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Dead Pool 9th November 2025

Quite a few famous deaths this week, alas no points though. 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

An American teacher and his teenage son were killed by a swarm of hundreds of hornets while on a zip-lining holiday in Laos. Daniel Owen, 47, and his 15-year-old son Cooper died on 15th October while visiting an eco-adventure resort near the northern city of Luang Prabang, the US embassy in Laos. Hundreds of what are believed to have been Asian giant hornets attacked the pair while they were trying to descend from a tree, a source close to two US diplomats in Laos told The Flying Monkeys. After the incident, the father and son arrived conscious at the Phanak clinic, showing no signs of anaphylactic shock – allergic reactions that can kill people who have been stung by bees, wasps and hornets. However they died just hours later after they were taken to the Luang Prabang provincial hospital. Their bodies were “covered in red spots” after the “very, very painful” attack, said Phanomsay Phakan, a doctor at the Phakan Arocavet Clinic where the father and son were taken. “A lot of stings, more than 100, over the whole body. I thought already that it’s a very dangerous situation because I had never seen it as bad as that,” he said. Green Jungle Park, where the incident occurred, extended its “deepest condolences” and said it has reviewed all existing procedures in a statement. Asian giant hornets are the world’s largest hornet, and are native to tropical parts of East Asia, South Asia, mainland Southeast Asia, and parts of the Russian east. In recent years they have spread to countries in western Europe, including the UK. They are responsible for dozens of deaths every year owing to the power of their 6mm stinger which emits a particularly potent venom containing mastoparan-M – a toxin commonly found in wasp venom. Last month in Spain, a man died after accidentally stepping on a hornet’s nest in the Galicia region. Two others died the same month.  

Television presenter Davina McCall has revealed she underwent surgery for breast cancer nearly three weeks ago. In a video posted to her Instagram account, McCall said she was “very angry” by the discovery but feels in a “much more positive place”. McCall, 58, said she found a lump in her breast after checking herself and got it examined, adding: “It was very, very small, so I got it very, very early which is incredibly lucky. But I am so relieved to have had it removed and to know that it hasn’t spread.” The former Big Brother presenter thanked medical staff at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she had the lumpectomy, and urged women to get their breasts checked. It comes nearly two years after McCall underwent surgery to remove a rare brain tumour. A colloid cyst was found during a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work and McCall later said she was given the all clear after MRI scans. McCall started her Instagram post by telling her 2.1m followers: “I’m talking about this because I think it might help someone. And this is what I always do.” She said she found a lump a few weeks ago which “came and went” but was encouraged to get it examined after seeing posters telling women to “check your breasts” while working on ITV’s The Masked Singer and Lorraine show. She said presenter Lorraine Kelly had put signs on the backs of all the doors saying “check your breasts” and “every time I went for a wee I did that. It  was still there, and then one morning I saw myself in the mirror and thought “I’m going to get that looked at”. I had a biopsy. I found out it was indeed breast cancer.” McCall said she was going to have five days of radiotherapy in January “as kind of an insurance policy” and then will be on a “journey to try and stop it ever coming back”. She added: “I think my message is: get checked if you’re worried. Check yourself regularly. If you are due a mammogram, then get it done.”

An influencer who underwent 27 operations to look like a Barbie doll has died at the age of 31. Barbara Jankavski was found dead at a townhouse in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and the police are said to be  investigating the death. They have registered the influencer’s death as ‘suspicious’ and are waiting for a full autopsy. The emergency services had been called to the property over the weekend, where they found Jankavski, but they were unable to revive her. This comes only days after the emergency services in Lago Verde had to confirm to death of another Brazilian influencer, Fernanda Oliveira da Silva. A friend of the influencer had been at the house that same day and left before she died. The friend told the police that Jankavski had injured her eye earlier that day. Just weeks ago, the influencer had shocked fans with a selfie that showed she had gotten black eyes after a surgery. The injuries were part of the healing process for a facelift she had gotten. In the caption of the video where the black eyes were prominent, she said: “Day 3 of the facelift by @dr.aurilioluis @asanasal_dedivas improving way too fast! Almost invisible scar!” She also told her followers that the injuries looked more scary than they were. The influencer spent an estimated £42k to look more like a real-life Barbie. She became famous on social media after she started documenting her surgery journey. She had over 55k followers on Instagram and over 344k on TikTok, where she was known as Boneca Desumana, which is the Brazilian Portuguese for Inhuman Barbie. She also appeared in multiple TV shows and ad campaigns in Brazil.

On This Day

  • 1888 – Jack the Ripper murders Mary Jane Kelly, his final victim in the Whitechapel murders. 
  • 1963 – At a coal mine in Miike, Japan, an explosion kills 458 and hospitalises 839 with carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • 1998 – Capital punishment in the United Kingdom, already abolished for murder, is completely abolished for all remaining capital offences.

Deaths

  • 1937 – Ramsay MacDonald, Scottish politician, Prime Minister of the U.K. (born 1866).
  • 1940 – Neville Chamberlain, English politician, Prime Minister of the U.K. (born 1869).
  • 1953 – Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet and author (born 1914).
  • 1970 – Charles de Gaulle, French general & politician, President of France (born 1890).
  • 2004 – Emlyn Hughes, English footballer and manager (born 1947).

The Wilkes-Barre Shootings

On the morning of September 25th 1982, 40-year-old George Emil Banks roamed his Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, neighbourhood on a mission of destruction. On that fateful morning, with his mental health declining, Banks’ actions would forever affect the lives of so many people and traumatise a community.

Fuelled by a twisted sense of hopelessness, Banks methodically targeted family members, acquaintances, and even strangers, resulting in the death of 13 individuals across various locations, including four of his own children. 

Who was George Emil Banks, and what drove him to commit such horrific acts? Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Banks worked as a prison guard – a job often associated with high stress and exposure to trauma. Colleagues described him as troubled and prone to emotional outbursts, though many dismissed it as a result of the job’s strain.

Banks’s relationships were often tumultuous and complicated as he had children with several partners, which led to a web of connections that only fuelled his paranoia and instability further, according to interviews with family members and neighbours.

He saw himself as a protector and feared the racial and social obstacles his children could encounter in the future. His mind was tormented by worries about discrimination and environmental decline, which he feared would negatively impact his children’s lives. 

