The entertainment stars we lost in 2022

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 31 December 2022

Media Mole looks back at the stars from the entertainment world we sadly lost in 2022.

Media Mole looks back at the stars from the entertainment world we sadly lost in 2022.

Sidney Poitier

The first black actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor died at the age of 94 on January 6 due to heart failure.

Gary Waldhorn

The Vicar of Dibley star died at the age of 78 on January 10.

Sean Rice

The Canadian ice skater - former pro on Dancing On Ice - died at the age of 49 on January 14.

Gaspard Ulliel

The acclaimed French actor died at the age of 37 on January 19 in a skiing accident. He appeared posthumously in Disney+'s Marvel series Moon Knight.

Meat Loaf

The 'Bat Out Of Hell' music legend died at the age of 74 on January 20.

Barry Cryer

The comedy legend died at the age of 86 on January 25.

Andy Devine

Emmerdale's Shadrach Dingle died of pneumonia at the age of 79 on January 27.

Leonard Fenton

The EastEnders star, who played original character Dr Legg, died at the age of 95 on January 29.

Bamber Gascoigne

The original quizmaster on University Challenge died at the age of 87 on February 8.

Ivan Reitman

The filmmaker, known for movies including Ghostbusters and Twins, died at the age of 75 on February 12.

Beryl Vertue

The legendary TV producer died on February 12 at the age of 90.

Jamal Edwards

The music entrepreneur and founder of SB.TV died at the age of 31 on February 20 due to a cardiac arrhythmia caused by recreational drugs.

Anna Karen

The On The Buses and EastEnders actress tragically died in a house fire at the age of 85 on February 22.

Lynda Baron

The actress and singer, known for Open All Hours and EastEnders, died at the age of 82 on March 5.

William Hurt

The Oscar-winning actor, known for Kiss of the Spider Woman, died of prostate cancer at the age of 71 on March 13.

Peter Bowles

The veteran actor of stage and screen died at the age of 85 on March 17 following a battle with cancer.

Alan Hopgood

The Aussie actor, who starred in Prisoner and Neighbours, died from prostate cancer at the age of 87 on March 19.

Melanie Clark Pullen

The Irish actress, who played Mary Flaherty in EastEnders, died from a brain tumour at the age of 46 on March 29.

Tom Parker

The Wanted singer tragically lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 33 on March 30, just weeks after his final live performances with the group.

June Brown

The EastEnders legend - known to millions as Dot Cotton - died at the age of 95 on April 3.

Gilbert Gottfried

The American comedian with a highly-distinctive voice died at the age of 67 on April 12 due to a heart condition.

Liz Sheridan

The actress, who played Jerry's mother in Seinfeld, died at the age of 93 on April 15.

Naomi Judd

The country music legend died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 76 on April 30.

Dennis Waterman

The actor - known for Minder, New Tricks and The Sweeney - died of lung cancer at the age of 74 on May 8.

Kay Mellor

The actress and creator of Fat Friends died at the age of 71 on May 15.

Ray Liotta

The Goodfellas star died in his sleep at the age of 67 on May 26 while filming a new movie in the Dominican Republic.

Depeche Mode's Andrew Fletcher pictured in 2018

Andrew 'Fletch' Fletcher

The keyboardist and founding member of Depeche Mode died at the age of 60 on May 26 after suffering an aortic dissection.

Hilary Devey

The entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star died after a long illness at the age of 65 on June 11.

Ernst Walder as Ivan Cheveski in Coronation Street

The original member of the Coronation Street cast - and one-time boyfriend of the soap's creator Tony Warren - died at the age of 93 on September 6, 2021, although news of his passing did not emerge until almost a year later.

Dame Deborah James

The journalist and podcaster, known as 'Bowel Babe', died at the age of 40 on June 28 after a six-year battle against bowel cancer.

Mona Hammond

The pioneering Jamaican-British actress died at the age of 91 on July 4.

James Caan

The star of The Godfather, Misery and Elf died of a heart attack at the age of 82 on July 6.

Gregory Itzin

24's President Charles Logan died at the age of 74 on July 8 after suffering complications during emergency surgery.

Ivana Trump

The businesswoman and ex-wife of Donald Trump died at the age of 73 on July 14 after falling down the stairs of her New York home.

Paul Ryder

The founding member of the Happy Mondays died of suspected heart disease at the age of 58 on July 15.

Ashvin Luximon

The former EastEnders star died from an aneurysm at the age of 38 on July 23.

Bernard Cribbins

The beloved actor and singer died at the age of 93 on July 27, just weeks after filming his final scenes on Doctor Who - due for broadcast in November 2023.

Nichelle Nichols

The Star Trek OG died of heart failure at the age of 89 on July 30.

Olivia Newton-John

The Aussie singer and actress died of breast cancer at the age of 73 on August 8.

Anne Heche

The actress, known for films including Donnie Brasco, Volcano and Six Days, Seven Nights, died at the age of 53 on August 11 following a car crash in Los Angeles.

Darius Danesh

The Pop Idol legend died at the age of 41 on August 11 due to a reaction to medication he was taking to treat chronic pain.

Ted on the first episode of Coronation Street on January 3, 2022

Duggie Brown

The comedian and actor, brother of the late Corrie legend Lynne Perrie, died at the age of 82 on August 16, just months after filming his own brief stint on the long-running soap.

Josephine Tewson

The Keeping Up Appearances star died at the age of 91 on August 18.

Bill Turnbull

The much-loved TV and radio presenter died at the age of 66 on August 31 following a five-year battle with prostate cancer.

Harry Landis

The ex-EastEnders and Friday Night Dinner star died of cancer at the age of 95 on September 11.

Cherry Valentine

The RuPaul's Drag Race UK star - real name George Ward - died at the age of 28 on September 18.

Coolio

The rap legend died of a suspected cardiac arrest at the age of 59 on September 28.

Loretta Lynn

The legendary country music singer died in her sleep at the age of 90 on October 4.

Dame Angela Lansbury

The distinguished actress of stage and screen - known for multiple roles including Murder, She Wrote, Mame and Bedknobs and Broomsticks - died at the age of 96 on October 11.

Robbie Coltrane

The Cracker star died of multiple organ failure at the age of 72 on October 14.

Ron Masak

Murder, She Wrote's Sheriff Mort Metzger died at the age of 86 on October 20, nine days after the death of Dame Angela Lansbury.

Leslie Jordan

The much-loved Will & Grace star died at the age of 67 on October 24 after suffering a medical incident while driving his car.

Tim Gough

The much-loved radio presenter died at the age of 55 while presenting his breakfast show from his home studio on October 24.

Jerry Lee Lewis

The controversial rock 'n' roll pioneer died at the age of 87 on October 28.

Aaron Carter

The singer and younger brother of Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter was discovered dead in his bathtub at the age of 34 on November 5.

Leslie Phillips

The comic actor, known for his "ding dong" and "hello" catchphrases in camp movies such as the Carry On series, died at the age of 98 on November 7.

Bill Treacher

The EastEnders legend, who played original character Arthur Fowler, died at the age of 92 on November 5.

Jason David Frank

The former Power Rangers star died by suicide at the age of 49 on November 19.

Irene Cara

The singer-songwriter responsible for the signature tunes from Fame and Flashdance died at the age of 63 on November 25.

Christine McVie

The legendary musician, who wrote some of Fleetwood Mac's signature hits, died at the age of 79 on November 30 following a short illness.

Kirstie Alley

The actress, known for Cheers, Veronica's Closet and the Look Who's Talking movies, died at the age of 71 on December 5 after a brief battle with colon cancer.