A selection of famous figures who died in 2024 include Russian anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny and Nobel-prize winning physicist Peter Higgs.
The arts world lost music producer Quincy Jones, author Barbara Taylor Bradford, Italian designer Roberto Cavalli, actors Dame Maggie Smith, Donald Sutherland, James Earl Jones, and singers Liam Payne and Françoise Hardy. Sports fans mourned the loss of OJ Simpson and football legend Franz Beckenbauer.
Image: Graphic News
Alexei Navalny: 47
Anticorruption activist who led opposition to Putin for over a decade while enduring arrests, assaults and near-fatal poisoning.
Dame Maggie Smith: 89
Actress who excelled in both tragedy and comedy, best known for roles in Downton Abbey and in Harry Potter films.
Franz Beckenbauer: 78
Football legend, won a World Cup with West Germany, as both player and manager, and two Ballon d’Or awards.
Barbara Taylor Bradford: 91
Best-selling author who enjoyed runaway success with her rags-to-riches 1979 debut novel, A Woman of Substance.
Quincy Jones: 91
Music producer and composer, worked with many stars including Michael Jackson on best-selling album “Thriller”.
Liam Payne: 31
Member of One Direction, one of the most successful boybands of all time. Also enjoyed solo success.
Donald Sutherland: 88
Versatile actor known to different generations for his roles in films such as The Dirty Dozen, MASH, and Hunger Games.
Françoise Hardy: 80
Romantic French chanteuse and 1960’s heartthrob, captured hearts of international rock fraternity and fans.
Peter Higgs: 94
Nobel-prize winning physicist who first showed how new Higgs boson particle helped bind universe together.
OJ Simpson: 76
Former American footballer and actor who was acquitted of murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown in 1995 “trial of the century”.
James Earl Jones: 93
Acting great known for distinctive voice – most famously as Star Wars villain Darth Vader and The Lion King’s Mufasa.
Roberto Cavalli: 83
Celebrated Italian designer who created flamboyant clothes to dress stars from Brigitte Bardot to Spice Girls.