Having grown up as a mixed-race child during the 1940’s and 50’s, George was keenly aware of prejudice and discrimination.

This obsession would ultimately lead to his violent actions.

Prior to his stint as a corrections officer, Banks had served time in prison himself for his role in a robbery, which resulted in a shooting. Despite his record, Banks was hired as a correctional officer at Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, in 1980.

In early September 1982, just weeks before the shootings, Banks had locked himself in a guard tower while threatening suicide. He was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation at a local hospital. 

On the morning of September 25th 1982, after a night of drinking and using pills, George Emil Banks shot and killed seven people in his Schoolhouse Lane home. These included three former girlfriends and four of his children, including two sons, a daughter, and a stepdaughter. 

Banks then dressed in military fatigues and carried his semi-automatic rifle as he hunted his next victims. The next two people shot just happened to be leaving a neighbour’s house when Banks saw them and opened fire.

24-year-old Ray Hall Jr. died at the scene, while 22-year-old Jimmy Olsen survived his wounds.

Banks then drove to the home of Sharon Mazzillo, a former flame and the mother of three of his children. Banks intruded into her residence that fatal day, shooting her to death. After murdering Sharon, Banks then shot and killed their son Kissamayu.

He also murdered Sharon’s mother, who was trying to use the phone to call for help. Also killed was Sharon’s 7-year-old nephew. The only survivor was Sharon’s brother, who managed to hide in a closet during the attack.

After the murders, Banks abandoned his car and carjacked another vehicle. 

After resting for a while, Banks went to his mother’s house and confessed what he had done. He then asked her to take him to a friend’s house. Though horrified by what she had just learned, she did as George asked.

At the same time, the police were looking for Banks after connecting him with the shootings.

Shortly after dropping George off, Banks’s mother returned home and was met by authorities looking for her son. They then drove to the location, and Banks’s mother attempted to convince him to surrender.

As the standoff progressed, police tried various tactics to convince Banks to give himself up. Nothing worked.

Finally, a former co-worker of Banks arrived at the scene, and convinced him to surrender. 

George Banks’s trial began in June 1983. He faced a litany of charges, including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, grand theft auto, and numerous other charges. If convicted, Banks faced a possible death sentence.

Banks insisted on testifying at trial, and though his rambling and, at times, incoherent defence did not win his acquittal, it may have spared his life. Because even though the jury recommended the death penalty, Banks’s attorneys continued to appeal his case, and in 2010, he was found mentally incompetent for execution, with psychiatrists having previously labeled him as “psychotic, delusional, and irrational.” 

George Emil Banks served 43 years of his sentence at State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where he died at the age of 83. 

Last Week’s Birthdays

Eric Dane (53), Lou Ferrigno (74), Robert Duncan McNeill (61), Parker Posey (57), Matthew Rhys (51), Tara Reid (50), Gretchen Mol (53), Richard Curtis (69), Gordon Ramsay (59), Adam Devine (42), Ethan Hawke (55), Emma Stone (37), Thandiwe Newton (53), Rebecca Romijn (53), Sally Field (79), Nigel Havers (74), Robert Patrick (67), Sam Rockwell (57), Tilda Swinton (65), Famke Janssen (61), Tamzin Outhwaite (55), Armin Shimerman (76), Matthew McConaughey (56), Ralph Macchio (64), Olivia Taylor Dudley (40), Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (56), Dolph Lundgren (68), Kate Capshaw (72), Roseanne Barr (73), and Lulu (77).

Posted by  |  9th November 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 2nd November 2025

We have a few points to award this week, so let’s dole them out. 50 points to Ceri and Mazurn for guessing that June Lockhart would die this year. Also we need to award 57 points to Neil, Mark, Nicki H, Paul G, Abi, Shân and Julia on the passing of Prunella Scales; however both Nickie O’H and Rachel McG get 157 points for listing her as their Woman. 

I’ve also had time to go through the points, there were a few anomalies which I have adjusted. Abi is the one to beat this year, she’s doing extremely well with 538 points! Well done everyone! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

A 31-year-old bodybuilder has died of a stroke following the passing of his beloved cat, his heartbroken mother has revealed. Ricardo Nolasco dos Santos died last week in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The strongman, better known as Kadu Santos, was an 11-times bodybuilding champion and two-times overall champion of a prestigious regional Muscle Contest competition. Known for his punishing gym routines, he also showed off his bulging biceps to his 13,000 followers on Instagram where he also offered advice on how to keep in shape. Santos’ mother, Iva Nolasco, said the stroke he suffered led to a lung infection, adding that the strongman’s health problems were complicated by a congenital defect. He was filmed in July going down on one knee on stage to propose to his partner Sabrina Wollman after a four-year romance, who he started dating in August 2021. Lifting the veil of mystery that had been hanging over the death of Santos, Iva told followers in a social media post he had experienced a week of ’emotional distress’ following Baku’s death. Saying he fell ill on October 4th, sparking a two-week fight for life in hospital, she added: ‘His blood pressure rose and he decided to go out for dinner with his partner and friends to try to relax a bit. He complained of a headache, started having seizures and then suffered the stroke. In hospital he was diagnosed with a brain lesion where the haemorrhage had occurred.’ Revealing Santos also aspirated fluid during the seizure, which caused a lung infection, Iva, who is herself a regular gym user, added: ‘He was born with a bicuspid heart valve instead of a tricuspid one. With the effort for the lungs, the heart became insufficient.’ Santos’ family announced his death on social media but had not previously disclosed any details about his two-week fight for life and the reasons for his passing.  

The racing world has been plunged into mourning following the tragic death of 19-year-old jockey Tommie Jakes at his home near Newmarket. Widely considered one of the most promising young riders around, Jakes got his first winner at 16 on board a horse four years his junior.  The apprentice rider was also a much-loved member of the weighing room, and rode for top trainer George Boughey. An IJF/PJA joint-statement read: ‘It is with deep sadness that we report the death of licensed apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes, 19, who tragically died at home this morning near Newmarket. Tommie was a much-loved son and brother, and a popular member of George Boughey’s racing team. His parents Jeremy and Tonie ask that their privacy is respected at this terrible time.’ Jakes’ final race was only on Wednesday afternoon at Nottingham, when he partnered the Ismail Mohammed-trained Guarantee to finish seventh of nine runners as a 125-1 outsider. Jose Santos, assistant to Mohammed, said: ‘We’re really shocked. It’s hard to believe. I feel completely empty as he rode out for us twice a week and always seemed happy and positive. He never showed any signs of having any kind of problems. I know he didn’t smoke, I know he didn’t do drugs or drink, and for everyone in the yard it’s a massive shock.’ In his first full season, Jakes rode 11 winners, backing that up with 29 in 2024. This year he was once again enjoying another wonderful season on the track, recording 19 wins from 188 runs to bring owners nearly £200,000 in prize money.  

