2015 deaths in British television explained

This is a list of deaths that took place in 2015 related to British television.

January

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
1 JanuaryFiona Cumming[1] 77Actress and director (Doctor Who)
Barbara Atkinson[2] 88Actress
3 JanuaryRoger Kitter[3] 65Actor ('Allo 'Allo!)
6 JanuaryLance Percival[4] 81Comedian, actor and singer (That Was the Week That Was, Up Pompeii!)
7 JanuaryNancy Thomas[5] 96Television producer (Monitor)
10 JanuaryBrian Clemens[6] 83Scriptwriter and producer (The Avengers, The New Avengers, The Professionals)
19 JanuaryAnne Kirkbride[7] 60Actress (Coronation Street) Deirdre Barlow
Bob Symes[8] 90Inventor and television presenter
21 JanuaryPauline Yates[9] 85Actress (The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin)
23 JanuaryBarrie Ingham[10] 82Actor (The Great Mouse Detective, Doctor Who, A Challenge for Robin Hood)
30 JanuaryGeraldine McEwan[11] Actress (Agatha Christie's Marple, Mapp & Lucia)

February

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
4 FebruaryRichard Bonehill[12] 67Actor and stuntman (Doctor Who, Return of the Jedi)
14 FebruaryPamela Cundell[13] 95Actress (Dad's Army, EastEnders, A Fantastic Fear of Everything)
Alan Howard[14] 77Actor (The Lord of the Rings)
15 FebruaryEileen Essell[15] 92Actress (Duplex, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Producers)
25 FebruaryBarry Newbery[16] 88Production designer (Doctor Who)

March

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
6 MarchOsi Rhys Osmond[17] 71Painter and television presenter.
10 MarchStuart Wagstaff[18] 90Entertainer
13 MarchVincent Wong87Actor (Doctor Who, James Bond, Ministry of Mayhem)
17 MarchShaw Taylor[19] 90Television presenter and actor (Police 5)
21 MarchJackie Trent[20] 74Singer-songwriter (co-authored Neighbours theme)
23 MarchLil' Chris[21] 24Singer-songwriter, actor, and television personality (Rock School, CharliiTV)

April

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
2 AprilDennis Marks[22] 66Television producer and music director
3 AprilRobert Rietti[23] 92Actor
7 AprilTom Coyne[24] 84News broadcaster and television presenter (Top Gear)
9 AprilRichie Benaud[25] Cricket commentator
Paul Almond[26] 83Director (Up Series)
13 AprilRex Robinson[27] 89Actor (Doctor Who, Yes Minister, Only Fools and Horses)
Ronnie Carroll[28] 80Singer and UK Eurovision contestant (1962 and 1963)
20 AprilPeter Howell[29] 95Actor (Emergency – Ward 10, Doctor Who, Scum)
28 AprilKeith Harris[30] 67Ventriloquist (Orville the Duck)
30 AprilNigel Terry[31] 69Actor (Excalibur, War Requiem)

May

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
2 MayRuth Rendell[32] 85Author and novelist with Inspector Wexford and The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
13 MayDerek Davis[33] [34] 67Broadcaster with BBC Northern Ireland and RTÉ
22 MayTerry Sue-Patt[35] 50Actor (Grange Hill)
30 MayJake D'Arcy[36] [37] 69Actor (Still Game)

June

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
1 JuneCharles Kennedy[38] 55Liberal Democrat leader and guest presenter of Have I Got News for You
6 JuneRichard Johnson[39] 87Actor (Midsomer Murders, Waking the Dead, Silent Witness, Doc Martin)
7 JuneChristopher Lee[40] [41] 93Actor (Gormenghast, The Man with the Golden Gun)
11 JuneRon Moody[42] 91Actor
25 JunePatrick Macnee[43] 93Actor (The Avengers)
26 JuneDavid McAlister64Actor (Hollyoaks)
30 JuneEdward Burnham98Actor (Doctor Who, To Sir, with Love, The Abominable Dr. Phibes)[44]

July

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
1 JulyVal Doonican[45] 88Singer and entertainer (Sunday Night at the Palladium, The Val Doonican Show)
10 JulyRoger Rees[46] 71Actor and director (Cheers, Singles, The West Wing)
29 JulyPeter O'Sullevan[47] 97Racing Commentator
30 JulyStuart Baggs[48] 27Candidate on The Apprentice

