msc

It should be on iPlayer by the morning.

87 year old Michael Jayston on bbc4 tonight discussing Tinker Tailor. Aging, yes, though not as badly as he jokes, but still has a brilliant memory.

Are you perhaps thinking of her missing Wimbledon last year due to covid?

He was the star of the very first Twilight Zone episode, he's known to me. (Pretty much for that, and that alone.)

Also yes, @Death Impends that is a genuinely great Year in Review write up. Well done.

Congrates, Spade! Before now, only DDT had been dethroned as champion and come back to win the title again.

47 Blondie – Atomic 47 The Specials – Ghost Town 44 ABBA – The winner takes it all 37 Soft Cell – Tainted Love 36 David Bowie – Ashes to Ashes 31 The Jam – Going underground / Dreams of children 29 The Specials – Too much, too young 28 David Bowie & Queen – Under Pressure 27 Police – Don´t stand so close to me 27 Adam & the Ants – Stand and deliver 26 Barbra Streisand – Woman in love 25 Adam & the Ants – Prince Charming 24 Bucks Fizz – Making your mind up 24 Olivia Newton-John & ELO - Xanadu 23 Roxy Music – Jealous Guy 23 The Pretenders – Brass in pocket  23 The Jam – Start  22 Police – Every little thing she does is magic 21 Odyssey – Use it up and wear it out 19 Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno +4 19 John Lennon – Woman 16 Human League - Don't you want me 16 Blondie – Call me 15 M.A.S.H. – Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide is painless) 15 Detroit Spinners - Working my way back to you -6 13 John Lennon – (Just like) Starting over 13 Smokey Robinson – Being with you 10 ABBA – Super Trouper  08 Fern Kinney – Together we are beautiful 

Unless some hero installed a ban on such names.

Amazing. Vialli seems the dull but expected pick here, I'm afraid.

My Alt Obits team for 2023 1. Rob Burrow 2. Johnny Ruffo 3. Fedez 4. Kate Keltie 5. Billy Dib 6. Bajrakitiyabha 7. Jonnie Irwin 8. Eric Lamaze 9. Dikembe Mutombo 10. Gianluca Vialli 11. Kat Bjelland 12. Teresa Taylor 13. Barry DuBois 14. Linda Nolan 15. Mike Peters 16. Steve "Mongo" McMichael 17. George Alagiah 18. Jeffrey Foskett 19. Randy Jackson 20. Rob Bolland 21. Frank McGarvey 22. James Whale 23. Ryuichi Sakamoto 24. Simon Cowell MBE 25. Mutulu Shakur 26. Clarence Davis 27. Nigel Starmer-Smith 28. Michael Tilson Thomas 29. Frank Field 30. Constantine II 31. Roberta Flack 32. Srichand Hinduja 33. Rolf Harris 34. Malachy McCourt 35. Tim Keller 36. Adrian Sutton 37. Nelson Acosta 38. Horst Dieter Hottges 39. Jorge Toro 40. Larry Pressler Like DbN I've never really achieved any sense of potential in this game so far though.

