What a year it's been, from the coronavirus and multiple lockdowns to the passing of some of our most-loved celebrities. 

We've taken a look back at the stars that have sadly passed away this year:

Abby Dalton

​​American actress Abby Dalton died on November 21 aged 88 after suffering from a long-term illness.

The actress is best known for her role as winery heiress Julia Cumson on the CBS soap Falcon Crest.

She also starred in sitcoms such as Hennesey and The Joey Bishop Show.

Her role as Martha Hale in Hennesey landed her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 1961.

Adam Schlesinger

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(Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

The singer-songwriter died from the coronavirus on April 1, aged 52.

Founding member of Fountains of Wayne, Adam Schlesinger co-wrote the iconic Stacy’s Mom with Fountains of Wayne lead singer Chris Collingwood.

He was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for writing the title track of the Tom Hanks-directed film That Thing You Do! as well as two other songs for the movie.

Alan Harris

Star Wars actor Alan Harris died aged 81 on January 25.

He appeared in all three original films as different characters but is best known for his role as bounty hunter Bossk in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

He also played the role of a Stormtrooper in the original trilogy.

Harris died following a battle with lung cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2018.

Alan Merrill

Songwriter Alan Merrill died on March 29 from coronavirus aged 69.

He was best known for writing Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ’N’ Roll.

In the early 1970s, Merrill was one of the first westerners to achieve pop star status in Japan.

Andrew Weatherall

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(Prescription PR/PA)

English musician, DJ, songwriter, producer and remixer Andrew Weatherall died on February 17 aged 56.

He was one of the key DJs in the acid house movement of the late 1980s.

Archie Lyndhurst

Archie Lyndhurst, actor and son of Only Fools and Horses star Nicholas Lyndhurst, died aged 19 on September 22.

The teenager died after a "short illness" and was found at his family home in Fulham.

Emergency services had been called "to a report of a concern for welfare" and Archie was declared dead at the scene.

It was treated as "unexplained but not suspicious" and was not investigated further by police.

Dame Barbara Windsor

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(Ian West/PA)

National treasure Dame Barbara Windsor passed away at a London care home on December 10, aged 83, after an ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s.

The iconic actress is best-known for playing Peggy Mitchell in Eastenders and for her role in the Carry On films.  

Bob Kulick

Robert Joel Kulick was a Grammy award winning American guitarist and record producer, who worked with numerous acts such as Kiss, W.A.S.P., Meat Loaf and Michael Bolton.

He died aged 70 on May 28.

Bobbie Battista

Journalist and CNN Headline News anchor Bobbie Battista died at the age of 67 on March 3.

Her family confirmed she died after a four-year long battle with cervical cancer.

The American journalist was one of the original CNN Headline News anchors when the network launched in 1981.

Bobby Ball

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Bobby Ball and Tommy Cannon Outside the Dominion Theatre, London (PA)

Comedian Bobby Ball died aged 76 on October 28 after testing positive for Covid-19.

Best known as one half of the comedy double act Cannon and Ball, Bobby also starred in the 2005 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

He continued working the comedy circuit until shortly before his death, and his sons even said he was laughing and joking with nurses in hospital.

Brian Dennehy

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(Matt Peyton/PA)

Brian Dennehy died at the age of 81 on April 15.

The legendary American actor began his incredible career in the 1970s with guest roles on TV shows like Kojak, M*A*S*H, Lou Grant and Dallas.

In 1981 he landed a recurring role on the popular soap Dynasty.

But his huge movie break came in 1982 when he starred in Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo:First Blood.

Buck Henry

Film writer Buck Henry passed away of a heart attack at the age of 89 in Los Angeles on January 8.

He received an Oscar nomination for The Graduate, and also co-wrote the screwball masterpiece What’s Up, Doc? in 1972.

He later wrote Gus Van Sant’s black Comedy To Die For, starring Nicole Kidman.

Carol Sutton

Actress Carol Sutton died on December 10 at the age of 76 in New Orleans after a battle with the coronavirus.

She appeared in more than 100 movies but is best known for her roles in Steel Magnolias, Ray and Monster’s Ball.

Caroline Flack

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(Ian West/PA)

TV and radio presenter Caroline Flack sadly passed away on February 15 aged 40.

The enigmatic star began her career as an actress, starring in Bo' Selecta!  and presented various ITV2 shows including I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW!  and The Xtra Factor.

She won the twelfth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 and the following year she began presenting The X Factor  – replacing the long-standing presenter Dermot O'Leary.