Radio 2 DJ Bob Harris has shared an update on Instagram on his ongoing prostate treatment. The 79-year-old presenter said in a social media post this week that he was feeling “very low” due to the side effects of his treatment. He has lived with the disease since he was diagnosed in 2007. The star has been being supported by his fellow BBC colleagues including Dermot O’Leary and Zoe Ball. His friends and colleagues have been leaving supportive comments alongside his social media posts. Bob shared a selfie while he wrote: “I am so grateful for my cancer treatment but there are times when the side effects are really tough. Feeling very low tonight. Tomorrow I go again…” Bob told his fans back in 2023 that he counts “every day as a blessing” as he has routine top-up treatments for the disease. He said: “I occasionally have to go through moments of intensive top-up treatments, and I have to take some pretty hefty daily medication to keep my cancer under control, the difficult side effects of which can often bring my emotions far too close to the surface! But my cancer was detected early and I count every day as a blessing. My massive advice to any male over 50 reading this is GET YOURSELF CHECKED if you haven’t already. The blood test only takes seconds and it could save your life!” Bob first became well known when he co-founded Time Out magazine in 1968. He then went on to join the BBC in 1970 and has had several roles across its radio channels over the last 50 years. He was the host of the award-winning BBC TV music show Old Grey Whistle Test throughout the 1970s where he would interview iconic musicians. Back in 2019 Harris took a break from presenting after rupturing his aorta. He underwent emergency surgery, which he said he was “lucky to survive”. He said at the time: “Ten days ago, while out walking, I suffered a tear to my aorta known as an aortic dissection. The aorta is basically the M1 of the body and any damage is regarded as extremely serious. For the past few years, I have been walking an average of five miles a day and I am convinced that the level of fitness I have achieved during that time helped save my life.” 

On This Day

  • 1936 – The BBC Television Service, the world’s first regular, “high-definition” (then defined as at least 200 lines) service begins. 
  • 1982 – Channel 4, the British free-to-air public broadcast television channel funded by its commercial activities, starts broadcasting.
  • 1984 – Velma Barfield becomes the first woman executed in the United States since 1962.

Deaths

  • 1950 – George Bernard Shaw, Irish author, playwright, and critic (born 1856). 
  • 1996 – Eva Cassidy, American singer (born 1963).
  • 2014 – Acker Bilk, English singer and clarinet player (born 1929).
  • 2024 – Janey Godley, Scottish actor, writer and comedian (born 1961).

Last Meals

A death row inmate made a very clear statement ahead of his execution last week.

On October 23rd, Anthony Todd Boyd became the state of Alabama’s seventh inmate to be put to death this year.

Boyd received the death sentence for the 1993 murder of Gregory Huguley. 

Huguley was taped up and burned alive over a $200 cocaine debt. Boyd was just 21 years old at the time of the murder. While Boyd did not set the man alight, he’s said to have helped bind Huguley to a park bench before others doused him in fuel.

Boyd has always maintained his innocence, which is something he doubled down on in the moments leading up to his death last week.

He told prison staff: “I just wanna say again, I didn’t kill anybody, I didn’t participate in killing anybody. I just want everyone to know, there is no justice in this state.”

Noting that his numerous appeals were turned down, the convicted criminal went on, ”It’s all political, it’s all revenge-motivated. There is no justice in the state, there can be no justice in the state.” He closed his poignant statement with: “I want all my people to keep fighting, you all matter. Let’s get it.”

Ahead of his death, Boyd is said to have requested to die by firing squad, but he died by Nitrogen gas instead. The execution method has long sparked debates over how long it takes for the inmate to die, with some branding it as ‘intense psychological torment’.

Boyd had his spiritual advisor, Rev. Jeff Hood, with him when he died. He said that the way the inmate was killed was ‘torture’.

“We shouldn’t do this to anybody,” Hood said, adding: “We are better than this. We are better than suffocating people to death.” 

According to Hood, Boyd was fighting for his life for almost 20 minutes before he was eventually pronounced dead.

Last year, Alabama became the first state to use nitrogen gas as a means of killing inmates. The likes of Louisiana and Arkansas have since followed suit.

In the hours leading up to Boyd’s execution, the Supreme Court’s three liberal justices  condemned the use of nitrogen gas and described it as ‘intense psychological torment’.

Addressing the majority decision on Boyd’s request to postpone his death and to die by firing squad, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said: “Boyd asks for the barest form of mercy: to die by firing squad, which would kill him in seconds, rather than by a torturous suffocation lasting up to four minutes. The Constitution would grant him that grace. My colleagues do not.” 

Boyd refused a last meal before his execution. 

Last Week’s Birthdays

David Schwimmer (59), Stefanie Powers (83), Toni Collette (53), Anthony Kiedis (63), Peter Jackson (64), Sanjeev Bhaskar (62), Stephen Rea (79), Fiona Dourif (44), Clémence Poésy (43), Henry Winkler (80), Juliet Stevenson (69), Winona Ryder (54), Rufus Sewell (58), Ben Foster (45), Richard Dreyfuss (78), Dan Castellaneta (68), Lee Child (71), Julia Roberts (58), Gwendoline Christie (47), Joaquin Phoenix (51), Matt Smith (43), Annie Potts (73), John Cleese (86), Robert Picardo (72), and Kelly Osbourne (41). 

