Dead Pool 30th August 2026

Quite a deadly and upsetting week, the world has lost some truly amazing people last week. Unsurprisingly, as a much loved celebrity nobody listed Dolly, but because we knew Tim Curry was unwell, Laura U and Mark K score 70 points, however Shân had him down as her cert, so scores an amazing 170 points. Well done everyone! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

• James Lew, 73, American stuntman (Big Trouble in Little China, Inception, Luke Cage) and actor.  
• Storm, 61, American reality television competitor (American Gladiators). 
• Tim Curry, 80, English actor and singer (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Clue, It). 
• Dolly Parton, 80, American singer-songwriter (“Jolene“, “I Will Always Love You“) and actress (9 to 5), eleven-time Grammy winner, cancer. 
• Peter Cullen, 85, Canadian voice actor (Transformers, Winnie the Pooh, Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers). 
• Samuel Monroe Jr., 52, American actor (Menace II Society, The Players Club, Tales from the Hood), complications from meningitis.
• Yayoi Kusama, 97, Japanese contemporary artist, multiple organ failure. 
• Ratko Mladić, 84, Bosnian-Serb military officer and convicted war criminal (Bosnian genocide, siege of Sarajevo), complications from multiple strokes. 
• King Harald V, 89, Norwegian monarch (since 1991), complications from hemolytic anemia and a bloodstream infection. 
• Rukidi IV of Tooro, 34, Ugandan traditional ruler, Omukama of Tooro (since 1995), cancer. 

In Other News 

Glenn Close’s latest social media video has sparked concern among fans, with some questioning whether the 79-year-old actor is unwell. The Fatal Attraction star shared a quiet video from her home, but its timing, combined with several recent celebrity deaths, led some viewers to interpret the post as something more serious. However, there is no indication from the video that Close is seriously ill. The actor appeared to be sharing a personal moment with her followers rather than announcing a health problem. Close posted the video from her home in Montana, appearing without the heavy makeup and styling often associated with celebrity appearances. She was wearing her late mother’s shirt and spoke about enjoying the breeze and watching the sunset. She closed the video by saying she felt blessed and saying goodbye to her followers. That final “bye” particularly concerned some fans, who interpreted it as sounding unusually final. The reaction was also influenced by the recent deaths of several well-known entertainers. Dolly Parton died at 80, followed by Tim Curry at 80 and Peter Cullen at 85, according to the reports cited in the original material. The succession of celebrity deaths appears to have heightened anxiety among fans about another beloved star. There is no evidence in the video that Glenn Close is currently ill. Close previously revealed that she had contracted COVID-19 in 2024, but her latest post does not announce a new illness or serious health diagnosis. Instead, the video appears to be a simple personal update. Close spoke about being at home, wearing her mother’s shirt and enjoying the evening with her dog, Pip.

Race Across the World star Jo Gardiner has died aged 61 just one year after her son and co-star Sam was killed in a car crash. The mother-and-son duo appeared on the BBC travel show’s second series in 2020, racing across South America from Mexico City to Ushuaia in Argentina. Jo died following a ‘long and courageous battle with cancer’, her family said in a statement. ‘She lived fully, fiercely and never did anything by halves,’ they said. ‘She was blessed with countless friends, drawn to her extraordinary magnetism. Somehow, each one felt as though they were among her very best.’ The family added: ‘To us, she was more than all of these things. She was our family, our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure. ‘As we grieve, we ask for privacy, but we also ask everyone who knew and loved Jo to do exactly what she would have wanted: tell the funny stories, raise a glass, have an adventure, laugh loudly and live life to the full. She was one of a kind. There will never be another her.’ Sam, who appeared alongside his mum on Race Across the World, died aged 24 after losing control of his car. Jo had chosen to take part in the BBC show because she wanted to experience an adventure with Sam, who had ADHD. The pair were among five teams competing in the series, which saw contestants travel thousands of miles without flying. 

A 41-year-old man has died and at least six other people have been injured after a large sign fell in what can only be described as an Act of God at a Christian  festival in West Sussex, police have said. The man, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was pronounced dead at the scene after the incident at the Big Church festival near Steyning on Friday afternoon. His next of kin have been told and are being supported by specialist officers, Sussex police said. The force added that at least six other people had been taken to hospital for treatment. DCS Richard McDonagh said: “This is a tragic incident and our thoughts go out to the man’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.” Anyone with any information or relevant video footage has been asked to contact police. In a post on Instagram shortly after 5.30pm, organisers told attenders that the show had been cancelled and all day visitors “must leave the site now”. Organisers later said they had decided to cancel the rest of the festival, which had been scheduled to run until Sunday. “We are devastated by the serious incident that took place at Big Church festival 2026 today, in which a sign fell, injuring at least seven people, one of whom tragically lost their life,” the festival said in an online statement. “First and foremost, all of our thoughts are with those who have been affected, their families and friends, and everyone who witnessed what happened. Following today’s incident, we have made the decision to bring Big Church festival 2026 to a close.” Officers remained at the scene on Friday night and people were advised to avoid the area. The incident has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive and local authority, Sussex police said. McDonagh added: “I recognise the immense distress this will have caused people at the festival, and we are working with a number of partners as we seek to establish exactly what happened. We know there were thousands of people at the festival and we’re urging anyone with any information, or any relevant video footage, to please come forward.”

On This Day

• 1916 – Ernest Shackleton completes the rescue of all of his men stranded on Elephant Island in Antarctica.
• 1936 – The RMS Queen Mary wins the Blue Riband by setting the fastest transatlantic crossing.
• 1963 – The Moscow–Washington hotline between the leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union goes into operation.

Deaths

• 1938 – Max Factor Sr., Polish-born American make-up artist (born 1877).
• 1979 – Jean Seberg, American actress (born 1938).
• 2003 – Charles Bronson, American actor and soldier (born 1921).
• 2015 – Wes Craven, American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor (born 1939).
• 2019 – Valerie Harper, American actress and writer (born 1939).

Last Week’s Birthdays

Cameron Diaz (54), Michael Chiklis (63), Carla Gugino (55), Rebecca De Mornay (67), Elliott Gould (88), Lenny Henry (68), Jack Black (57), Luis Guzmán (69), Barbara Bach (80), Billy Boyd (58), Brian Thompson (67), Aaron Paul (47), Peter Stormare (73), Peter Mensah (67), Reece Shearsmith (57), Chris Pine (46), Melissa McCarthy (56), Macaulay Culkin (46), Alexander Skarsgård (50), Blake Lively (39), Tim Burton (68), Tom Skerritt (93), Joanne Whalley (65), Jared Harris (65), Rupert Grint (38), Steve Guttenberg (68), and Stephen Fry (69).