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Celebrity Deaths 2025

Slim pickings for some of us this year, with one month to go. Looks like an unassailable lead for @Tibble, and a scramble for the other podium places.

@Jonathan I guess you’ll open submissions for lists to be sent to you by PM for the 2026 game over the next few weeks?
 
Dipper_Dave said:
Slim pickings for some of us this year, with one month to go. Looks like an unassailable lead for @Tibble, and a scramble for the other podium places.

@Jonathan I guess you’ll open submissions for lists to be sent to you by PM for the 2026 game over the next few weeks?
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You are indeed correct. I hope to have things ready for submission within the next couple of weeks.

Just as a reminder of the rules:
1. You must pick 20 celebrities who you think will die during the course of 2026.
2. You can't pick anyone who's famous purely for being old.
3. No changes to lists are allowed once they're submitted. The only exception to this is if someone on your list dies between you submitting your list and the game going live at midnight on Thursday 1st January 2026.
4. If you can include what each person on your list is famous for, then that'd be appreciated. Nothing libellous, mind. Generic reasons will be applied for celebrities if none are given.
5. As I've done for the past few years, I'll have a spreadsheet set up to make it easier to work out who gets points when a celebrity dies. Not terribly relevant for you lot, but meh. :p
6. Lists must not be submitted in the thread itself. This is to encourage people to do a bit more research into who they want on their lists instead of just taking ideas from the submissions of others. If anyone wishes to take part, then please submit your list to me via PM on the forum. :)
7. Individuals who join Dignitas or any similar organisation are ineligible for selection for any further contests.
 
NuttySquirrel said:
Dick van Dyck turns 100 in 12 days.

www.independent.co.uk

Dick Van Dyke says avoiding two things is the key to a long life as he nears 100

‘It’s the chief thing that kept me going,’ ‘Mary Poppins’ actor says weeks before 100th birthday
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk

I wonder if we should have a new rule that centenarians cannot be selected for this competition?
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This has been suggested before I think. Not sure what it would achieve really, there’ll always be celebrities who live beyond 100, why shouldn’t we pick them? Someone could pick 20 well known centenarians and still not win the game.

That said, I’ve not picked any this year. I’d be curious to see what others think. I guess there are 3 options:

1. You are not allowed to pick anyone who is already 100+ or will turn 100 during 2026
2. You can pick anyone who is a celebrity, with no upper age limit.
3: You can pick a maximum (of say 2) celebrities who are already 100+ or will turn 100 during 2026

What does everyone think?
 
I haven’t really been very engaged with this this year, despite submitting a list back in January, but my view is that the current rule of “no one known primarily for being old” is fair.

People whose sole claim to fame is reaching old age are very low-hanging fruit… but celebrities with other claims to fame who happen to reach old age are fair enough, in my view! Where do you draw the line?
 
Think the reason I suggested it is because getting to 100 somehow feels like they're beating the game, so it doesn't really seem fair to pick them! Like cheating death almost.

Having said that he still has 10 more days to go and who knows what might happen?
 
NuttySquirrel said:
Think the reason I suggested it is because getting to 100 somehow feels like they're beating the game, so it doesn't really seem fair to pick them! Like cheating death almost.

Having said that he still has 10 more days to go and who knows what might happen?
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People have picked DVD for years, it seems unfair to suddenly not be able to because he’ll be 100
 
NuttySquirrel said:
Dick van Dyck turns 100 in 12 days.

I wonder if we should have a new rule that centenarians cannot be selected for this competition?
Click to expand...

It's always been a rule that you can't pick people who are only famous for being old, eg worlds oldest person.

But if you start saying we can't choose any celebrity because they're over 100 and statistically more likely to pass away sooner, then we mays well add a rule that no celebrity who has announced they have a terminal illness can be added to the list either for the same reason.
(Only exception that's ever been enforced with the latter was Dame Esther Rantzen as she publicly announced she's joined Dignitas - but even that now seems like it could be lifted as that announcement occurred in 2023 and she's still with us).

Ultimately, we all choose at least some of the celebs on our lists because they have a known higher probability of passing away during the year either due to age or known health issues. eg. Jimmy Carter, Prunella Scales etc.

At this rate, Dick Van Dyke's going to outlive everyone else on our lists anyway :tearsofjoy:
 
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