Latest News

• 1st December 2018

  Senior Moment

  

  Former US president, George H W Bush aka George Bush Senior, has passed away to provide DeathList 2018 with another score. Bush first ran for president in 1980- but was beaten to the republican party nomination by Ronald Reagan. He then served for 8 years as vice president to Reagan, before being winning the 1998 presidential election. During Bush’s time in the White House, the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union collapsed. However, the most significant event of his term was the first Gulf War, triggered by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. The offensive removed Iraq from Kuwait but left Saddam Hussein in power. In 1992 Bush stood for re-election but his famous 1988 soundbite “Read my lips: No new taxes” came back to haunt him ultimately losing the election to Bill Clinton. Bush remained in the public eye in later life, particularly when his son became 43rd president in 2001. Bush made six appearances on DeathList, this year at number 25. He was 94 when he died and was the 12th death of the year.
  6 appearances: 2018 (25), 2017 (28), 2016 (27), 2015 (9), 2014 (38), 2013 (10)
  

  12th Death

  Age: 94, Former President of USA, Cause of death: TBC

• 12th November 2018

  DeathList Scores with Dead-Lee Accuracy

  

  Marvel comics writer and editor, Stan Lee, has created his last superhero at the grand old age of 95 to provide another success for DeathList 2018. Lee joined Timely Comics in 1939 at the age of 17, becoming editor in chief two years later. But it was not until 1961, when Timely was rebranded as Marvel Comics that Lee started to create his most famous superheroes including Spiderman, The Hulk, Silver Surfer as well as the less well remembered Stripperella. In his later years, Lee continued to appear regularly at Comic-Con events. Lee was making his fifth appearance on DeathList and had risen to 13th place. He is the 11th success of the year.
  5 appearances: 2018 (13), 2017 (9), 2016 (37), 2014 (33), 2013 (41)
  

  11th Death

  Age: 96, Marvel comics, Cause of death: TBC

• 1st October 2018

  Aznavour - Tous Les Visages De La Mort

  

  Veteran French crooner, Charles Aznavour, has sung his last note to provide DeathList 2018 with another hit. Aznavour was born to Armenian parents in Paris and entered the entertainment industry aged nine. He made his breakthrough as a singer in his early 20s when Edith Piaf heard him sing and invited him to perform on her on tour. Aznavour recorded more than 50 studio albums during his life and had his biggest hit with She (Tous Les Visages De L'amour) in 1974, which reached number one in the UK charts. Aznavour was sometimes called France’s Frank Sinatra and collaborated with a long list of major artists including Dusty Springfield, Elton John, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and Julio Iglesias. In his later years, Aznavour campaigned for anti-piracy measures as well as on Armenian issues. He passed away aged 94, making his third appearance on DeathList and only his second since 1990. This year he held 26th place. He is the tenth death of the year.
  3 appearances: 2018 (26), 2014 (39), 1990 (9)
  

  10th Death

  Age: 94, Singer, Cause of death: TBA

• 19th September 2018

  Norden Lines Terminate Here

  

  Denis Norden, British comedy writer and TV presenter, has cracked his final quip to give DeathList 2018 another score. Norden’s early career was as a scriptwriter for other comedians and radio and tv shows. However, his greatest claim to fame came in 1977 when he came up with the idea and presented the pioneering British TV bloopers show, “It’ll Be Alright on the Night”. Norden presented some 29 episodes of the show over the next 29 years before retiring in 2006. Norden passed away aged 96, while making his sixth appearance on the list, this year at number 40. He is the ninth success for DeathList 2018.
  6 appearances: 2018 (40), 2017 (7), 2016 (41), 2015 (33), 2014 (35), 2010 (40)
  

  9th Death

  Age: 96, Comic/TV Presenter, Cause of death: Old Age

• 26th August 2018

  Simon Plays Dead

  

  American playwright, Neil Simon, has provided a quick follow up for DeathList 2018 in being its eighth success. Simon started as a TV script writer in the 1950s but had his first Broadway play in the early 1960s. He went on to write some 30 plays many of which were successful. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991. Simon was married five times to only four different women. He passed away, aged 91, while making his first appearance on DeathList, chosen at number 35.
  1 appearance: 2018 (35)
  

  8th Death

  Age: 91, Playwright, Cause of death: Pneumonia

• 25th August 2018

  McCain's had his chips!

