously used his skills to deliver a left jab to a man who egged him during an campaign visit to North Wales in 2001.

Previously dubbed “Two Jags” for driving his own XJ6 Jag and being chauffeured in a government XJ8, The Sun headlined the story “Two Jabs”.

Died in a care home with Alzheimer’s.

Ex-PM Gordon Brown called him a “working-class hero”.