She also presented the hit TV show Love Island between 2015 to 2019. 

Chadwick Boseman

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(Ian West/PA)

Actor and playwright Chadwick Boseman died on August 28 aged 43, after being diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016.

Boseman played superhero T’Challa in the 2018 Marvel blockbuster, Black Panther.

Despite being diagnosed with cancer, he went on to star in a range of films, such as Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

He also starred in other films such as Marshall and Da 5 Bloods.

Chris Trousdale

Dream Street singer Chris Trousdale died at the age of 34 on June 2 after contracting coronavirus.

He joined the band in 1999 when he was 14, and they shot to global fame after their debut album Dream Street.

Christopher Beeny

Last of the Summer Wine star Christopher Beeny dead aged 78 on January 3.

The British actor made his TV breakthrough in the BBC series The Grove Family in the 1950s.

He also appeared as Geoffrey in the single mother sitcom Miss Jones and Son in 1977.

Chynna Rogers

Rapper Chynna Rogers died at the age of 25 from a drug overdose on April 8, according to police.

She started her career aged 14 after signing to Ford Models.

After becoming involved with the A$AP Mob, she started her career as a budding rapper.

Dame Vera Lynn

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Being invested a Dame Commander of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace in 1975 (PA)​

National treasure Dame Vera Lynn passed away at the age of 103 on June 18.

Widely referred to as the "Forces' Sweetheart" she gave outdoor concerts for troops in Egypt, India and Burma during the war as part of Entertainments National Service Association.

She is best known for her songs ‘We’ll Meet Again’, ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ and ‘There’ll Always Be an England’.

David Prowse

News and Star: Dave Prowse signing autographs at the London Film and Comic Con at Earls Court, London, in 2013 (Sean Dempsey/PA)

David Prowse MBE was a bodybuilder, weightlifter and actor, best known for physically portraying Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy and a manservant in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.

Other roles that Dave starred in during his lengthy career was Doctor Who in 1972, The Kenneth Williams Show, The Morecambe & Wise Show and The Two Ronnies.

David Roback

David Roback, co-founder of The Mazzy Star died at the age of 61 on February 25.

The producer, guitarist and keyboardist formed the band alongside Hope Sandoval and played a lead role in the net-psychedelic movement in the 1980s and 1990s.

Dean West

Rapper, Black The Ripper, whose real name was Dean West, died at the age of 32 on April 6.

After an autopsy his family confirmed that his death was due to a heart attack, he was buried at Edmonton Cemetery.

He came to fame in the early noughties with his mixtape including Holla Black and Afro Samurai.

Denise Johnson

Primal Scream singer Denise Johnson passed away on July 27 aged 54.

She was best known for singing on the Primal Scream album Screamadelica, performing with the groups throughout the 1990s.

She joined the soul group Fifth of Heaven in the late 1980s, before being introduced to Primal Scream.

Derek Acorah

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(Ian West/PA)

Derek Acorah died from pneumonia at the age of 69 on January 3.

Derek, who was best known for appearing on Most Haunted, had been taken to hospital for sepsis.

He shot to fame alongside Yvette Fielding, and went on to present Derek Acorah’s Ghost Towers. He also featured in Michael Jackson: The Search for HIs Spirit in 2009.

Derek Fowlds

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Derek Fowlds (Michael Crabtree/PA)

Actor Derek Fowlds was best known for his TV appearances including The Basil Brush ShowYes Minister and Heartbeat which he starred in for 18 years.

He died at Royal United Hospitals Bath in the early hours of Friday morning on January 17 at the age of 82.

Des O'Connor

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(Myung Jung Kim/PA)

Des O’Connor CBE died on November 14 aged 88.

The comedian, actor and television presenter formerly hosted Countdown and entertained the nation for more than 60 years on screen.

His chat show series, Des O’Connor Tonight, ran for several decades on both BBC and ITV.

Diana Rigg

The Game of Thrones and Avengers star died at the age of 82 on September 10.

Rigg became a Bond Girl in 1969 portraying Teresa Draco in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

She won a number of awards, including a BAFTA, Tony and Emmy.

Diego Maradona

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(Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Legendary Diego Maradona died on November 25 aged 60 after suffering cardiac arrest.

The Argentinian football star famously captained his national team to victory in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

This is where he scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal during the quarter-final match against England.

Ebow Graham

Foreign Beggars star Ebow “Metropolis” Graham died aged 41 on April 19.