The annual overview... Dick Van Dyke – Getting up in age but still quite active. He’s still dancing ffs. “I’d have taken better care of myself” he said recently. If he doesn’t see his century out it’ll be a huge shock. Henry Kissinger – Looked frail, even by his standards, talking about Gorbachev. Even so, his schedule is busier than mine. Bob Barker – In and out of hospital in 2017-18, allegedly in good health for his age on 99th birthday last month but has a sense of the Leslie Phillips about him. Alan Greenspan – zzzzzz Reptile assures me this is a solid pick. But such a dull one. Nigel Starmer-Smith – bedridden in 2021 after such a sudden decline, surviving 2022 was a shock. He wont see summer. Jimmy Carter – Frailer than he once was (and notably had to miss a whole bunch of events in 2022 due to age/health). He’s in the departure lounge, waiting for his final plane. Tony Bennett – Dementia but was fairly active till recently. Dick Cheney – Wishful thinking. Wont die anytime soon. Harry Belafonte – Old, frail and 96 next month. Will probably have a birthday bash you can judge form on. Mel Brooks – Rob Reiner says Brooks has taken Carl Reiners death badly, and sleeps most of the time. Despite still being active – he is at least nominally producer of Young Frankenstein Live – he may be a better bet than expected, sadly. Jacques Delors – Wife died in 2020 and the press announced it after the funeral, due to Jacques health. Missed a 25th anniversary dinner held in his own honour in 2021 due to poor health. Still hanging on, though. Bobby Charlton – Ill with dementia, not longer able to make public appearances, and even his Pele comments seemed like they’d had help. Wont be too long. Robert Wagner – His wife says he has dementia but going by his video last week, its very recent if it exists. Norman Tebbit – Uitzer said he was in poor health and wouldn’t see 2023. He has, but would seem unlikely to go much further on. It’s the Lords retirement that stands out – when a workaholic just stops, something is up. Ros Carter – If anything, looks frailer than Jimmy. Like the Bushes, they wont last long without the other. Sandy Gall – Doing well for his age. Still travels, still writing, still giving public talks. He’s only here for his age. Joanne Woodward – End stage dementia for years now. How is she still alive? Ethel Kennedy – Frail, old Kennedy. Desmond Morris – Still in good nick in interviews a few months ago, surprised he got kept on the list. Stanley Baxter – “Worryingly quiet”, apparently. Yes, he is quiet, but he is 95… Joss Ackland – Allegedly in frail health now. Jean Marie le Pen – Frail old racist. Not frail enough for my liking. Wheelchair bound. Milan Kundera – Best selling author with a weak heart, no longer active and got a tribute which was all but obituary from the Czech President. Cleo Laine – She had a BBC4 Special in 2022. All archive stuff, of course. Alan Alda – Has Parkinsons but surely this is far, far too early for the MASH legend. Prunella Scales – Have made too many grim predictions about her over the years. Yes, her mind is gone, but clearly her physical self is still fairly well. Could go tomorrow, or in 2027. It’s now 3 years since Canal Journeys had to end due to her health. Yoko Ono – Never fully recovered from that stroke. Retired most of her business dealings. A matter of time. Norman Lear – Very old. Burt Bacharach – Frail but still performing. Marianne Faithfull – In a nursing home because covid fucked her lungs. Memory issues. Probably a good pick for this year, alas. Angie Dickinson – Old and very DLy, but that’s about it. Robert Duvall – One of my favourite actors. Has said he will sleep when he’s dead. Hopefully premature addition. Is still acting, having taken a brief hiatus due to covid lockdown. Imelda Marcos – Winner of this year “They’re still alive?” from mrs msc. Pervez Musharraf – Fake news of his death last year, allegedly on a ventilator at the time, but I trust reports of his health as much as I trusted his U-turn into Strongman Ally of the West over 20 years ago. Ayatollah Khamenei – Allegedly gravely ill last year. Not ill enough for me. Pete Murray – Aged broadcaster. As a regular talking head for Channel 5 music docs he had notably got a lot frailer between 2020 and 2022. On age and that downward trek, a good punt for 2023. Bob Newhart – Looked like shit in 2020. But is still alive. Might just look shit these days as an aging thing tbh. Rolf Harris – Allegedly on his death bed. Ryuichi Sakamoto – Best newcomer on the list. Given 6 months to live in 2020, made it this far, but not well enough to record his full farewell concert in one go. Not long left. Willie Nelson – Was very ill with covid last year, to the point of nearly dying. Made a comeback to tour again because he’s Willie Nelson. Willie Nelson on the last encore, mind you. Dennis Skinner – The way colleagues spoke of him on election night 2019 you’d think he wouldn’t see three months, let alone three years… Nigel Lawson – Survived a cancer scare a decade ago. Has looked like a nasty cold would finish the job for years since. Michael Parkinson – I mean, yes, he has aged, and his voice is much weaker, but I think its by his old standards. Sonny Rollins – 93 this year, retired in 2014 due to lung problems. Great pick. Mohamed Al-Fayed – Dying in 2021, “no health issues” in 2022. Which is the truth? Hal Linden – Healthy active generian. Linda Nolan – Missed she was back on the list. Stage IV cancer, spread a bit last year, had to pull out of some shows. She will go at some point. No idea when though. Tina Turner – BBC did a huge tribute night to her at Christmas. What do they know? Her son died recently – another kick down for music’s great survivor. Andy Taylor – Stage IV cancer for years, missed his HOF induction, and the reaction from the band made it seem worse than it sounds. Could be a very solid pick. Shane MacGowan – Has looked like shite since 1980. Falling apart in every health manner except the living bit. My thoughts – about 15 potential hits, so, keep in mind I tend to have more faith than is warranted, narrow that down to the annual 12 or 13 out of 50 and call it a year. It wont suck, but it had a chance to be amazing and they elected not to bother. Disappointing.

