time

Simms dead according to the S*n. The headline says he died in prison, but they actual report doesn't appear to support that.

Twenty-one years since the death of Tove Jansson, aged 86. Mostly remembered for her Moomin books, she also wrote novels and short stories, as well as other stories for children. She was also an accomplished artist, with her first solo exhibition in 1943.

That's true, but to be honest I'm not the biggest Beatles fan, and even less of a McCartney fan (Band on The Run was OK), so wasn't that fussed. Saw The Pet Shop Boys last night, and a few other bits (Years & Years, Lorde) that's been the extent of my Glastonbury this year.

Unlikely Pearly Gates mates number whatever in an occasional series... Dennis Thatcher (Prime Ministerial spouse & businesman, see above) Marc Vivian Foé(Footballer) Foé was playing for Cameroon in the Confederation's Cup in Lyon, when he collapsed midway through the second half; doctors tried for 45 minutes to restart his heart before declaring him dead. The cause of death was determined to be Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. He'd played for Lens & Lyon in the French Ligue 1, and for West Ham United & Manchester City in the English Premier, as well as making 62 appearances for Cameroon. He was 28.

Yoshiro Nakamatsu, aka Dr. NakaMats, is 94 today. He's a Japanese inventor, who some might describe as 'eccentric' while some might describe him as ' completely unhinged'. He claims to hold the world record for inventions (over 3,200), including what he claims is the floppy disk, before IBM (IBM denies this but has licensed 14 patents of his, but nothing to do with floppy disk), as well as an aphrodisiac to 'save Japan' amidst its declining birthrate (again, nothing to do with floppy dicks). In 2014 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and not expected to live beyond 2015. He also claims that he'll live to the age of 144. (I'm relying on you youngsters to keep track of this claim).

The feedback from the twitterati et al has been all positive from what I've seen. I didn't watch/listen to him for the simple reason that I caught his performance on the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, and he was fuckin' awful. I refuse to believe he's got any better over the subsequent decade.

No more kinky boots for well-known naturist Patrick Macnee as of seven years ago, when he died aged 93.

Celia Gofton, Lauren Laverne's mam, has died.

and his death inevitably overshadowed that of Farrah Fawcett, who also died that day, aged 62.

Peter Blake is 90 today. You know his work...

He was co-presenter on South Today for a while a few years ago, with regular presenter Sally Taylor. You can guess what they went with! I also remember him doing football reports on Grandstand (usually Leeds iirc).

Arthur Brown is 80 today. Crazy!

Almost the best thing about this is Piers using the numbers to prove how popular he/the show is!

Bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley died 6 years ago today. He got his own thread and everything (including Steve 'n Seagulls video).

James Rado, co-author of Hair, dead aged 90.

French trainer Alec Head reported dead aged 97. DDP pick.

Here he is a couple of years ago (during lockdown) on Look North

While looking up yesterday's birthday boy Jimmy Greenhoff, I discovered that the referee of that 1972 League Cup Final, and also the 1971 FA Cup final, Norman Burtenshaw, is still alive (unless he's died off-radar) at the age of 96. The chance of a qualifying obit for an old ref is somewhat iffy, but what might help is the fact that the 1971 Cup Final was the match that gave Arsenal the League & Cup double. He was also famously knocked to the ground (and knocked unconscious according to his own version of the story) by pitch-invading millwall fans, and was mobbed by unhappy Benfica fans after they lost 6-2 to Arsenal.

UTV presenter Aideen Kennedy dead aged 43, shortly after revealing she was receiving palliative care for a terminal illness.

Former Stoke City & Manchester United favourite, Jimmy Greenhoff, is 76 today. Born in Barnsley, he began his career at Leeds Utd, before a season at Birmingham City, then moving to Stoke city where he would spend seven seasons, winning the 1972 League Cup (Stoke's only major honour ever). In 1976, with Stoke needing the money for ground repairs, he was sold to Manchester United, where he played alongside brother Brian (who died aged 60), and won the 1977 FA Cup & Charity Shield. He was capped 5 times at Under-23 level, but never gained full international honours. Following his retirement, he suffered financially when a business partner conned him out of a large sum of money. Latterly, he's been working as a matchday host for Manchester United.

'Scuse the tactless retort, but EasyJet got him to Gatwick didn't they?

Chris Spedding is 78 today. Over 50 years in the biz, played with everyone worth playing with (and The Wombles), but only had one hit - this in 1975.

The original "companion", the unearthly child herself, Carole Ann Ford, is 82 today. Ford played The doctors granddaughter Susan Foreman for the first two series of Doctor Who, departing the show when the character fell in love with a man during Daleks Invasion Earth; The Doctor locks her out of the Tardis, forcing her to remain on earth. She later reprised the role in the 1983 20th Anniversary Special The Five Doctors, and the 1993 Children in Need story Dimensions in Time (the EastEnders crossover)

Given his current (and, indeed, historic) conduct, one might have assumed he never had an ethics advisor.