He was a founding member of the hip-hop electronic crossover group Foreign Beggars.

The group first performed in London in 2002, and quickly became one of the UK’s most prominent underground hip-hop groups.

They went on to release electronic dance music records, including United Colours of Beggattron.

Edd Byrnes

Edd Byrnes was best known for his role as dance-show host Vince Fontaine in Grease, where he hosted the National Bandstand.

He passed away on January 8, aged 87.

Eddie Van Halen

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(Greg Allen/Invision/AP, File)

Eddie Van Halen was the main songwriter and guitarist of the American rock band Van Halen.

He died of a stroke at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California on October 6, aged 65.

Fred Willard

Actor Fred Willard died aged 83 on May 15, he appeared in a number of hit shows including Everybody Loves Raymond and Modern Family.

He also starred in the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, and box office hits such as Anchorman and WALL-E.

Gene Reynolds

TV director Gene Reynolds passed away on Monday, February 3 at the age of 96 on February 3.

He was best known for co-creating the TV series M*A*S*H, which ran for 11 years, alongside Larry Gelbart.

Gene was awarded three Emmys for the much-loved Show and was also awarded the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Direction of a Drama Series once for his work on Lou Grant.

Geno Silva

Geno Silva was an American actor best known for his role as The Skull in Alejandro Sosa's silent hitman in Scarface.

He also appeared in films such as 1941Tequila SunriseThe Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad.

Silva died at his home in Los Angeles of complications from frontotemporal degeneration, a form of dementia.

George Mikell

The Great Escape actor George Mikell died aged 91 of natural causes on May 12.

His first major role was playing an SS officer named Sessler in the 1961 hit The Guns of Nazarone.

In 1963 he played another SS officer in The Great Escape, alongside Steve McQueen.

Harry Hains

Actor Harry Hains died on January 7 at the age of 27, he was best known for starring in American Horror Story.

His mother, Jane Badler, announced the news, saying he had “struggled with mental illness and addiction”

She said: “A brilliant spark shone bright too short a time.”

Hilary Heath

Liverpool born Hilary Heath was best known for her acting role in Wuthering Heights.

She died on April 3 from coronavirus complications at the age of 74.

After retiring from acting, she produced Mike Newell's An Awfully Big Adventure, which starred Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman.

Sir Ian Holm

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(William Conran/PA)

Famous for playing Bilbo Baggins, Ian Holm CBE died after a battle with Parkinson’s disease on June 19 aged 88.

His other notable roles include portraying athletics coach Sam Mussabini in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire – a portrayal which bagged him a Bafta and an Oscar nod.

He also played priest Vito Cornelius in The Fifth Element and lawyer Mitchell Stephens in The Sweet Hereafter.

Most recently, he played the older Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

Irrfan Khan

Irrfan Khan was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema as well as British and American films.

He passed away on April 19 aged 53.

He is best remembered in the West for his roles in hit films Slumdog Millionaire and Life Of Pi.

Jack Kehoe

Hollywood actor Jack Kehoe died at the age of 85 on January 14, five years after he suffered a debilitating stroke.

He was best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film The Sting. He also played the role of “Erie Kid”, and stars alongside Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

During his 50-year career he has starred alongside legends such as Al Pacino in the hit film, Serpico.

Jackie Stallone​

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(Steve Parsons/PA)

Sylvester Stallone's mum and Celebrity Big Brother icon Jackie Stallone died in her sleep on September 21 aged 98.

During her life Jackie had a varied career, appearing on the 1980s wrestling show GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling before publishing astrology books and setting up a psychic hotline in the 1990s.

Jacqueline Scott

Actress Jacqueline Scott died aged 89 on July 23.

Jacqueline was famous for playing the sister of David Janssen's man on the run in The Fugitive and the wife of Walter Matthau's bank robber in Charley Varrick.

Jason Davis

Jason Davis, who voiced the character of Michael “Mikey” Blumberg on the hit animated series Recess died on February 16 at the age of 35 from an accidental Fentanyl overdose.

The voice actor also appeared on the fourth season of VH1 show Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew in 2010.

Davis had recently been admitted to the Cure Addiction Now charity, that he co-founded.

Jeremy Bulloch

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(Jonathan Brady/PA)

Actor Jeremy Bulloch died on December 17, aged 75 after battling with Parkinson’s disease.

The actor was best known for playing Boba Fett in the original Star Wars trilogy.

Jeremy also starred in a number of other films, including Summer Holiday and James Bond.

