UK famous death in 1999, can you help me find out who it was?

[Frangipane]

I have in my head that a well known UK figure, pretty sure it was an actor, but could be wrong about that, died in 1999. They had prepared a death notice before they died, published in The Times, something a bit wry and witty, pretty sure it made reference to the fact that they were either missing out on the solar eclipse of that year, or the turn of the millennium - the 2 big talking points of 1999 as I remember it.

I have googled celebrity deaths for that year but none of the people mentioned ring a bell with me. Originally I thought it was the actor John Le Mesurier, he of Dad's Army fame, but I see now he died in 1982.

So can any sleuth with a bit of time on your hands work out who this was so I can stop thinking about it?! It was definitely a man btw.

www.thefamouspeople.com/died-1999.php

Any on here?

That's one of the sites I have been through. I couldn't see anyone. I feel I will know the name the minute I see it. It isn't important in the broad scheme of things, it is just driving me mad trying to remember.

Oliver Reed?

Spike Milligan? Wrote his own obituary but quite a while before he died... www.standard.co.uk/news/my-obituary-by-spike-milligan-6330153.html

It was someone more gentlemanly than Oliver Reed (no disrespect to Oliver). I have wondered if maybe we were all talking about the eclipse and the millennium in 1998 and therefore the death took place then, but no sign of whoever it was in the 1998 lists either.

Desmond Llewelyn
Dirk Bogarde
Anthony Newley

Quentin Crisp? He died in 1999 and often made comments about death.

Desmond Llewelyn (Q from the Bond movies)?

Michael winner ? Bit later on I know

Jill Dando is the only one that springs to mind for 1999

I don't think it was any of these people. Just going to Google when Malcolm Muggeridge died as a tiny bit of me thinks it was him.

Nope, 1990.....