August

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
1 AugustCilla Black[49] [50] 72Singer and television presenter (Surprise Surprise, Blind Date, The Moment of Truth)
5 AugustGeorge Cole[51] 90Actor and voice actor (Minder, Cleopatra, My Good Friend, Mary Reilly, Dad, Tube Mice)
8 AugustSusan Sheridan[52] 68Actress and voice artist (The Black Cauldron, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Noddy's Toyland Adventures, Moomin)
9 AugustDavid Nobbs[53] 80Comedy writer and humanist (The Two Ronnies, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, A Bit of a Do, Gentlemen's Relish)
Jack Gold85Film and television director (Escape from Sobibor, The Naked Civil Servant, The Rose and the Jackal, The Chain, Goodnight Mister Tom, Ball Trap on the Cote Sauvage, The Medusa Touch, Heavy Weather)
12 AugustStephen Lewis[54] [55] 88Actor (On the Buses, Oh, Doctor Beeching!, Last of the Summer Wine)
16 AugustKitty McGeever[56] [57] 48Actress and comedian (Emmerdale, London's Burning)
25 August Colin Fry[58] 53Television medium
Geraint Stanley Jones[59] 79Television executive, controller of BBC Wales (1981–1989), chief executive of S4C (1989–1994)

September

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
3 SeptemberJudy Carne[60] [61] 76Actress (Juke Box Jury, The Rag Trade, Marks in His Diary)
19 SeptemberBrian Sewell[62] 84Writer, art critic and media personality
Jackie Collins[63] 77Actress, writer and romance novelist
22 SeptemberDerek Ware[64] Actor and stuntman (Doctor Who)
27 SeptemberJohn Guillermin[65] 89Film director, writer and producer (The Towering Inferno, King Kong, Death on the Nile, Sheena, King Kong Lives)

October

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
7 OctoberWilliam Mitchell87Writer and editor (Dalesman magazines)
8 OctoberHugh Scully[66] 72Presenter (Antiques Roadshow)
Jim Diamond[67] [68] 64Singer-songwriter (recorded the Boon theme tune, "Hi Ho Silver")
Richard Davies[69] 89Actor (Z-Cars, Please Sir!, Coronation Street)
9 OctoberGordon Honeycombe[70] 79Newscaster (ITN News, TV-am)
Julia Jones82Television writer and former actress (Quiet as a Nun, Miss Marple, Wycliffe, Anne of Green Gables, Our Mutual Friend, Echoes, The Famous Five)
13 OctoberSue Lloyd-Roberts[71] 64Television journalist (BBC News, Newsnight, ITN News)
17/18 OctoberJacky Sutton[72] 50BBC journalist and producer, Iraq director for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting
22 OctoberPeter Baldwin[73] [74] 82Actor (Coronation Street)
29 OctoberKenneth Gilbert84Actor (Doctor Who, House of Cards)

November

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
1 NovemberStephen Hancock[75] 89Actor (Ernest Bishop in Coronation Street)
3 NovemberColin Welland[76] 81Actor and screenwriter (Z-Cars, Blue Remembered Hills)
14 NovemberWarren Mitchell[77] [78] 89Actor (Till Death Us Do Part, Death of a Salesman)
Saeed Jaffrey[79] 86Actor (The Jewel in the Crown, Coronation Street)
18 NovemberRedvers Kyle[80] 85Broadcaster, voice over artist, actor and composer
20 NovemberPeter Dimmock[81] 94Sports journalist and BBC executive (Grandstand, BBC Sports Personality of the Year)
Keith Michell[82] 88Actor and director (The Six Wives of Henry VIII)
22 NovemberHazel Adair[83] 95Writer and producer (Crossroads)
Robin Stewart[84] 69Actor (Bless This House, Cromwell, The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires)
25 NovemberBeth Rogan[85] 84Actress (Mysterious Island)

December

DateNameAgeBroadcast credibility
2 DecemberAnthony Valentine[86] 76Actor (Colditz, Coronation Street, Escape to Athena)
6 DecemberNicholas Smith[87] 81Actor (Are You Being Served?, Grace & Favour, Doctor Who, )
7 DecemberShirley Stelfox[88] 74Actor (Emmerdale, Keeping Up Appearances, Coronation Street) Edna Birch
15 DecemberKathy Secker[89] [90] 70Broadcaster and television presenter (Tyne Tees Television)
19 DecemberJimmy Hill[91] 87Footballer, football manager and football pundit (Match of the Day)

