Dead Pool 2nd March 2025

A busy week for celebrity deaths! Let’s dish out the points! 62 points to Martin for correctly guessing Roberta Flack was going to pass in 2025! Not only that, I can award 55 points to Fiona, Paula, Dave, Lee A, and Julie for predicting Gene Hackmans demise. Well done everyone!

Look Who You Could Have Had:

Roberta Flack, 88, American singer (“Killing Me Softly with His Song“, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face“, “Feel Like Makin’ Love“), complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Rose Girone, 113, American supercentenarian and Holocaust survivor.
Henry Kelly, 78, Irish television presenter (Going for Gold, Game for a Laugh).
Roberto Orci, 51, Mexican-born American screenwriter (Star Trek, Transformers) and television producer (Fringe), kidney disease.
Michelle Trachtenberg, 39, American actress (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl).
Christopher Hughes, 77, English professional quizzer (Eggheads).
Boris Spassky, 88, Russian chess grandmaster, world champion (1969–1972).
Gene Hackman, 95, American actor (The French Connection, Mississippi Burning, Unforgiven).
Nico Hidalgo, 32, Spanish footballer (Recreativo Granada, Cádiz, Racing de Santander), lung cancer.

In Other News

Pope Francis, who has been battling pneumonia for two weeks, has had an “isolated” breathing crisis in hospital, the Vatican has said. It led to an episode of vomiting and a “sudden worsening of his respiratory condition” on Friday following the coughing “bronchospasm”. The 88-year-old received gas through a face mask to help him breathe. In an update on Saturday, the Vatican said the Pope had a “peaceful night and is resting”. Referring to the Pope’s peaceful night, a Vatican official added: “I think he had coffee this morning.” Earlier, Vatican sources said the Pope’s doctors needed 24 to 48 hours to determine whether there had been any damage or setback to his condition. They were not giving any prognosis, but said the Pope remained alert and “in good spirits”. In a statement on Friday, the Vatican said: “In the early afternoon of today, after a morning spent alternating respiratory physiotherapy with prayer in the chapel, the Holy Father presented an isolated crisis of bronchospasm which, however, led to an episode of vomiting with inhalation and sudden worsening of the respiratory condition. The Holy Father was promptly bronchoaspirated and began non-invasive mechanical ventilation, with a good response to gas exchange.” Vatican sources said the latest crisis happened at about 14:00 local time on Friday, but did not say how long it lasted. The latest episode comes after a couple of days in which Vatican statements had been slightly more positive, talking of a “slight improvement” in the pontiff’s condition. This is now the longest the Pope has been in hospital – and the longest period in which he’s been out of public sight – since he took over from Pope Benedict in 2013.

Billy Joel sparked concern among concert-goers as he required help to recover from a fall on stage. Footage from his gig at Mohegan Sun resort in Stamford, Connecticut on February 22 shows Billy – who was described as “frail” at the event – twirl a microphone stand before throwing it across the stage, before suddenly falling over after delivering the wild trick. The 75-year-old was performing his hit It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me during the worrying moment, which saw him fall directly on his back. Attendees said the star was helped up by his band and managed to sing his final song to end the gig, but was “visibly thrown off” by the fall. “He just didn’t look well hobbling across the stage,” one concerned fan shared. Photos from the troubling fall seem to show Billy – dressed for the concert in an all-black suit and dress shoes – seeming to stumble before falling hard on his side, and rolling over onto his back before taking a moment to pause once he got back to his feet again. The New Yorker previously spoke about his continued love of making music, and made it clear he had no plans to retire from the industry. Speaking exclusively to the Flying Monkeys in 2023, he shared: “I still write music. I’ve kind of given up on song form because I’ve done it. I tend to like instrumental music, orchestral music. I mean, I’m writing all the time, but I’m not always recording.” The star also spoke of his stage personality, joking that he often stays seated – in contrast to his very physical show before falling this week. “I have this image of ‘I’m the least glamorous pop-star there is’. I just sit at the piano,” he said. “I’m in my 70s, I am not a matinee idol, so why are you coming to see me in the first place? But you know, it all has to do with the music, it’s all about music.” Billy has opened up about his past struggles with alcohol and substance abuse, alongside a difficult journey with mental health which culminated in a suicide attempt as he struggled with his career.

Skype, the video calling service used by 300 million people every month, is about to die. Microsoft said it’s hanging up the phone on the programme after 14 years as the company focuses on its Teams app. Users will be asked to switch to Teams before the service is turned off in May. People will be able to log in to Teams using their Skype credentials. When doing so, Skype contacts and chats will appear on Teams. Teams users can call and chat with Skype users and Skype users can do the same with Teams users, Microsoft said in a blog post. Those who do not jump ship can export their Skype data. Microsoft said: ‘Starting in May 2025, Skype will no longer be available. Over the coming days, you can sign in to Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype account to stay connected with all your chats and contacts. Thank you for being part of Skype.’ Skype launched in 2003 and was purchased by Microsoft 14 years ago for $8,500,000,000. But in a decline only quickened by the coronavirus pandemic, rival services such as Zoom and Apple FaceTime surpassed it. When Microsoft tried to spin Skype as a corporate communications platform, software company Slack – and Teams – quickly took the crown. Jeff Teper, Microsoft’s president of collaborative apps and platforms, said: ‘Skype has been an integral part of shaping modern communications and supporting countless meaningful moments, and we are honoured to have been part of the journey.  We also understand that change can be challenging and want you to know that we’re here to support you every step of the way. We’re excited about the new opportunities that Teams brings and are committed to helping you stay connected in new and meaningful ways.’

On This Day

1657 – The Great Fire of Meireki begins in Edo (now Tokyo), Japan, causing more than 100,000 deaths before it exhausts itself three days later.
1797 – The Bank of England issues the first one-pound and two-pound banknotes.
1882 – Queen Victoria narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by Roderick Maclean in Windsor.
1978 – The late iconic actor Charlie Chaplin‘s coffin is stolen from his grave in Switzerland.

Deaths