Posted by  |  2nd November 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 26th October 2025

A very quiet week, you will be forgiven for not knowing this week’s dead celebrities. I’m afraid we will have to release a few extra Flying Monkeys to harvest a few famous souls so we can score a few points! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Martin Kemp has given a health update after he was taken to hospital following a horror chainsaw accident. The musician and actor, 64, injured his hand after picking up the tool by the blade to cut a piece of wood. He took to Instagram on Friday, sharing a video update to let fans know how he’s doing after receiving a wave of messages from concerned fans. In the clip, he said: ‘Hey guys, just a little message. You might have seen in the papers that I had a terrible accident with a chainsaw, which I did, but it was last week. I’m a lot better now. And just to let you know, if you were worried and you are going to Lincoln Cathedral tonight for the DJ gig, it is still on. But I appreciate your concerns. And listen, it’s getting better by the minute. I will explain how it happened another time, but just to reassure you, I am alright.’ Martin concluded his message with: ‘Lots of love, bye.’ It comes after his son Roman revealed the accident took place on his You About podcast. He said his father had sent his family a photograph of his bandaged hand alongside a message saying ‘Yep…Chainsaw!!!’. His podcast co-host Tom Grennan asked Roman: ‘What the hell has happened to your dad’s fingers? Because that looks like a horror film.’ Roman revealed he received the text from his father on Friday night. He said: ‘I have just finished work, I look at my phone and my dad has sent a picture of his hand. All his fingers are heavily strapped up and all he writes underneath in the family WhatsApp group is “Yep…Chainsaw!!!”.’ Roman and his sister Harley texted his father back asking for more information and received no replies from their father. Eventually his father said: ‘Oh there was a bit of a branch that we wanted chopping down, so I went and got a chainsaw. So that is my first issue. Why are you handling a chainsaw? He is 65. He has got more than enough dough, get a professional in.’ According to Roman, his dad said: ‘I picked it up from the blade.’ Roman said his father is lucky he is ‘not fingerless and handless,’ adding: ‘I know a mate who lost a finger through that.’ Singer Tom Grennan then joked: ‘Your mum would be fuming.’ ‘Yes because then he couldn’t play guitar,’ Roman joked.  Roman went on to say Martin ‘screamed’ and ran to wife Shirlie with blood pouring everywhere. He also revealed Martin then had to get a Tetanus shot after the injury.

Ever since King Charles announced he had cancer, it has felt like the deadline for succession has been moved up. And considering he was the oldest person to ascend the throne in the first place, it was always clear he would not be King nearly as long as his mother was Queen. But what does that mean for Prince William, and what preparations have taken place? According to the Flying Monkeys the King is “dying” and his health has forced Prince William to take on more royal duties. Charles is “seriously unwell but determined to carry on.” Not just that, the source added, “He’s exhausted, but he won’t stop. “Every morning he insists on reading his red boxes. He believes his service to the country is his calling — and he’ll keep going as long as he can.” But William’s influence is reportedly already being felt, as he was instrumental in getting Prince Andrew to renounce his royal titles amid renewed scandals about his connections to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Reportedly, Charles and William were in full agreement in demanding the move from William. And Andrew’s statement leaves no doubt that this was not fully his decision. In a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday, October 17th Prince Andrew said, “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” he added. King Charles was allegedly reluctant to take this step for a long time. The King, who has been receiving treatment for his cancer since the announcement he was sick in February of last year, has allegedly had several setbacks. “They’re quietly preparing William to step up — fast,” one courtier revealed. “The illusion of perfect health is collapsing. What we’re seeing is the reality behind the crown — a monarch in decline.” Prince William has recently talked about how hard the past year has been, especially as he talked with actor Eugene Levy on his Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler. “I’d say 2024 was the hardest year I’ve ever had,” he revealed, referring not just to his father’s cancer diagnosis but that of his wife, Kate Middleton. Unlike King Charles, Middleton is now in remission and has taken the slow and steady approach to returning to public life. “You know, life is sent to test us, as well. And being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.” 

French film star Brigitte Bardot has become the latest celebrity to declare that rumours of her demise have been greatly exaggerated. A terse post on the 91-year-old’s Twitter account last week shut down claims made by an influencer on social media that she had died. “I don’t know which idiot started this ‘fake news’ about my disappearance this evening but know that I’m fine and I have no intention of bowing out. A word to the wise,” said the post, written in French. The “idiot” was a 27-year-old influencer named Aqababe, whose since-deleted post claimed they had “exclusive information” that Bardot had died. “Her coffin was ordered in Saint-Paul-de-Jarrat in the 09 (Ariège) department,” stated Aqababe (real name Aniss Zitouni). “An icon has passed away, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy and an internal imprint on the hearts of the French.” Bardot reportedly returned to her home in the French Riviera town of Saint-Tropez last week after a three-week stay in a private hospital after undergoing minor surgery for an unspecified condition. While French media has suggested the star had suffered a “serious illness”, the Flying Monkeys reported a spokesperson as saying: “Madame Bardot has returned home and is now resting. She’s fine.” Bardot is the latest of several celebrities who have taken to social media recently to downplay concerns about their health. “Ain’t dead yet”, 79-year-old country music star Dolly Parton said in a video posted on Instagram earlier this month after her younger sister Freida sparked alarm by asking fans to pray for her as she dealt with a number of health challenges. While Dolly had been forced to postpone upcoming live performances at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, she reassured fans: “I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.” Last month, Star Trek star William Shatner similarly scotched suggestions he was seriously unwell after photos of a Los Angeles City Fire Department ambulance outside his home with the headline: “Medical scare sends Captain Kirk to hospital”. The report said he had experienced issues with his blood sugar levels. Shatner, best known for commanding the USS Enterprise as Captain Kirk in the original series of Star Trek, downplayed the concerns with a post on Twitter featuring a photograph of himself playing Mark Twain in the television drama Murdoch Mysteries and the caption: “Rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”. “I over indulged,” the 94-year-old wrote. “I thank you all for caring but I’m perfectly fine. I keep telling you all: don’t trust tabloids or AI!” Bardot’s post declaring she is fine hasn’t completely silenced the influencer who this week claimed she was dead, with Aqababe suggesting it is not the former actress who runs her account. “I deleted my exclusive tweet about Brigitte Bardot’s death,” they wrote. “It’s not her who manages her Twitter, you’ll see when AFP officially announces the death.”

On This Day

  • 1881 – Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday participate in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. 
  • 1977 – Ali Maow Maalin, the last natural case of smallpox, develops a rash in Somalia. The WHO and the CDC consider this date to be the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, the most spectacular success of vaccination. 
  • 2002 – Approximately 50 Chechen terrorists and 150 hostages die when Russian special forces troops storm a theatre building in Moscow, which had been occupied by the terrorists during a musical performance three days before.