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Fiona Cumming 1937–2015 . Doctor Who News . 5 January 2015 . 3 February 2015.
  2. News: Al . Senter . Obituary: Barbara Atkinson . The Stage . 28 January 2015.
  3. News: Roger Kitter: Stand-up comedian and actor best known for taking over the role of Captain Bertorelli in Allo 'Allo!'. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/roger-kitter-stand-up-comedian-and-actor-best-known-for-taking-over-the-role-of-captain-bertorelli-10147286.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription. The Independent. 31 March 2015.
  4. News: Lance Percival – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 9 January 2015 . 9 January 2015.
  5. News: Anne . James . Humphrey . Burton . Humphrey Burton obituary . The Guardian . Guardian Media Group . 15 January 2015 . 26 January 2015.
  6. News: Avengers and Professionals writer Brian Clemens dies . BBC . BBC News . 12 January 2015 . 12 January 2015.
  7. News: Anthony . Hayward . Anne Kirkbride obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 20 January 2015 . 20 January 2015.
  8. News: Michael . Rodd . Bob Symes obituary . 30 January 2015 . 3 February 2015 . The Guardian . Guardian Media Group.
  9. News: Tom . Eames . Reginald Perrin actress Pauline Yates dies, aged 85 . Digital Spy . 22 January 2015 . 22 January 2015.
  10. News: Michael . Quinn . Obituary: Barrie Ingham . The Stage . 4 February 2015.
  11. News: Harley . Nicola . Miss Marple actress Geraldine McEwan dies aged 82 . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 31 January 2015 . 9 July 2015.
  12. News: Mike . Barnes . Borys . Kit . 'Star Wars' Actor Richard Bonehill Dies at 67 . The Hollywood Reporter . 5 February 2015 . 16 February 2015.
  13. News: Anthony . Hayward . Pamela Cundell obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 16 February 2015 . 17 February 2015.
  14. News: Ben . Beaumont-Thomas . Alan Howard, mainstay of RSC and National Theatre, dies aged 77 . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 19 February 2015 . 11 July 2016.
  15. News: Michael . QuinnHayward. Obituary: Eileen Essell . The Stage . 28 May 2015 . 30 August 2016.
  16. News: Barry Newbery 1927–2015 . Doctor Who News . 25 February 2015 . 7 March 2015.
  17. News: Tributes paid following death of Llansteffan artist Osi Rhys Osmond . Local World . Carmarthen Journal . 7 March 2015 . 21 March 2015.
  18. News: Michael . Idato . Versatile entertainer became household name . Fairfax Media . Sydney Morning Herald . 12 March 2015 . 18 March 2015.
  19. News: Dennis . Barker . Shaw Taylor obituary | Television & radio . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 18 March 2015 . 18 March 2015.
  20. News: Singer-songwriter Jackie Trent dies, aged 74 . BBC News . BBC . 22 March 2015 . 22 March 2015.
  21. News: Lil' Chris' family issue statement after Lowestoft death . BBC News . BBC . 30 March 2015 . 1 April 2015.
  22. News: Dennis Marks, BBC head of music – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 3 April 2015 . 10 April 2015.
  23. News: Michael . Freedland . Robert Rietti obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 24 April 2015 . 24 April 2015.
  24. News: Cartledge . James . Former Top Gear host dies aged 84 . Trinity Mirror . Birmingham Mail . 7 April 2015 . 24 April 2015.
  25. News: Richie Benaud, cricketer and broadcaster – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 10 April 2015 . 10 April 2015.
  26. News: Seven Up! director Paul Almond dies aged 83 . BBC News . BBC . 15 April 2015 . 15 April 2015.
  27. News: Jeffery . Morgan . Rex Robinson, star of three classic Doctor Who serials, dies aged 89 . Digital Spy . 24 April 2015 . 1 May 2015.
  28. News: Ronnie Carroll: Former Eurovision singer and election candidate dies . BBC News . BBC . 14 April 2015 . 14 April 2015.
  29. Web site: Peter Howell obituary. Anthony. Hayward. 10 May 2015. www.theguardian.com.
  30. News: Anita . Singh . Keith Harris, Orville ventriloquist, dies at 67 . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 28 April 2015 . 28 April 2015.
  31. News: Michael . Coveney . Nigel Terry obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 3 May 2015 . 3 May 2015.
  32. News: Stanley . Reynolds . Ruth Rendell obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 2 May 2015 . 31 January 2016.