  

  US politician, John McCain, has succumbed to brain cancer to provide another DeathList success. McCain was elected to the Senate in 1987. In 2008 he won the republican nomination to run for president and chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. He ultimately lost the election to Barack Obama. In his later years McCain had a fraught relationship with Donald Trump, who it was made known would not be invited to his funeral. McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 and made it to number 8 on this years’ list, being his first appearance. McCain was 81. His death is the seventh of the year.
  1 appearance: 2018 (8)
  

  7th Death

  Age: 82, Politician, Cause of death: Brain Cancer

• 10th July 2018

  Carrington heads to the Upper House

  

  British politician, Lord Carrington, has passed away shortly after his 99th birthday to provide DeathList 2018 with its sixth success. Carrington was a hereditary peer who served in Conservative Governments from the 1950s through to 1982 when he took responsibilities for not foreseeing the invasion of the Falklands Islands and resigned. From 1984 until 1998 he was Secretary General of NATO and remained active with other roles in the 1990s. Carrington was making his fourth appearance on DeathList, this year holding on to tenth position.
  4 appearances: 2018 (10), 2017 (4), 2016 (18), 2014 (25)
  

  6th Death

  Age: 99, UK Politician, Cause of death: TBC

• 13th May 2018

  One less after Tess

  

  Dame Tessa Jowell has succumbed to brain cancer to further reduce the list of surviving DeathList candidates. Jowell was a British Labour Party politician who held several ministerial positions under the Blair and Brown Governments between 1997 and 2010. She was Minister for Olympics when London won the 2012 bid and was knighted in the same year partly for that role. Jowell was a major figure in the 'New Labour' movement and a dedicated supporter of Tony Blair while he was in power. In May 2017 she was diagnosed with brain cancer and then campaigned for greater research and clinical trials for sufferers of the disease. Jowell was making her first appearance on DeathList, claiming 15th position. She marks the fifth death of the year.
  1 appearance: 2018 (15)
  

  5th Death

  Age: 71, British Politician, Cause of death: Brain Cancer

• 17th April 2018

  Barbara Bushwhacked!

  

  Former US First Lady, Barbara Bush, has secured the nomination of fourth success for DeathList 2018. Bush was the wife of George HW Bush and mother of George W Bush. Her tenure in the White House lasted from 1989 to 1993. Bush had been in failing health in recent years and was 92 when she passed. She was selected at number 29 this year, which was her first year on the list. She goes down as part of one of the rare husband and wife couples that have both appeared on DeathList in the same year and perhaps she can be part of the first husband and couple on DeathList to both die in the same year – time will tell.
  1 appearance: 2018 (29)
  

  4th Death

  Age: 93, Former First Lady, Cause of death: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• 14th March 2018

  No More Squawking for Hawking

  

  Legendary theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking has finally left this universe to provide DeathList 2018 with it's third score. Hawking is credited with opening up the strange world of theoretical physics to the masses incredibly while suffering from debilitating motor neurone disease which gradually paralysed him until finally he only had control of one cheek muscle. Despite this shocking condition, he wrote best selling books, became a major celebrity, made public appearances, appeared in an episode of The Simpsons and even married twice. When first diagnosed in 1963, Hawking was told he likely had two or three years to live. It was nearly 50 years later when the DeathList committee saw fit for him to make his first appearance on the list. Hawking was 76 years old, was making his fourth appearance, this year at number 45.
  4 appearances: 2018 (45), 2016 (47), 2014 (32), 2012 (48)
  

  3rd Death

  Age: 76, Theoretical Physicist, Cause of death: ALS

• 21st February 2018

  Preach for the Sky

  

  Christian evangelist, Billy Graham, has fallen just short of his 100th birthday to provide DeathList 2018 with its second score. Graham become famous in the 1950s for holding large scale rallies at which he preached his sermons, allegedly addressing more than 200 million people in almost all the countries of the world. During his life, Graham had personal audiences with 12 US presidents, although it appears that diaries could not be coordinated when it came to Donald Trump. Graham was 99 years old and was making his twelfths appearance on the list, this year at number 6.
  12 appearances: 2018 (6), 2017 (3), 2016 (6), 2015 (5), 2014 (2), 2013 (31), 2012 (13), 2010 (25), 2009 (28), 2008 (24), 2007 (9), 2006 (33)
  

  2nd Death

  Age: 100, Evangelist, Cause of death: Natural Causes

• 24th January 2018

  A No.1 Hit for Mark E Smith

  

  Legendary post punk icon, Mark E Smith, lead singer of The Fall, has given DeathList 2018 a surprise start. Smith formed The Fall in 1976 and became notorious for sacking band members, who eventually numbered in excess of 60. Despite the ever-changing roster, The Fall always continued with Smith as the ever-present member releasing a total of 30 studio albums. “If it's me and yer granny on bongos, it's The Fall” Smith once said to clarify. The Fall were very rarely easy listening, although in the late 1980s they had a number of more accessible singles such as Hit The North, Victoria and Cruiser’s Creek. Smith himself was difficult character and often a nightmare for interviewers, however he was unique, uncompromising and, some would say, a genius. Smith had clearly never been one to look after himself and appeared to be deteriorating in recent years. His 2015 Glastonbury performance live on BBC which appeared to include a major on-stage bathroom malfunction very early in the set seemed to be an indication that all was not well and, last year, a significant number of gigs had to be cancelled due to his ill health. He passed away aged 60. He was making his first appearance on DeathList, clocking on at number 50.
  1 appearance: 2018 (50)
  

  1st Death

  Age: 61, The Fall, Cause of death: Cancer