I picked him nowhere at all because the prognosis was meant to be great. Turns out, they were counting it in seconds...

Good to see you back in the DDP again, @RadGuy!

Quite a few off my own radar which, as a collector of notable oldies, I can only congratulate. Ann Clwyd was forced out iirc. Thought Jess Conrad dead but confusing him with Robert! Good luck with beating your unique records!

Italian DL 2023 is up! Notable newbies - Tina Turner, Terrence Stamp, Christopher Lloyd, Julie Andrews, Fergie, Vialli and George Soros!

Faye Fantarrow - Felt like if she was going to get the treatment in America, they have to be confident of her lasting 12 months. Jo Wilson - Never did give the December scan update. Billy Dib - No room, think he'll see 2024. Dikembe Mutombo/Toni Hilland - too early Teresa Taylor/Nervosa - major obit worries Clarence Davis - felt unlikely to be a unique and just no room. Raiders accidentally announced his death few months ago so he presumably wont have long left. Kat Bjelland - Again no room. Kate Keltie - Should see 2024. That'll do it.

My 3 rejections 1. Ryan Minor 2. Henry Dickerson 3. Jim Ward (voice actor) Will post actual team when I remember where I put it...

As I know @Gooseberry Crumble (where's those Crumbles?) likes the reveal of my Notable Oldies team, here it is: Here's Who You Could Have Won Lawrence Gordon Clark (JOKER) - director of the 70s Ghost Story for Christmas strand Brian Glanville - one of the greatest living sportswriters, retired recently PJ Hammond - creator of Sapphire and Steel Jerry Hardin - Popular 80s/90s actor (Big Trouble in Little China), forever recognisable to a generation as Deep Throat in The X-Files Candace Hilligoss - Star of Carnival of Souls, one of the great underrated 60s horror films Diane Hoh - YA horror writer, Point Horror et all. Dick Taverne - Labour MP who jumped ship and won as an independent at an election. David Irving - Nazi sympathising historian, need at least one "good riddance" type pick Kenneth O Morgan - House of Lords member, Michael Foot's biographer, looked hellish when last seen. David Berglas - The don of UK TV magic Pat Arrowsmith - CND co-founder Derek Malcolm - Frail old movie critic Jim Sillars - Contrarian shit stirrer (his own words!) former MP Luciano Moggi - Chap at the centre of Calciopoli, thought he was long dead actually. Anne Perry - Murderer turned crime novelist Giles Havergal - Highly respected Citizen's Theatre director I was surprised to find out was still alive Charles Cyphers - John Carpenter regular. The sheriff in Hallowe'en, the doomed weather guy in The Fog, etc. Christopher Timothy - James Herriot! Derry Irvine - Tony Blair's oft controversial mentor, quieter than he used to be Mary Danby - Editor/collector of the Fontana and Armada Ghost Book series many, including me, loved as kids.

The incomplete Radio Times archives tell me Hal Linden was a guest star on the Tom Jones Show and The Osmonds Show (the horror) on BBC in the 70s, plus had roles in some oft repeated films. So since they are notoriously incomplete, I'll assume he was sort of the name who you might recall if you were growing up in the 70s and happened to watch the right shows at the right time.

Pru, randomly.

