From BBC Radio Legend Sir Mark Tully to Pogues Drummer Andrew Ranken, EastEnders Actor Derek Martin to Red Dwarf Writer Rob Grant and The Quarrymen Musician Len Garry Here Is the Complete Running Record of Notable British Celebrities Who Died in 2026 From January Through Mid-March…
British Celebrities Who Died in 2026
British celebrities died in 2026 in a wave that has touched entertainment, sport, music, journalism, politics, and academia with the Wikipedia record of 2026 UK deaths already running to dozens of confirmed entries across the first ten weeks of the year.
The list covers actors, footballers, musicians, politicians, cricketers, authors, and broadcasters representing the full breadth of British public life and the generations who shaped it across the 20th century. This article provides the complete verified record of notable British and UK-connected public figures who passed away in 2026, ordered chronologically and updated to mid-March 2026.
January 2026 Deaths
January 3
- Gerry Gable, 88 — British political activist and editor of anti-fascist magazine Searchlight
- Terry Wharton, 83 — English footballer who played for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers, and Crystal Palace
January 4
- Alan Baker, 81 — English footballer (Aston Villa)
January 7
- Martin Chivers, 80 — English footballer who represented Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national team
- Tony Field, 79 — English footballer (Blackburn Rovers, Southport)
January 8
- Terry Yorath, 75 — Welsh football player (Leeds United) and Wales national team manager
- Howard Riley, 87 — English footballer (Leicester City, Walsall, Barrow)
January 9
- Tina Packer, 87 — British actress (David Copperfield, Doctor Who) and co-founder of Shakespeare & Company theatre
January 10
- Derek Martin, 92 — British actor best known for roles in EastEnders, Eldorado, and Law & Order
January 11
- Trevor A. Toussaint, 65 — British actor (Hollyoaks)
- Andrew Clements, 75 — English classical music critic
- John Wallace, 76 — Scottish trumpeter, composer and arts educator
January 12
- Sheila Bernette, 94 — English singer and actress, known for The Good Old Days and The Black and White Minstrel Show
- Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, 26 — British guitarist of acclaimed post-punk band Black Midi
- Eddie McCreadie, 85 — Scottish footballer and Chelsea manager
January 15
- Kenny Morris, 68 — English drummer for gothic rock pioneers Siouxsie and the Banshees
January 18
- David Thomas, 83 — British crown jeweller, died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease
January 24
- David Abulafia, 76 — British historian and author of The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean
January 25
- Sir Mark Tully, 90 — beloved British journalist, BBC India correspondent for decades, and broadcaster
February 2026 Deaths
February 1
- Tony Pigott, 67 — English cricketer (Sussex, Surrey, national team), died of a heart attack
February 3
- Allan Massie, 87 — British journalist and historical novelist (Augustus, Tiberius, Caesar)
February 4
- John Virgo, 79 — English snooker player and television presenter, died from a ruptured aorta
February 10
- Andrew Ranken, 72 — English drummer of The Pogues, one of the most influential Celtic punk bands in British music history
February 16
- Harry Barnes, 89 — English politician, Member of Parliament (1987–2005), died of cancer
February 25
- Rob Grant, 70 — English comedy writer and television producer, co-creator of the BBC sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf
February 26
- Drusilla Beyfus, 98 — English writer, journalist and etiquette author
February 28
- Bernard Lewis, 100 — English retail clothing entrepreneur, founder and president of River Island
- Paul Conroy, 61 — British photojournalist, died of a heart attack
- Annabel Schofield, 62 — Welsh-born model and actress (Dallas), died of brain cancer
- Jack Scarisbrick, 97 — British historian and prominent anti-abortion activist
March 2026 Deaths
March 2
- Len Garry, 84 — English musician and original member of The Quarrymen, the Liverpool skiffle group that preceded The Beatles, died of pneumonia
- Mike Vernon, 81 — English record producer responsible for iconic recordings including Fleetwood Mac’s “Albatross” and Focus’s “Hocus Pocus”
- Kevin Ashcroft, 81 — English rugby league player (Leigh, Warrington) and coach
March 5
- Bobby Cummines, 74 — English reformed criminal, author and criminal justice reform advocate
March 7
- Ian Huntley, 52 — British convicted murderer responsible for the 2002 Soham murders, died from head trauma following an attack in prison
- Matt Salter, 49 — English rugby union and rugby league player
March 8
- Sir Anthony James Leggett, 87 — British-American theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize laureate (2003) for work in superfluidity
March 9
- Zeph Ellis, 37 — British rapper, death announced on this date
Notable British Figures Still Active on 2026 Death Prediction Lists
Several prominent British public figures appear on Death List 2026 a watchlist compiled annually by observers tracking celebrities whose health gives cause for concern including:
- Tom Baker, 92 — iconic Doctor Who actor
- Dame Judi Dench, 92 — Oscar-winning British actress
- Vanessa Redgrave, 89 — acclaimed British stage and screen actress
- David Hockney, 89 — celebrated British artist
- Geoffrey Boycott, 86 — legendary English cricketer and broadcaster
All individuals on the Death List remain alive as of mid-March 2026 their inclusion reflects age and health indicators rather than any confirmed medical development.