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Cary Elwes (63), Seth MacFarlane (52), Jon Heder (48), Mia Goth (32), Nancy Cartwright (68), Glynis Barber (70), Katy Perry (41), F. Murray Abraham (86), Kevin Kline (78), Ryan Reynolds (49), Emilia Clarke (39), ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic (66), Christopher Lloyd (87), Bob Odenkirk (63), Jeff Goldblum (73), Derek Jacobi (87), Catherine Deneuve (82), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (50), Glen Powell (37), Kim Kardashian (45), Ken Watanabe (66), Everett McGill (80), Doja Cat (30), Viggo Mortensen (67), John Krasinski (46), Snoop Dogg (54), and Kamala Harris (61).

Posted by  |  26th October 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 12th & 19th October 2025

Apologies for letting last week’s newsletter slip, life got in the way. However you now have twice as much to read in this bumper two week edition! God help you! Sadly nobody scored points when paedo Ian Watkins was executed in jail, but I think we all win when crims step up and do the right thing. You will also notice from our main feature below that Death Row inmates are being executed at an unprecedented rate. Of the six that have already been killed in the last couple of weeks, only two made the Wiki Death List, so listing Death Row inmates remains a little dodgy. 

Look Who You Could Have Had: 13/10 to 19/10

Look Who You Could Have Had: 06/10 to 12/10

In Other News

French actress Brigitte Bardot was hospitalised recently upon experiencing a minor health issue. She is now on the mend. The cinema icon underwent minor surgery at the Saint-Tropez hospital in Toulon. According to her team, the surgical operation went well. Bardot is currently recovering at her home in Saint-Tropez. While still in recovery, Brigitte Bardot has expressed her gratitude via a statement to the surgical team and the medical staff. She further stated that she feels okay and is currently resting at her abode. The animal rights activist, who is considered a national treasure by many in France, is 91. She’s been dealing with respiratory issues over the past couple of years. Brigitte’s latest hospital trip isn’t the only time she has suffered health woes. In July 2023, she suffered from severe breathing difficulties, prompting emergency services to rush to her home in Saint-Tropez. Bardot’s name became synonymous with charm and free-spiritedness in the 1950’s and 1960’s. She rose to fame internationally via films like ‘And God Created Women.’ Her performances which were always marked by magnetism and independence, made her the face of a new era of cinema. Beyond acting, the ‘Contempt’ star also navigated the music industry. She released several records during the peak of her professional career. This further solidified her stance in the industry as a multi-talented entertainer. After stepping down from acting in the 1970s, Bardot settled down in Saint Tropez. This beautiful town on the French Riviera captured her heart long ago. Later, she founded her own organisation for protecting and advocating for animals. Since then, she has used most of her time and fame to champion numerous causes. 

Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the first expedition to successfully scale the summit of Mount Everest, has died in the Nepali capital Kathmandu, aged 92. His family said he had recently become unwell. Kanchha Sherpa was 19 when he accompanied the historic team led by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay to the top of the world’s tallest mountain in 1953. He joined the 35-member expedition as a porter despite no prior mountaineering experience. On the arduous trek lasting more than two weeks, he carried food, tents and equipment up to base camp – and was one of three Sherpas to make it past an altitude of 8,000m (26,247ft). Fellow Nepali mountain guides have described him as a legend and an inspiration. Kanchha Sherpa worked as an high-altitude porter in the Himalayan mountains for two more decades after the expedition, until his wife asked him to stop making the dangerous journeys.  

A child killer who started a fire that killed seven people has died at the age of 58. Paul Mosley was sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter after he helped act out his friend’s twisted plot to set a home alight in Derby on May 11th 2012. Ringleader Mick Philpott had conducted the plan so he could act out the hero by saving his children before blaming it all on his former lover. The pair carried out their ‘evil’ act with the help of Philpott’s wife Mairead – but it went disastrously wrong. Father-of-17 Philpott had been living in a cramped three-bedroom council house in Derby with his wife, Mairead, but also lover Lisa Willis and their children. He was said to be sex-obsessed and boasted about his benefits-funded lifestyle, which police revealed brought him an income of £60,000 a year. It was after his relationship with Willis broke down and she moved out of the family home with their five children that Philpott was triggered to devise his plan to win back custody and also secure a larger property for his sizeable brood. Together with his wife and Mosley – a family friend who it was revealed in court was having a sexual relationship with Mairead – Philpott plotted to set fire to their home and frame Willis for arson. His intention was to rescue the sleeping children still living with him through an upstairs window, but the plan went disastrously wrong after too much petrol was used and the fire burned out of control. Philpott, who had previously been jailed for stabbing his schoolgirl lover 27 times, wove a web of lies trying to get away with the crime and even plotted to ‘get rich quick’ off generous donations from the local community meant to pay for the funerals of his children. In the days that followed the fire, Philpott began his elaborate ruse to appear blameless and even appeared at a press conference appealing for information. He and Mairead shed tears for the cameras as they spoke about their children. Police initially charged the trio with murder, but downgraded this to manslaughter because the defendants had not intended to kill the six youngsters, despite their sickeningly reckless actions. The judge described the plot as ‘a wicked and dangerous plan’ that was ‘outside the comprehension of any right-thinking person’. Mosley was sentenced to 17 years for manslaughter after the court found him guilty of helping to start the fatal fire.  

Britain’s Got Talent singer Dave Betton, who was given special praise by Simon Cowell, has died at the age of 82. The performer appeared on the ITV show in 2020 alongside his son Dean, reaching the latter stages of the competition. The pair left the judges stunned and received a standing ovation for their rendition of Frank Sinatra’s ‘That’s Life’, as Amanda Holden told them they had ‘smashed it’. Responding at the time, Cowell said: ‘There are certain days I think what I need is a mug of hot chocolate – and you were a mug of hot chocolate! You made me feel good, I needed that.’ Taking to Facebook, Dave’s son Dean shared the news of his father’s death. He wrote: ‘It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I have to let you all know that the legend that is Dave Betton sadly passed away after a very brief illness in the early hours of Wednesday morning surrounded by his loved ones. Myself, my brother Darren, our wives, his grandsons and granddaughters, great grandsons and great granddaughters, extended family and all his friends will miss him dearly and he will leave us with a huge void to fill. For those that knew him, he lit up a room wherever he went and everyone instantly fell in love with him. Rest easy Pops and I hope Mum is giving you a big telling off for joining her far too soon. Love you always. From me and your loving Family.’ Dave died from sepsis after a brief illness surrounded by his loved ones living in sheltered accommodation in Lytham. His funeral will be held on October 27th.  