He also starred in TV series such as Newcomers, Doctor Who, Agony and Robin of Sherwood, as well as several West End theatre productions.

Jill Gascoine

Actress Jill Gascoine died at the age of 83 on April 29 after living with Alzheimer’s for 10 years.

She was Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in the 1980s television series The Gentle Touch and its spin-off series C.A.T.S. Eyes. In the 1990s, she also became a novelist and published three books.

Jimmy Cobb

Wilbur James Cobb, was an American jazz drummer who died in Manhattan on May 24, aged 91.

He was part of Miles Davis's First Great Sextet. At the time of his death, he had been the band's last surviving member for nearly thirty years. 

Joe Diffie

Country music singer and songwriter, Joe Diffie rose to fame in the mid 1980s and signed with Epic Records in 1990.

Some of his best known songs include ‘Home’, ‘The the Devil Danced’ and ‘Third Rock from the Sun’.

He died in Nashville on March 29 at the age of 61 from coronavirus.

Joey Image

Punk rock drummer Joey Image joined Misfits in 1978 and was the drummer for both the "Horror Business" and "Night of the Living Dead" sessions of 1979.

In 2016 he was diagnosed with liver cancer and died on June 1 at the age of 63.

John Karlen

Actor John Karlen played multiple roles on the ABC serial Dark Shadows from 1967 to 1971.

He passed away from congestive heart failure at a hospice in California on January 22 at the age of 86.

John Shrapnel

Best known for his stage work with the RSC and National Theatre, John Shrapnel passed away on Valentine’s Day at the age of 77.

Kellye Nakahara

Kellye Nakahara was an American actress, best known for playing Nurse Kealani Kellye in 167 episodes of the television comedy M*A*S*H.

She died of cancer at her home in Passadena on February 16.

Kenny Rogers

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(Yui Mok/PA)

Iconic country music legend Kenny Rogers was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013 and charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres.

He sold more than 100 million records worldwide during his lifetime making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

He died at the age of 81 on March 20 of natural causes in his home in Sandy Springs.

Kirk Douglas

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(Yui Mok/PA)

Legendary Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas, whose career spanned more than 60 years, passed away at the age of 103 on February 3.

The star gained critical acclaim for his role in the 1960 classic Spartacus.

Kirk had a long and celebrated career, racking up an incredible 92 acting credits across 75 movies.

Kobe Bryant

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(Martin Rickett/PA)

NBA legend Kobe Bryant tragically died at the age of 41 on January 26, in helicopter crash in Calabasas in California.

Sadly, Kobe's 13-year-old daughter was also a passenger and died alongside her father.

The emergency services were quick to the scene but none of the nine passengers on board survived.

Kobe was one of the greatest basketballers of his time and devoted an entire 20-season career to the Los Angeles Lakers.

At the peak of his career, Kobe won 5 National Basketball Association (NBA) titles and took the crown at the All Star championships 18 times.

Lexii Alijai

Upcoming rap sensation Lexii Alijai died at the age of 21 on January 1.

She gained following for rapping over songs such as Meek Mill’s Cold Hearted and Drake’s Girls Love Beyonce.

Lexii broke into the Billboard Hot 100 with her collaboration with American singer Kehlani Parrish, and released her first full length album Super Sweet 16 on her birthday.

Lyle Waggoner

American actor Lyle Waggoner died at the age of 84 on March 17 after an illness.

He was best known for his roles in a number of TV shows and movies in the 1960s and 1970s, including The Carol Burnett Show and Wonder Woman.

Lyle was a major heartthrob and became the first male semi-nude centrefold for Playgirl magazine in 1973.

Lynn Shelton

Film and TV director Lynn Shelton died at the age of 54 on May 15 after a battle with a blood disorder.

She was the director of Netflix’s GLOW, and recently she had directed four episodes of the Hulu series Little Fires Everywhere.

Margaret Nolan

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(PA)

Margaret Nolan died aged 76 on October 5 after a battle with cancer.

She was known as an actress and glamour model but was most recognised as a Bond Girl in Goldfinger and A Hard Day's Night.

Margaret also appeared in six Carry On films and kept acting until her death.

Mary Pat Gleason

Actress Mary Pat Gleason died aged 70 on June 2 following a battle with cancer.

She was best known for appearing in the US sitcom Mom, and the 2004 teen film A Cinderella Story.

Other titles includes Will & Grace, How to Get Away With Murder, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, 2 Broke Girls and Desperate Housewives.