Pan Breed 2023 Gianluca Vialli (JOKER) Jonnie Irwin Steve McMichael Frank McGarvey Simon Cowell Rob Burrow Eric Lamaze Graham Caveney James Whale Ryuichi Sakamoto Michael Tilson Thomas Frank Field Roberta Flack Rolf Harris Johnny Ruffo George Alagiah Ady Barkan Srichand Hinduja Bajrakitiyabha Mutulu Shakur Good luck, everyone.

You know, when I was a newbie to the DDP, I used to count how many similar names I had to you and DDT! 13 (!) in 2022 probably tells us how big the "canon of good picks" is this year! Also to note, I did try Fornasier, only to be told she was rejected due to the FFBI rules I actually wrote! My humblest apologies!

With only 20 spots per theme team I try and use them to put people on the DDP who otherwise would miss out. William Russell, Arnold Yarrow and Richard Franklin all felt like names which other people would have, easily.

Pan Breed to be revealed later. But here's the Doctor Who theme team, for the (very few) interested in it. The Gallifrey Regeneration Game June Bland (JOKER) Barbara Clegg David Garfield John Gorrie Janet Henfrey Mary Peach Edward de Souza Cy Town Tristan de Vere Cole Gabriel Woolf Christopher Benjamin Warris Hussein Milton Johns Terrence Hardiman Ian Hogg Sheila Reid Michael Kilgarrif Donald Douglas Gawn Grainger Roy Evans

Here is your complete TCD list for 2023, as voted for by the forum. 1. Jimmy Carter 1807 (8th, 2nd) 2. Rolf Harris 1600 (NEW) 3. Bob Barker 1410 (5th, 8th) 4. Henry Kissinger 1285 (4th, 13th) 5. George Alagiah 1246 (5th, 7th) 6. Joanne Woodward 1124 (6th, 20th) 7. Glynis Johns 1084 (7th, 9th) 8. Roberta Flack 1037 (NEW) 9. James Whale 963 (3rd, 14th) 10. Frank Field 988 (2nd, 3rd) 11. Gianluca Vialli 957 (NEW) 12. Harry Belafonte 916 (3rd, 17th) 13. Rosalynn Carter 915 (5th, 27th) 14. Tony Bennett 890 (2nd, 22nd) 15. Jonnie Irwin 874 (NEW) 16. Linda Nolan 799 (4th, 15th) 17. Eva Marie Saint 769 (3rd, -) 18. June Spencer 736 (2nd, -) 19. Dick van Dyke 681 (2nd, 39th) 20. Ruth Buzzi 641 (NEW) 21. Nigel Starmer Smith 623 (NEW) 22. Andy Taylor 614 (NEW) 23. Mel Brooks 573 (NEW) 24. Constantine II 567 (NEW) 25. Milan Kundera 566 (NEW) 26. Ted Kaczyinski 560 (NEW) 27. Yoko Ono 552 (4th, 28th) 28. Sandra Day O’Connor 544 (NEW) 29. Bobby Charlton 536 (2nd, 36th) 30. Jean marie le pen 535 (NEW) 31. Rob Burrow 534 (NEW) 32. Shannen Doherty 528 (3rd, 21st) 33. Giorgio Napolitano 526 (NEW) 34. Norman Tebbit 516 (2nd, 32nd) 35. Jacques Delors 511 (2nd, 46th) 36. David Attenborough 499 (NEW) 37. Noam Chomsky 488 (2nd, -) 38. Ryuichi Sakamoto 486 (NEW) 39. Marianne Faithfull 477 (NEW) 40. Sonny Rollins 457 (NEW) 41. Stanley Baxter 448 (NEW) 42. Randy Jackson 448 (NEW) 43. Norman Lear 443 (2nd, 40th) 44. James Earl Jones 409 (NEW) 45. Topol 408 (NEW) 46. Francoise Hardy 407 (2nd, 33rd) 47. James Watson 397 (2nd, 29th) 48. Vera Miles 395 (NEW) 49. Duke of Kent 392 (NEW) 50. David Graham 391 (2nd, 47th)