  33. News: RTE broadcaster Derek Davis dies after short illness . Independent News and Media . The Irish Independent . 13 May 2015 . 13 May 2015.
  34. News: Derek Davis: Former BBC and RTÉ broadcaster dies aged 67 . BBC News . BBC . 13 May 2015 . 13 May 2015.
  35. News: Harp . Justin . Grange Hill's Benny Green actor Terry Sue-Patt dies, aged 50 . Digital Spy . 22 May 2015 . 23 May 2015.
  36. News: Tributes after Still Game actor Jake D'Arcy dies . BBC News . BBC . 30 May 2015 . 31 May 2015.
  37. News: Still Game actor Jake D’Arcy’s funeral held . Johnston Press . The Scotsman . 5 June 2015 . 6 June 2015.
  38. News: Charles Kennedy – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 2 June 2015 . 2 June 2015.
  39. News: Richard Johnson, actor – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 7 June 2015 . 10 June 2015.
  40. News: Benjamin . Lee . Hannah . Ellis-Petersen . Christopher Lee dies at the age of 93 . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 11 June 2015 . 11 June 2015.
  41. News: Obituary: Sir Christopher Lee . BBC News . BBC . 11 June 2015 . 11 June 2015.
  42. News: Dennis . Barker . Ron Moody obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 11 June 2015 . 23 August 2015.
  43. News: Patrick Macnee, actor – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 26 June 2015 . 26 June 2015.
  44. News: Sandwell . Ian . Edward Burnham 1916–2015 . Doctor Who News . 2 July 2015 . 2 July 2015.
  45. News: Dennis . Barker . Val Doonican obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 2 July 2015 . 2 July 2015.
  46. News: Roger Rees: Welsh actor dies . BBC News . BBC . 11 July 2015 . 11 July 2015.
  47. News: Julian . Wilson . Sir Peter O’Sullevan obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 29 July 2015 . 16 November 2015.
  48. News: Apprentice star Stuart 'The Brand' Baggs found dead . BBC News . BBC . 30 July 2015 . 22 August 2015.
  49. News: Kassam. Ashifa. Gayle. Damien. Cilla Black may have died as result of an accident, say Spanish police. The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. London. 3 August 2015. 15 August 2015.
  50. News: Cilla Black – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 2 August 2015 . 22 August 2015.
  51. News: Dennis . Barker . George Cole obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 6 August 2015 . 22 August 2015.
  52. News: Hitchhikers actress Susan Sheridan dies aged 68 . BBC News . BBC . 9 August 2015 . 29 July 2016.
  53. News: Christopher . Hawtree . David Nobbs obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 10 August 2015 . 23 August 2015.
  54. News: Stephen Lewis, On the Buses' 'Blakey', dies aged 88 . BBC News . BBC . 13 August 2015 . 13 August 2015.
  55. News: Stephen . Dixon . Stephen Lewis obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 14 August 2015 . 23 August 2015.
  56. News: Emmerdale star Kitty McGeever dies, show pays tribute to 'true inspiration' . Digital Spy . Hearst Magazines UK . 17 August 2015 . 17 August 2015.
  57. News: Emmerdale actress Kitty McGeever dies aged 48 . BBC News . BBC . 18 August 2015 . 22 August 2015.
  58. News: Colin Fry: Medium who for more than 30 years entertained and comforted audiences on stage and on television . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/colin-fry-medium-who-for-more-than-30-years-entertained-and-comforted-audiences-on-stage-and-on-television-10473580.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription . Independent Print Limited . The Independent . 27 August 2015 . 29 August 2015.
  59. News: Former BBC Wales and S4C head Geraint Stanley Jones dies . . 2015-08-26 . 2015-09-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150925052204/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/former-bbc-wales-s4c-head-9931628 . 25 September 2015 .
  60. News: Judy Carne, actress – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 7 September 2015 . 27 September 2015.
  61. News: Judy Carne, star of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, dies aged 76 . BBC News . BBC . 8 September 2015 . 27 September 2015.
  62. News: Andrew . Barrow . Brian Sewell obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 19 September 2015 . 27 September 2015.
  63. News: Veronica . Horwell . Jackie Collins obituary | Books . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 20 September 2015 . 9 October 2015.
