Have you ever been greatly saddened by the passing of a celebrity/well known person?

[Goldenbrowntexturelikesun]

As sad as it is with anyone passing away I can’t recall many celebrity deaths ever having any lasting impact on me, except for two.

For me, it was the death of Terry Wogan.

I suppose it was mainly because I grew up with him as a constant in the background, mum always had him playing and when I became an adult I automatically carried that on. He had me in stitches and he had the most perfect voice and personality for radio.

I bawled my eyes out when he passed away and I still miss his shows.

As I say, I really don’t get sentimental over such things but the passing of Terry Wogan and my first love, George Michael really did hit me hard when they went.

I normally just feel a brief sadness, especially if they have been part of the fabric of life forever (Terry Wogan, Gay Byrne, QE2).

The ones I still feel sad about years later are Caroline Aherne and Victoria Wood, because every time I watch one of their shows I think about how much more they could have done if they hadn't died so young. It is selfish, but I absolutely loved their work. I feel the same about Sue Grafton.

I also can't believe Paul O'Grady is dead, my mind keeps cancelling the fact.

Saddened but not devastated or anything because I never knew them but:

Rick Mayall
Alan Rickman
Victoria Wood
Jade Goody

Not really but if Beyoncé dies before me I will pass out with grief 😭🤣

Not joking

I didn't cry, but the deaths of both Robin Williams and David Bowie upset me greatly.

Omg and Helen McRory. How could I forget?

Also same for JK Rowling. I know she probably won't write another HP but that doesn't stop me hoping. Constantly

George Michael.
My favourite ever artist.
Also Paul O' Grady.
I cried for both.

Funnily enough, when I saw the thread title, my first thought was Terry Wogan. But lots of others too, Bowie, Rik Mayall, Victoria Wood, George Michael etc.

Robin Williams stands out because we were on holiday and my children, teenagers then, were devastated.

I'm a big softie so I cry a lot, but celebrity deaths that affected me were:

John Thaw - my entire family growing up were big Morse fans and he reminded me so much of my grandpa - who fancies himself as a bit of a Morse character so it was sad.
Bowie - just because I don't think there has been or will be another artist like him, and he kept putting out art right until he died.
Robin Williams because he seemed so kind and incredibly good at making other people happy but was so sad. Ditto Matthew Perry. I'm on maternity leave so had been rewatching Friends when he died and couldn't stop thinking about how much he struggled. My DH is an alcoholic and I admired how he battled his addiction and tried so very hard to help others.

Caroline Aherne, she was so young and the Royle Family was so accurate to Northern working class families, I had a soft spot for her.

The only time DH has been affected was Rik Mayall. He didn't cry but was really sad for days.

DillDanding yes, I bawled my eyes out and no, I don’t apologies for being an emotional person, it simply who I am and I’m not ashamed of that.

Bowie.

Weirdly, Caroline Flack.

Weird because I don't think I ever watched her in a single tv show and certainly wasn't a fan. But we are the same age and it just seemed such a waste and it was so sad and must have been so lonely the way she did it. I think I felt more affected because it was a suicide, rather than accident or illness, it just seemed more preventable. She seemed to be so well loved by her friends and family.

I didn't literally cry or anything, but I feel such a sense of sadness when it's mentioned in the press.

I didn't cry, but the deaths of Princess Diana and Gary Speed affected me greatly.

Kirsty MacColl.
Not only a great musician, but particularly the circumstances of her death. Her poor sons.

I've been heartbroken when family members and friends have died but I can't imagine feeling more than a bit sad when a famous person, who I've never met, has died. I found the mass hysteria when Diana died truly astounding.

I forgot about Gary Speed. We are Blades fans and I remember DH being really upset. That was a tragedy. So sad.

I always find it sad but the ones that hurt most were Paul O'Grady and Matthew Perry for me.

Did you hear Tom Baker interviewed on R4 recently ( Jan 2024, I think, but can't remember the programme).
His answers interview was bizarre; his responses, speech, affect were frankly one of someone with a PD. It was extraordinary.

Dustin Diamond who played Screech on Saved By the Bell. I grew up watching that show with my younger brother who thought he was hilarious. He actually reminded me a lot of my brother in looks and mannerisms. He was a bit of an unconventional person but I was sad when he passed away.

I was sad when I heard Barry White had died. I went home and played some of his music.

Same for me.

So was I.
Freddie Mercury and Alan Rickman also made me feel really sad.

Bowie - V Sad
Princess Di - Ugly tears during her funeral (I blame my age - young and silly)
The Queen - Dignified sniffle
Steve Irwin - Shocked and sad
Nelson Mandela - Expected but deeply deeply sad, the loss of an extraordinary human being

I was the same age as River Phoenix when he died and I adored him. I grieved him for weeks. More recently I was heartbroken when Chris Cornell died. I couldn't listen to his music for maybe a year afterwards without crying.
I was also very upset about Philip Seymour Hoffman, but not at the crying level.
It does sound ridiculous to have that level,of feeling for someone you've never met, but when they're quite a big part of your life, I guess the brain responds in the same way as if you did know them.

Comic Jeremy Hardy absolutely knocked me for six. I don't even know why but it really got me in a way no other has.

George Michael, Victoria Wood ans Caroline Aherne upset me more than most celebrity deaths but still not on a par with JH.