President Donald Trump is returning to Walter Reed Medical Center for what the White House initially described as a “routine yearly checkup,” just six months after undergoing his annual physical exam. “I think I’m in great shape, but I’ll let you know,” Trump, 79, said from the Oval Office on Thursday. “When I’m around, I like to check. Always be early, it’s a lesson for a lot of people.” Still, the trip to the facility in Bethesda, Maryland, is relatively unusual, departing from a president’s typical calendar of a single exam each year, following a new diagnosis and online rumours and allegations from his political rivals that the president is cognitively impaired. His most recent exam in April marked the public’s first glimpse of the president’s health in his second term, after he became the oldest American to be sworn into office in January. White House physician Sean Barbabella said in a memo at the time that the president is in “excellent health.” After his first physical exam since taking office in January, Trump’s doctor Sean Barbabella issued a three-page summary finding that the president is “fully fit” to serve. Barbabella claimed the president lost 20 pounds since his June 2020 exam, attributed to Trump’s “active lifestyle” that “continues to contribute significantly” to his overall health. “President exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State,” Barbabella wrote in the April memo. No abnormalities were reported other than sun damage and “scarring” on his right ear from a gunshot wound on his ear after an assassination attempt last year. The memo also listed that the president is taking a cholesterol drug and indicated that the fat cunt is overweight. The president reportedly scored a 30 out of 30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment according to the memo, apparently he managed to put the square peg in the square hole correctly.  ”Overall, I felt I was in very good shape,” Trump said after his appointment. “A good heart, a good soul, a very good soul.” Yes, Donald, a good soul destined for Hell.   

Former England captain Lewis Moody has revealed he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease and admitted he cannot yet face the full implications of the muscle-wasting condition that killed fellow rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow. The 47-year-old, who was part of the 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning side and lifted multiple English and European titles with Leicester, spoke to the Flying Monkeys two weeks after learning he has the disease. “There’s something about looking the future in the face and not wanting to really process that at the minute,” he said. “It’s not that I don’t understand where it’s going. We understand that. But there is absolutely a reluctance to look the future in the face for now.” Moody, speaking alongside his wife Annie, says instead he feels “at ease” as he concentrates on his immediate wellbeing, his family and making preparations for when the disease worsens. “Maybe that’s shock or maybe I process things differently, and once I have the information, it’s easier,” he added. Moody discovered he had MND after noticing some weakness in his shoulder while training in the gym. After physiotherapy failed to improve the problem, a series of scans showed nerves in his brain and spinal cord had been damaged by MND. “You’re given this diagnosis of MND and we’re rightly quite emotional about it, but it’s so strange because I feel like nothing’s wrong,” he added. “I don’t feel ill. I don’t feel unwell. My symptoms are very minor. I have a bit of muscle wasting in the hand and the shoulder. I’m still capable of doing anything and everything. And hopefully that will continue for as long as is possible.”

On This Day: 19th October

  • 1953 – Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is published. 
  • 1955 – The General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union approves the staging of the first Eurovision Song Contest.
  • 2019 – Members of Parliament met at the House of Lords to discuss the United Kingdom’s Brexit deal, this was the first Saturday sitting in Parliament since 3rd April 1982 during the Falklands War.

On This Day: 12th October

  • 1492 – Christopher Columbus’s first expedition makes landfall in the Caribbean, 
  • 1799 – Jeanne Geneviève Labrosse becomes the first woman to jump from a balloon with a parachute. 
  • 1984 – The Bighton Bombing: The Provisional Irish Republican Army fail to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet.  The bomb kills five people and wounds at least 31 others.

Deaths: 19th October

  • 1937 – Ernest Rutherford, New Zealand-English physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1871).
  • 1997 – Ken Wood, inventor of the Kenwood Chef food mixer (born 1916). 
  • 2010 – Tom Bosley, American actor (born 1927).

Deaths: 12th October

  • 1870 – Robert E. Lee, American general (born 1807). 
  • 1978 – Nancy Spungen, American figure of the 1970s punk rock scene (born 1958). 
  • 1997 – John Denver, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (born 1943).  
  • 2024 – Alex Salmond, Scottish politician, First Minister of Scotland (born 1954).

Five executions in eight days. Why the death penalty is being used more and more

Thirty-four men have been executed by court order in the US this year, with eight more scheduled before its close, five of whom are due to die in the next eight days. This year’s total already significantly surpasses the 25 executions carried out last year. It could mark the highest figure since 2012, when 43 inmates were put to death, though it remains considerably below the modern peak of 98 executions in 1999. The surge in executions is predominantly driven by four states – Florida, Texas, Alabama, and South Carolina – which account for 76 per cent of this year’s court-ordered killings.

“This is not an uptick of executions nationally — this is really down to just a few states,” said Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. Chief among them is Florida, which has already carried out 13 executions after performing just one last year. The increase comes as President Donald Trump has urged governors to expand their use of the death penalty.

“Gov. DeSantis is scheduling all of these executions with complete autonomy and in complete secrecy,” Maher said. DeSantis’ office has not responded to questions about why the governor is increasing the pace of executions now and whether Trump’s policies are playing a role.

Executions have been carried out this year in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. All but one of those states — Arizona — are run by Republican governors. 

Here’s a look at the executions scheduled for the rest of the year, by state; plus what those who already got the shot ate for their last meal: 

Indiana: Roy Lee Ward died by lethal injection early Friday in the state’s third execution since resuming capital punishment last year. Ward, 53, was convicted in the 2001 rape and murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne. Attorneys said Ward is remorseful and has exhausted his legal options after many court battles. According to DOC officials, Ward’s last meal was from Texas Corral and consisted of the following: One hamburger, one steak melt, one order of French fries, one baked potato with butter, one order of twelve fried shrimp, one sweet potato, one order of chicken alfredo, and one order of breadsticks.