Max von Sydow

Actor Max von Sydow died at the age of 90 at his home in France on March 8.

The actor had a wide and varied career, but one of his most recognisable roles in recent history was the Three-Eyed Raven in Game of Thrones.

He also starred in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Shutter Island, Flash Gordon and The Exorcist.

Michael Angelis

Michael Angelis, known best as the narrator of Thomas The Tank Engine series Thomas And Friends, died at the age of 76 on May 30.

He also appeared on the popular show Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

The actor appeared in 13 series of Thomas The Tank Engine, taking over from Ringo Starr in 1991.

Michel Piccolo

French actor and film director Michel Piccolo died aged 94 on May 12.

The legendary star was renowned for his roles in seminal New Wave films Le Mépris, Contempt and Belle De Jour.

The Parisian star rose to fame after working with a string of legendary French directors, including Luis Bunuel, Jean-Luc Godard and Louis Malle.

Mory Kante

African singer Mory Kante died at the age of 70 on May 22.

The musician’s 1987 hit song Yéké yéké reached the number one spot in European countries such as Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, and Spain.

The accompanying album, Akwaba Beach, soon became the best-selling African record of its time.

Naya Rivera

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(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Glee star Naya Rivera died in a tragic accident on July 8, aged 33.

She was declared missing after she and her young son Josey rented a boat at Lake Piru in California.

Josey was found alone and asleep on the boat with his life jacket on and he told investigators they had been swimming.

Sadly, after Naya had helped her boy to get back on the boat, she was unable to pull herself back up.

Her cause of death was recorded as accidental drowning.

Neil Peart

Drummer of the rock band Rush, Neil Peart passed away at the age of 67 on January 7.

He was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017.

Neil had retired from Rush and professional drumming in 2015, after reportedly suffering from arthritis.

Nicholas Parsons

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(Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Nicholas Parsons hosted the Radio 4 comedy game show Just A Minute from its inception in December 1967.

He passed away on January 28 following a short illness at the age of 96.

Parsons had a long and successful TV and radio career, and was still active into his 90s.

Nikita Pearl

Nikita Pearl died at the age of 15 from a brain tumour on February 15.

She was awaiting another surgery to remove a reoccurring cancerous tumour.

The young girl starred in the Disney film Queen of Katwe, about a chess prodigy from a Ugandan slum.

At the time of her death she was a senior three student at Gayaza High School.

Paolo Rossi

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(AP)

Italy football legend Paolo Rossi passed away at the age of 64 on Dec 9.

Rossi was a key member of the Italy side which brought the country to its third World Cup win in 1982.

He scored six goals, including a hat-trick against Brazil in a 3-2 win.

The forward is widely regarded as one of the best footballers Italy has seen, and won the Golden Ball and Ballon d’Or in 1982.

Peter Green

Co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green died aged 73 on July 25.

He starred in the group alongside Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, Christine McVie, Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer.

He left the band in the 1970s due to struggling with his mental health.

Peter Hobday

Former BBC radio presenter Peter Hobday died at the age of 82 on January 18.

The former Today show presenter was a regular on the show for 14 years, but was controversially dismissed from the popular Radio four programme.

Following an outcry from fans, the BBC were forced to deny claims he was let go because of his age.

Pop Smoke

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Pop Smoke (Tracy Awino/Republic Records/AP)

American rapper Pop Smoke was died aged just 20 on February 19.

The star was shot twice during a home invasion in the Hollywood Hills.

Pop Smoke, born Bashar Barakah Jackson, released his second mixtape Meet the Woo 2 before his death in February. It earned him his first top 1- single on the Billboard charts.

Raphael Coleman

Raphael Coleman, who starred in Nanny McPhee, died at the age of 25 on February 7.

The child actor’s stepfather confirmed he had died after collapsing during a jog.

Raphael was best known for playing a little boy called Eric, alongside Emma Thompson in the 2005 version of Nanny McPhee.

At the age of 18 Raphael travelled around the world alone, and went on to become a biologist.

He spent a year in the jungle of Costa Rica, and six months in Indonesia, where he qualified for a certificate as a diver.

Raphael was also an active member of Extinction Rebellion.

Richard Herd

Actor Richard Herd died on May 26 at the age of 87 in Los Angeles.

He had countless roles in TV and film since the start of his career including in All the President’s Men, Get Out and The China Syndrome.

Rocky Johnson

Rocky Johnson, father of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, died aged 75 on January 15.

