Celebrities who have passed away in 2022

French actor Gaspard Ulliel died on 19 January at the age of 37. He died in a skiing accident. He first rose to fame when he played a young Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal Rising in 2007. He appeared posthumously in Marvel's series Moon Knight.

Meatloaf died on 20 January at the age of 74. He was most famous for his 1977 rock opera Bat Out of Hell and his hit songs Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, and I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That). He was also known for his role as Eddie in the cult 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show and played the tour bus driver in Spice World.

EastEnders and On the Buses star Anna Karen passed away in a house fire on 22 February at the age of 85. A spokesperson for EastEnders said, "We are deeply saddened to hear that Anna Karen has passed away. Anna created a sharp, quick-witted and extremely popular character in Aunt Sal that the audience will never forget, just as those who worked with her at EastEnders will never forget her warmth, kindness fun and good humour. Our love and thoughts are with Anna's family and friends."

Jamal Edwards, founder of the YouTube channel SBTV that started the careers of artists such as Ed Sheeran and Stormzy, and son of Loose Women presenter Brenda Edwards sadly passed away on the 20 February. Outside of his work in music he was also and author and was awarded an MBE in 2015 for his contributions to music.

Joseph Owen Wanders has been described as a "promising young actor" and a "gifted visionary" following his sudden death from a seizure while on holiday in Costa Rica on 24 February aged 27. He appeared in Coronation Street in 2018.

Lynda Baron passed away on 5 March at the age of 82. She was best known for her roles as as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in BBC sitcom Open All Hours, Auntie Mabel in the BBC children's TV show Come Outside and Linda Clarke in EastEnders. She will be missed by many and was described by her agent, Donna French as "a wonderful actress and a great friend. Her iconic roles of Nurse Gladys in Open All Hours and Aunt Mabel in Come Outside were loved by all generations."

Australian cricketer Shane Warne sadly passed away in March. Shane had previously been the captain of the Australia national team and he was engaged to Elizabeth Hurley, and while their relationship didn't work out they remained friends. A spokesperson confirmed Shane had died in a statement, "Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived. The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course. Elizabeth also paid her tribute on social media by saying, "I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved Lionheart @shanewarne23."

Actor Peter Bowles passed away in March at the age of 85 after a battle with cancer. He was best known for his role as self-made businessman Richard DeVere in To The Manor Born which aired from 1979 to 1981. He starred on the show alongside Dame Penelope Keith and the pair reprised their roles in a 2007 special. His manager said, "He leaves his wife of over 60 years, Sue, and their three children Guy, Adam and Sasha. Starting his career at the Old Vic Theatre in 1956, he starred in 45 theatrical productions ending at the age of 81 in The Exorcist at the Phoenix Theatre. "He worked consistently on stage and screen, becoming a household name on TV as the archetypal English gent in To The Manor Born, Only When I Laugh, The Bounder and Lytton's Diary, which he devised himself."

The Wanted star Tom Parker sadly died in March at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2020. His wife, Kelsey, said in a statement, "Our hearts are broken. Tom was the centre of our world. We can't imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence. We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we all unite to ensure Tom's light continues to shine for his beautiful children." His bandmates also released a statement, saying they were "devastated" by Parker's death and that they were with him and his family at his side when he died.

Actress Jennifer Wilson sadly passed away in March at the age of 89. She was best know for her roles in Casualty, Doctors and Coronation Street. Rob Cope, a close friend of Jennifer's payed tribute to her by writing, "Farewell my lovely friend Jennifer Wilson who has passed away in Cannes aged 89." Jenny was a Shakesperean starlet before finding success in TV, most notably as Jennifer Kingsley in The Brothers.

Actress Melanie Clark Pullen sadly passed away in March at age 46, less than a year after being diagnosed with brain cancer. She was best known for playing Pauline Fowler's niece, Mary Flaherty, on EastEnders from 1997 to 1999. EastEnders' official Twitter account issued the statement, "We're deeply saddened to hear that Melanie Clark Pullen has passed away. Our love and thoughts are with Melanie's family and friends". Melanie is survived by her husband Simon and three children.

EastEnders star June Brown, well known as Dot Cotton, sadly passed away in April aged 95. Her family confirmed the heartbreaking news and said, "We are deeply saddened to announce our beloved mother, June, passed away very peacefully at her home in Surrey on Sunday evening, with her family by her side. We would kindly ask that our privacy is respected at this very difficult time".

Actor Dennis Waterman, best known for his roles in Minder and New Tricks passed away at the age of 74 in May. His family released a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved Dennis passed away very peacefully in hospital in Spain."

Andy Devine was a British actor primarily on television, whose best known role was Shadrach Dingle on one of longest-running soaps Emmerdale_._ He played Shadrach on and off starting in 2000 and made his final appearance in July 2010.