Missouri:: Lance C. Shockley was executed on Tuesday. Shockley, 48, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham outside his home in Carter County in 2005. Authorities said Graham was killed because he was investigating Shockley for involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. Shockley ate his last meal at 11:13a.m.- three packs of oatmeal, peanut butter, water, and two sports drinks.

Florida:  Samuel Lee Smithers received a lethal injection on Tuesday evening. Smithers, 72, was convicted of killing two women whose bodies were found in a rural pond in 1996. Authorities said he met his two victims — Christy Cowan and Denise Roach — on different dates at a Tampa motel to pay them for sex. Smithers’ last meal included fried chicken, fried fish, a baked potato, apple pie, vanilla ice cream, and sweet tea.

Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, is scheduled to be put to death on October 28th. He was convicted of raping and killing his neighbour Cynthia Campbell, whose body was found near the Pensacola Bay Bridge in 1998. Smithers’ and Grim’s executions would be Florida’s 14th and 15th death sentences carried out in 2025, further extending the state’s record for executions in one year. Since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, the state’s previous record was eight in 2014.

Mississippi: Charles Ray Crawford was executed on Wednesday for kidnapping and killing a college student in 1993. Crawford, 59, was sentenced to death for fatally stabbing 20-year-old community college student Kristy Ray after abducting her from her parents’ home in northern Mississippi’s Tippah County. Crawford told officers he had blacked out and did not recall killing her. Crawford requested a double cheeseburger, french fries, peach cobbler and chocolate ice cream for his last meal. 

Texas: Robert Roberson had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection on October 16th, but his closely watched case was paused Thursday by Texas’ top criminal court. Roberson, 58, had been set to become the first person in the U.S. put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. Prosecutors at Roberson’s 2003 trial argued that he hit his 2-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis and violently shook her, causing severe head trauma that led to her death. But Roberson says he never abused the girl. A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers believe Roberson is innocent and have sought to get him a new trial. Roberson’s lawyers and some medical experts say his daughter died from complications related to pneumonia. They say his conviction was based on flawed and now outdated scientific evidence.

Arizona: Richard Kenneth Djerf was executed on October 17th by lethal injection for killing four members of a family in their Phoenix home. Djerf, 55, had pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in the 1993 killings of Albert Luna Sr., his wife Patricia, their 18-year-old daughter Rochelle and their 5-year-old son Damien. Prosecutors say Djerf blamed another Luna family member for an earlier theft of home electronic items at his apartment and became obsessed with revenge. Djerf’s last meal included a double cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, onion rings with ketchup, a slice of cherry pie with whipped cream, and a 20-ounce Pepsi with ice.

Alabama: Anthony Todd Boyd is scheduled to be executed by nitrogen gas on October 23rd. A judge sentenced Boyd to death for his role in the 1993 killing of Gregory Huguley in Talladega. Prosecutors said Boyd taped Huguley’s feet together before another man doused him with gasoline and set him on fire over a $200 cocaine debt. Boyd has long maintained his innocence, saying he never participated in the killing.

Tennessee: Harold Nichols is scheduled to be executed December 11th. Nichols, 64, was convicted of rape and first-degree felony murder in the 1988 death of 21-year-old Karen Pulley in Hamilton County. Authorities said he broke into Pulley’s home, raped her and hit her in the head several times with a board. Nichols had been scheduled to be killed in August 2020, but the execution was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Rebecca Ferguson (42), Jon Favreau (59), John Lithgow (80), Zac Efron (38), Jean-Claude Van Damme (65), Barry Keoghan (33), Pam Dawber (74), Michael McKean (78), Felicity Jones (42), Mark Gatiss (59), Eminem (53), Tim Robbins (67), Dominic West (56), Ncuti Gatwa (33), Sarah Ferguson (66), Ben Whishaw (45), Lori Petty (62), Steve Coogan (60), Sacha Baron Cohen (54), Himesh Patel (35), Christopher Judge (61), and Paul Simon (84).

Birthdays: 06/10 to 12/10

Hugh Jackman (57), Robin Askwith (75), Emily Deschanel (49), Joan Cusack (63), Jane Krakowski (57), Claudia Black (53), Stephen Moyer (56), Cardi B (33), Dawn French (68), Dan Stevens (43), Charles Dance (79), Rose McIver (37), Manu Bennett (56), Sarah Lancashire (61), Martin Kemp (64), Guillermo del Toro (61), Tony Shalhoub (72), Brandon Routh (46), Scott Bakula (71), Chris O’Dowd (46), Brian Blessed (89), Sharon Osbourne (73), Matt Damon (55), Sigourney Weaver (76), Chevy Chase (82), Paul Hogan (86), Ardal O’Hanlon (60), Bruno Mars (40), Simon Cowell (66), Tim Minchin (50), Thom Yorke (57), Elisabeth Shue (62), Emily Mortimer (54), Ioan Gruffudd (52), and Britt Ekland (83).

Posted by  |  19th October 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 5th October 2025

Let’s begin by issuing the points! 82 points to Paula H for correctly predicting that Patrick Murray would succumb to cancer this year. 59 points go to Sarai for guessing that Jane Goodall would die; and 54 points to Nicki H, Nicki O’H, Laura, Fiona, Julia and Abigail for the passing of Patricia Routledge. Well done everyone, quite a lot of point scoring there! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Dolly Parton is pressing pause on working 9 to 5. The “Jolene” singer announced earlier in the week that she needs to postpone her upcoming Las Vegas concerts due to medical concerns. “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” she shared on Instagram. “As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!” As she prepares to undergo the unspecified operations, the 79-year-old said she’s pushing the dates of her performances from December 2025 to September 2026. “In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see,” Parton continued. “You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you. While I’ll still be able to work on all of my projects from here in Nashville, I just need a little time to get show ready, as they say.” But for those concerned she may be retiring soon, Parton went on to set the record straight. “Don’t worry about me quittin’ the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet,” she added. “But, I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so l can be ready for more big adventures with all of you. I love you and thank you for understanding.” While the country icon didn’t give further details on her health scare, she was recently forced to pull out of a Dollywood event after being diagnosed with a kidney stone that she said was causing “a lot of problems.” “Turned out it’d given me an infection,” she told fans, “and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better.’” On top of her own medical concerns, Parton has been going through a difficult period following the death of her longtime husband Carl Dean in March. “Thank you for all the messages, cards and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl,” she wrote on social media at the time. “He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.” 

