time

You think Joost van der Westhuizen isn't famous enough (in Britain) but this guy is? Go figure. Defensive much? I'm not competent to speak on who the BBC typically obits. If a South African rugby player then by agod a Canadian 4x NHL COACH AND EXECUTIVE yes I'll speculate they would obit him. But why do you ask Me? I genuinely don't care what the BBC does. Maybe they follow rugby over hockey as a major sport. Ethiopian news sources probably do too. Sir C. Now who's being defensive. Obits count from any UK media outlet, even The Sun (think downmarket National Enquirer), and you may be correct in your assertion that one of the valid outlets does print a qualifying obit, but being realistic, NHL isn't a big deal over here, whereas Rugby Union is. That's why van der Westhuizen is on the list and Murray isn't.

You think Joost van der Westhuizen isn't famous enough (in Britain) but this guy is? Go figure.

Happy Burns Night to our Scottish readers, and those using it as an excuse for sampling their finest malt. (I have a bottle of 12yo Glen Moray).

Looks the picture of health on BBC News at the moment. Made a full recovery.

That'd be me.

While I agree that playing the same character forever doesn't show a wide acting range, being purely pragmatic it makes sense to stay in a regular well-paid job that you enjoy doing for as long as possible for security reasons.Anyway, Deirdre was involved in most of the best Corrie storylines I can remember - Rovers lorry crash where Tracey was missing, Ken/Mike affair, the whole Samir thing, and going to prison.She'll be missed. Possibly not the finest example to be fair. That was a cringing plot and the fella that played Samir was so wooden it looked like somebody had left a fence on the Street. Hey, her specs live on, right? I still watched it in those days. Was it ever explained why she pronounced his name "Shamir" for ages and then suddenly started calling him "Samir"? Surely Shome Mishtake

Enjoyed the first series but it all went a bit downhill after that. Oddly enough I had a fleeting thought about putting her on my longlist over Xmas... I never got into the TV series but loved the books.

Actress Pauline Yates has died aged 85. Best known for being Mrs Reggie Perrin, she has a list of credits as far back as 1959.

In other news, former senator Wendell Ford has died aged 90. Four DDP-ers awaiting the qualifying obit.

Not exactly the point in theses cases though. William Roache is a pretty shite actor but his characters icon status will mean his deathed is griefporned to hell like Anne Kirkbrides has. I missed her off a fucking corrie theme team for crying out loud.... I think it is right for Lardy to make this point at this time. She spent 42 years playing a character that was defined by the size of glasses she wore. It is for the tabloid press to carry out the griefporn but when someone goes we assess their work objectively. There have been some passing that have been marked by an outpouring of genuine affection on these pages which is probably worth a lot more than glorifying everyone that dies. However there may be a lingering resentment for Anne that she managed to pass under the radar. Oddly enough someone in my work game played her as a wildcard and I then remembered that she had been given time off. "One to watch for next year" I thought........ Ha I suppose, being fair, I'm a bit biased because I fucking hate Coronation Street. But for me, a good actor/actress is defined by diversity and versatility, an ability to play a range of roles and make them believable, and I think some people, especially long standing soap stars like Dreary Barlow , William Roache and Adam Woodyatt, have done themselves no favours by remaining in the same character for hundreds of years - they haven't given us a chance to form any other opinion other than their cheesy soap appearances. Of course there will always be the exception - June Brown has played Dot Cotton forever, and I think she's great, but the same applies, she's not done a huge amount outside of Eastenders for the past 30 years, thus depriving us of her wider talents. June Brown has played other roles concurrently with her stint as Dot Cotton, whereas Anne Kirkbride's only other IMDB-listed credits are a comic relief appearance as Deirdre and a Hetty Wainthrop investigates appearance also as Deirdre. Plus what I assume is a bit part in a play. FWIW I also think she was a pretty poor actress - especially evident when she was required to display 'emotion'.

Ward Swingle, founder of The Swingle Singers has died aged 87.

Not hospitalised but, Brian Blessed collapsed on stage yesterday with 'an apparent heart problem'. He was, however, fit to continue after a cup of sweet tea.

Lotte Hass, dead at 86.

No thanks, though I appreciate the laugh from this: The conspiracy would be more convincing if: 1 - The blogger managed to explain how someone - like him - who knows so much is still allowed to live. 2 - He researched his facts well enough to realise Joe Meek might have been a predatory homosexual but wasn't a BBC DJ and - in any case - died before Radio 1 even started. It'd be more convincing too if he'd backed some of his 'facts' with evidence.

Hell yeah, that's dead pooling paradise if we could only find a way to stop those tax dodgers dodging off to the Cayman Islands. We could send a task force to invade the Caymans and then occupy them so that the tax dodgers ... Oh, hang on, we haven't got any aircraft carriers and won't have a fully operational one until 2020. Bugger! Who needs carriers anyway. You could do the same as the Dutch and sell it to Argentina. regards, Hein From that Wiki link, I learn that we'd have to sell it to the Dutch first, who'd then sell it to the Argentines.

Is there a difference? regards, Hein Not all village idiots are rappers...

Tony Verna, the guy credited with inventing the instant replay has died aged 81.

Tony Verna, the guy credited with inventing the instant replay has died aged 81.

TMIB - If I may fill in a gap for you, Sqn Ldr George Johnny Johnson was born on 25-11-21 near Horncastle Lincs. Source. Apologies if you already have this info and justhaven't had a chance to add it.

Ali, I PM'ed you my team on New Year's Eve and Ethel Lang was number one on it; please can you check? Thanks.

I echo every sentiment expressed above. Thanks for a good job well done.

I was confirmed on the 3rd.

Ethel Lang, Britain's oldest, dies aged 114.

Ervin Drake, who wrote the English lyrics to Quando, Quando, Quando and also It was a Very Good Year (covered by Frank Sinatra) and I Believe (Frankie Laine, The Bachelors, Robson & Jerome et al). has died aged 95.

Crime writer Ruth Rendell in a critical but stable condition after suffering a stroke.