Dame Deborah James, who is also known as Bowel Babe, died in June 2022 surrounded by her family following her battle with bowel cancer. Her family said in a statement, "Deborah shared her experience with the world to raise awareness, break down barriers, challenge taboos and change the conversation around cancer. Even in her most challenging moments, her determination to raise money and awareness was inspiring.

"Thank you for playing your part in her journey, you are all incredible.

And a few final things from Deborah…“find a life worth enjoying; take risks; love deeply; have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope. And finally, check your poo – it could just save your life.” x"

Lauren Goodger's ex-boyfriend Jake McLean died in a car accident in Turkey in July 2022. His on / off girlfriend and TOWIE star Yazmin Oukhellou survived, but was in a critical but stable condition in hospital for some time. Jake, 33, is reported to have been driving in Bodrum when his vehicle veered over a cliff. Emergency crews were unable to save Jake, and Yazmin was flown to hospital. Lauren paid tribute to Jake on her Instagram story, writing, "R.I.P Jake, I have no words right now. My thoughts are with your family & friends."

Music icon Olivia Newton-John died age 73 in August. Her husband released a statement on her Instagram account, writing, "Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time." Olivia famously advocated for breast cancer research during her illustrious career, after battling the disease for three decades.

Darius Campbell Danesh, a West End star who rose to fame on Popstars and Pop Idol in the early Noughties was found dead at the age of 41 in August 2022. His family confirmed the news in a statement, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh. Darius was found unresponsive in bed in his apartment room in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 11 and was pronounced dead in the afternoon by the local medical examiners' office."

Best known for presenting BBC Breakfast from 2001 to 2016, Bill Turnbull died aged 66 on 31 August 2022 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017. In a statement, his family said, "Following a challenging and committed fight against prostate cancer, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in Suffolk surrounded by his family on Wednesday, 31st August. Bill was diagnosed in 2017 and has had outstanding medical care from the Royal Marsden and Ipswich Hospitals, St Elizabeth Hospice and his GP.

"He was resolutely positive and was hugely buoyed by the support he received from friends, colleagues, and messages from people wishing him luck. It was a great comfort to Bill that so many more men are now testing earlier for this disease."

Star of stage and screen Dame Angela Lansbury died aged 96, five days before her 97th birthday, on 11 October. Known for her career that spanned eight decades, she won five Tony awards and had three Oscar nominations.

Announcing her death, her family said, "The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles at 1:30 AM today, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, just five days shy of her 97th birthday."

Best known for playing the much loved character of Hagrid in the Harry Potter series, Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane died on October 14 at age 72. Announcing his death on social media on Friday, his agent didn't disclose the cause, but his family and friends thanked staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Scotland, for taking care of him. Some of Coltranes other notable roles were as Valentin Dmitrovich Zukovsky in the James Bond films GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough, and as Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald in the ITV series Cracker.

Speaking at the Harry Potter reunion last year, Robbie said of the movies, "My children's generation will show them to their children, so you could be watching it in 50 years time, easy. I'll not be here, sadly. But Hagrid will."

Will and Grace legend and queer icon Leslie Jordan passed away in October 2022 at the age of 64. His agent confirmed the sad new on Tuesday 24 October 2022. According to reports, Jordan died in a car crash. His publicist said the world has become a "darker place" following his sudden loss. David Shaul said, "Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times."

He continued, "Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today."

Jordan was well known for his impactful roles in Will and Grace, American Horror Story, and Call Me Kat.

During the pandemic, Jordan found fame with a much younger and broader audience as a social media star, thanks to his hilarious daily updates while quarantining.

34-year-old musician Aaron Carter – the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter – was found dead at his California home on Saturday 5 November. This was confirmed by his reps and family. Aaron's brother posted the following tribute to his social media channels the following day, "My heart is broken. Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded. I have always held on to the hope that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed."

Aaron rose to fame as a teen pop singer in the late '90s. As a teenager, he dated numerous high-profile celebrities, including Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan. Hilary also paid tribute to the late star on her socials, writing, "For Aaron - I'm deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in-front of the whole world. You had a charm that was absolutely effervescent... Boy did my teenage self love you deeply. Sending love to your family at this time. Rest easy ❤️."

Actor Leslie Phillips, who was best known for appearing in the Carry On films, has died aged 98 on November 7 after a long illness. One of Phillips most famous roles was as the memorable Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter films and he was made an OBE in the 1998 Birthday Honours and was promoted to CBE in the 2008 New Year Honours.

His agent confirmed that he "died peacefully in his sleep" and tributes for the began to pour out on social media. The official Harry Potter Film account tweeted, “We are incredibly sad to hear of the passing of the wonderful Leslie Phillips who voiced the Sorting Hat with such inimitable wit and style.”

Hollywood icon Kirstie Alley was best known for her role as Rebecca in the US TV show Cheers, for which she won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She later went on to star as the lead in Veronica's Closet for which she was also nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Kirstie passed away 5 December 2022 at the age of 71 after having recently being diagnosed with colon cancer.