Also known as Soul Man, he was a former World Tag Team Champion and was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

The wrestling legend had a remarkable career which saw him dominate the WWE world during the 1980s.

Rosalind Knight 

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(Simon Annand)

Rosalind Knight died on December 19 at the age of 87.

The actress was best known for starring in the Channel 4 series Friday Night Dinner and in the early Carry On films.

Roy Hudd

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Roy Hudd played Archie Shuttleworth in Coronation Street (Anna Gowthorpe/PA)

Comedian, actor and presenter Roy Hudd passed away at the age of 83 on March 15.

He appeared in a number of TV shows over the years, including Dennis Potter series Lipstick on Your Collar.

He eventually moved into soaps, and made his first appearance in Coronation Street in 2002 as undertaker Archie.

Sean Arnold

Bergerac actor Sean Arnold died at the age of 79 on April 15 after having a long-term illness.

He’s best known for playing Superintendent Barney Crozier in detective drama Bergerac, which was on air in the 80s.

He also played headmaster Mr Llewellyn in Grange Hill during the 70s and 80s

Sean Connery

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Sir Sean Connery (PA)

Sean Connery died aged 90 on October 31, passing away in his sleep after being ill for some time.

The Scottish actor became known for being the first to play James Bond on film, appearing as the secret agent in seven films.

He also appeared in The Untouchables, for which he won an Oscar, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Rock.

Shirley Knight

Actress Shirley Knight died on April 22 from natural causes at the age of 83.

She was nominated for two Oscars during the early stages of her career, before going on to land several film, TV and stage roles.

Recently she received several Emmy nominations for her role as Phyllis Van de Kamp in Desperate Housewives.

Silvio Horta

Silvio Horta, the creator of the US sitcom Ugly Betty, died at the age of 45 on January 7.

Horta worked on Ugly Betty for all four seasons from 2006 to 2010.

Stan Kirsch

Stan Kirsch, Hollywood star who is best known for playing Richie Ryan in Highlander, died at the age of 51 on January 11.

Kirsch, who had a cameo in Friends as Monica’s love interest Ethan, was found dead by his wife.

Stephen Clements

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(BBC/PA)

BBC Radio Ulster presenter Stephen Clements died at the age of 47 on January 7.

The broadcaster had presented the mid-morning Stephen Clements show since September 2019.

The father-of-two had started his radio presenting career on Citybeat, and then hosted Q Radio’s Breakfast show for seven years.

Stuart Whitman

American actor Stuart Whitman died at the age of 92 after a battle with skin cancer on March 16.

The Oscar-nominated actor enjoyed fame in Hollywood Westerns around the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Whitman had 150 film credits to his name, and received an Oscar nomination for his role in 1961’s The Mark.

Terry Jones

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(Jonathan Brady/PA)

Monty Python star Terry jones died at the age of 77 on January 21.

He was diagnosed with dementia in 2015.

After Monty Python, he worked on a variety of other projects, including the TV series Ripping Yarns with Michael Palin.

Tim Brooke-Taylor

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Goodies star Tim Brooke-Taylor died in April (John Stillwell/PA)

Goodies star Tim Brooke-Taylor died at the age of 79 from coronavirus on April 12.

The actor was also famous for playing Ronnie Smethers in Heartbeat between 2005 and 2009.

He also portrayed the role of Graham Parsons in the BBC medical drama Doctors in 2005.

Tony Morris

Presenter of ITV’s regional news programme in the North West of England, Tony Morris died at the age of 57 after being diagnosed with kidney cancer last year.

He died on August 1 at Bury Hospice, with his daughters Natalie and Rebecca by his side.

He presented Grenade Reports for 17 years and was active on the show until just a few weeks before his death.

Tony Scannell

Actor Tony Scannell died at the age of 75 on May 27.

Tony was best known for playing DS Ted Roach on The Bill for nine years.

The Irish actor also starred in Flash Gordon, Evil Never Died and Waking The Dead.

Vincent Marzello

Actor Vincent Marzello died on March 31 at the age of 68.

The actor was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and has starred in a number of TV series and movies.

He was best known for starring in the 1990s film The Witches and The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977.

Wilfred Brimley

American actor Wilfred Brimley died aged 85 on August 2.

He passed away at his home in Utah after a short stay in intensive care.

He is best known for his roles in the likes of The Thing and Cocoon, he had a long career starting back in the 1960s, and his most recent credit was in Timber the Treasure Dog as Hawk Jones.