Lola Young has said she will be cancelling her forthcoming shows “for the foreseeable future”, days after she collapsed on stage during a performance in New York. In a statement posted on social media on Tuesday, the 24-year-old singer said she was “going away for a while” and apologised to fans who had bought tickets for her tour. During a performance at the All Things Go music festival on Saturday, Young appeared to drop her microphone and fall backwards, sparking concern among fans and fellow performers. The following day she cancelled her Sunday slot at the festival held at Forest Hills Stadium in Washington DC. “I’m going away for a while. It pains me to say I have to cancel everything for the foreseeable future,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “Thank you for all the love and support. I’m so sorry to let anyone down who has bought a ticket to see me, it hurts me more than you know. Obviously you will be entitled to a full refund. I really hope you’ll give me a second chance once I’ve had some time to work on myself and come back stronger. Love you all, Lola x.” The south London singer had been due to embark on a UK tour in October, followed by tour dates in the US, Mexico and Canada in November and December. In videos posted on social media of Young performing her song Conceited at the All Things Go Festival, she looks uncomfortable before collapsing backwards onto the stage. Earlier in the set, she had described having “a tricky couple of days” due to a “sensitive matter”, but added: “Today I woke up and I made the decision to come here… sometimes life can throw you lemons and you just gotta make lemonade”. Young later reassured fans that she was “doing okay” and thanked them for their support. A day prior on Friday her team had cancelled a performance at New Jersey’s Prudential Centre.  

Paul Danan’s will has been revealed after the star died aged 46 – along with the amount he left his ten-year-old son. The Hollyoaks actor, who played bad boy Sol Patrick from 1997 to 2001 on the Channel 4 soap, was found dead on a sofa with the TV on at his home in the Brislington area of Bristol, on January 15th. Mr Danan, who was later known for his reality TV appearances, including on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Love Island, died from a cocktail of drugs including cocaine and heroin. And it has now emerged the reality TV star left over £400,000 in his will – mostly to his beloved young son DeNiro, who was born in 2015. Documents show his estate was worth £438,237 at the time of his death, with a net value of £421,737 after any debts and expenses were paid. He left £30,000 to each of his two brothers, Jamie and Joshua Danan, and £20,000 to Emma Devries, described as the guardian of his only child. The star left the rest of the estate in trust to his son, stipulating he will inherit the cash when he reaches 21. It is believed he co-parented him alongside a former partner. The troubled star had been open about his struggles with addiction, previously telling of how he experimented with ecstasy from the age of 14 and survived a heroin overdose in 2007. Danan said by 2022, he had been to rehab 17 times and had spent ‘about £1million on rehab and recovery’. His girlfriend Melissa Crooks raised the alarm about him earlier this year when she had not heard from him after they had been out together for a ‘couple of drinks’ in the early hours of January 14th. A neighbour then used a ladder to gain entry to his first-floor flat where Danan was found dead. He was found slumped at the edge of the sofa with the TV still on, the inquest at Avon Coroner’s Court in Flax Bourton, near Bristol, heard. Emergency services attended the scene and he was pronounced dead at 5.20pm on January 15th. His body was identified at the property by Ms Crooks. A postmortem examination concluded his death was due to combined toxicity of heroin, methadone, codeine, pregabalin, cocaine and zopiclone, contributed to by benzodiazepine use.  

A British teenager who was jailed in Dubai after having sex with a UK tourist has been killed in a car crash – just months after being set free following a royal pardon. Marcus Fakana, 19, died in Tottenham, north London, at around 1am on Friday after a car he was a passenger in failed to stop when being blue-lighted by the Metropolitan Police. Officers say they ‘temporarily lost sight of the vehicle’ after tailing it for around 60 seconds, before discovering its involvement in a huge smash with another car at The Roundway. Marcus was left seriously injured as a result of the crash and received first aid treatment at the scene, but he died shortly after being rushed to hospital. The driver, a man also aged 19, was arrested after the crash on suspicion of failure to stop and dangerous driving. He remains in police custody. Marcus’s death came exactly three months after he was released from prison in the Gulf state, thanks to a pardon from Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He was arrested and sentenced to one year in a maximum-security prison last year over a consensual holiday relationship with another British tourist who was just a few months younger than himself – a fact he was not aware of at the time. The girl was one month away from turning 18, but sex with anyone under the age of 18 is an offence in Dubai. They met when both their families were staying at a luxury hotel. 

On This Day

  • 1887 – A fire at the Theatre Royal, Exeter kills 186, making it the UK’s deadliest ever building fire.
  • 1972 – Munich massacre: A Palestinian terrorist group called “Black September” attacks and takes hostage 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games. Two die in the attack and nine are murdered the following day.
  • 1975 – Lynette Fromme attempts to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford.
  • 1977 – Voyager Program: NASA launches the Voyager 1 spacecraft. As of September 2025 it has reached a distance of 15.6 billion miles which is still a year away from a distance of one light day. 
  • 1981 – The first women arrive at what becomes Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp in the UK.
  • 2022 – Liz Truss is declared the winner of the UK Conservative Party leadership election, beating Rishi Sunak. It doesn’t go well for her.

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Kate Winslet (50), Guy Pearce (58), Jesse Eisenberg (42), Karen Allen (74), Diane Morgan (50), Clive Barker (73), Neil deGrasse Tyson (67), Dakota Johnson (36), Christoph Waltz (69), Susan Sarandon (79), Alicia Silverstone (49), Liev Schreiber (58), Melissa Benoist (37), Nick Mohammed (45), Alicia Vikander (37), Seann William Scott (49), Lena Headey (52), Neve Campbell (52), Clive Owen (61), Lorraine Bracco (71), Avery Brooks (77), Sting (74), Brie Larson (36), Julie Andrews (90), Zach Galifianakis (56), Larry Lamb (78), Marion Cotillard (50), Monica Bellucci (61), Kieran Culkin (43), Alistair Petrie (55), Omid Djalili (60), Luke Goss (57), Mackenzie Crook (54), Ian McShane (83), and Erika Eleniak (56).

Posted by  |  5th October 2025 | Categories: 2025 | Leave A Comment »