  64. News: Hadoke . Toby . Doctor Who stuntman Derek Ware dies, aged 77 . The Guardian . 19 October 2015 . 19 October 2015.
  65. News: Ronald . Bergan . John Guillermin obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 1 October 2015 . 9 October 2015.
  66. News: Kashmira . Gander . Hugh Scully dead: Former Antiques Roadshow presenter dies . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/hugh-scully-dead-former-antiques-roadshow-presenter-dies-a6688261.html . 2022-05-01 . subscription . Independent Print Limited . The Independent . 9 October 2015 . 9 October 2015.
  67. News: Glasgow-born singer-songwriter Jim Diamond dies in London home . STV . STV News . 10 October 2015 . 10 October 2015.
  68. News: Singer-songwriter Jim Diamond dies . BBC News . BBC . 10 October 2015 . 10 October 2015.
  69. News: Anthony . Hayward . Richard Davies obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 15 October 2015 . 31 January 2016.
  70. News: Gordon Honeycombe, former TV-am newsreader, dies aged 79 . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 9 October 2015 . 9 October 2015.
  71. News: Torin . Douglas . Sue Lloyd-Roberts obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 14 October 2015 . 14 October 2015.
  72. News: Alexandra . Topping . Constanze . Letsch . British activist Jacky Sutton found dead in Istanbul airport . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 19 October 2015 . 20 October 2015.
  73. Web site: Former Coronation Street star Peter Baldwin (Corrie's Derek Wilton) dies, aged 82. Harp. Justin. 23 October 2015. Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. 23 October 2015. 26 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151026195526/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a675313/former-coronation-street-actor-peter-baldwin-dies-aged-82.html. dead.
  74. News: Coronation Street Star Peter Baldwin Dies . British Sky Broadcasting . Sky News . 24 October 2015 . 24 October 2015.
  75. News: Anthony . Hayward . Stephen Hancock obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 3 November 2015 . 4 November 2015.
  76. News: Colin Welland, screenwriter – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 3 November 2015 . 3 November 2015.
  77. News: Actor Warren Mitchell dies aged 89. BBC. BBC News. 14 November 2015. 14 November 2015.
  78. News: Warren Mitchell – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 14 November 2015 . 16 November 2015.
  79. News: Naseem . Khan . Saeed Jaffrey obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 16 November 2015 . 19 November 2015.
  80. News: Redvers Kyle 1929–2015. Graham. Russ. Transdiffusion. 19 November 2015. 19 November 2015.
  81. News: Peter Dimmock, broadcaster – obituary . Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 22 November 2015 . 31 January 2016.
  82. News: Keith Michell, actor – obituary. The Daily Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 21 November 2015 . 29 November 2015.
  83. News: Anthony . Hayward . Hazel Adair obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 23 November 2015 . 29 November 2015.
  84. Web site: The Official Robin Stewart Website – Home. www.robin-stewart.com. 13 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20151126033035/http://www.robin-stewart.com/. 26 November 2015. dead. dmy-all.
  85. News: Beth Rogan, actress – obituary. The Daily Telegraph Media Group . The Daily Telegraph . 11 December 2015 . 27 August 2016.
  86. News: Colditz star Anthony Valentine dies at 76 . BBC News . BBC . 2 December 2015 . 2 December 2015.
  87. Web site: Are You Being Served? actor Nicholas Smith dies aged 81. BBC News. 7 December 2015. 7 December 2015.
  88. Web site: Emmerdale actress Shirley Stelfox dies aged 74. BBC News. BBC. 8 December 2015. 12 December 2015.
  89. Web site: Veteran BBC broadcaster and Grace House patron Kathy Secker dies. Sunderland Echo. 16 December 2015. 16 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151218024740/http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/all-news/veteran-bbc-broadcaster-and-grace-house-patron-kathy-secker-dies-1-7627592. 18 December 2015. dead.
  90. Web site: Former Tyne Tees presenter Kathy Secker dies aged 70. ITV News. ITV . 16 December 2015 . 16 December 2015.
  91. News: Richard . Williams . Jimmy Hill obituary . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 19 December 2015 . 6 January 2016.