2026 Celebrity Death Pool
Sipech
Shipmate
in The Circus
Welcome to the 2026 Celebrity Death Pool.
The rules are simple. You must pick up to 13 well-known people who you think will join the choir invisible during 2026. That is, starting from 00.01 GMT on 1st January 2026 and ending at 23.59 GMT on 31st December 2026.
The definition of "well-known" is that their deaths will be reported by at least one major news outlet. This would include (but is not limited to) The BBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Church Times, Baptist Times, Private Eye, etc.
All selections must be real natural born people. No fictional characters, abstract entities or "corporate persons" will be accepted.
Points are awarded according to the following formula: 100 minus the celebrity's age at the time of death. For example, if the person you choose dies at the age of 67 you will earn 33 points. Should you pick someone who is 100 years old when they die you will receive no points; should your person be over 100 you will lose points.
You cannot choose anyone under the age of 18.
You are disqualified if you contribute in any way to the death of one of your chosen candidates. So no poisoning the Archbishop of Canterbury if you work in the catering department of Lambeth Palace.
All entries must be submitted on this thread no later than 23.59 GMT on 31st December 2025. No entries will be accepted after this time. No exceptions. You may make changes to your list up until this time but only if someone pops their clogs before the beginning of the year or if you've put someone in twice.
There are also some bonus awards:
Inside Track with the Grim Reaper Award: given for picking the first death of 2026.
Quantity Not Quality Award: given for picking the most people who croak in 2026, regardless of their points value.
Sudden Death: given for picking the last death of 2026
This is only a game. The Ship, its management and their associated minions do not necessarily endorse the death any human being. This is not in any way a "wish list". Reviewing past years will show that truly evil and nasty dictators seem to have a habit of lingering while those figures we truly respect and admire often don't. The Circus is a place for games, not discussion of the rights or wrongs of those games. If you want to discuss the ethics of this one there are other places you can do that. If you find the game distasteful, that’s fine - you’re under no obligation to take part.
There are no prizes other than the warm fuzzy feeling you get for being a winner.
Good luck to all players and bad luck to your nominees.
The rules are simple. You must pick up to 13 well-known people who you think will join the choir invisible during 2026. That is, starting from 00.01 GMT on 1st January 2026 and ending at 23.59 GMT on 31st December 2026.
The definition of "well-known" is that their deaths will be reported by at least one major news outlet. This would include (but is not limited to) The BBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Church Times, Baptist Times, Private Eye, etc.
All selections must be real natural born people. No fictional characters, abstract entities or "corporate persons" will be accepted.
Points are awarded according to the following formula: 100 minus the celebrity's age at the time of death. For example, if the person you choose dies at the age of 67 you will earn 33 points. Should you pick someone who is 100 years old when they die you will receive no points; should your person be over 100 you will lose points.
You cannot choose anyone under the age of 18.
You are disqualified if you contribute in any way to the death of one of your chosen candidates. So no poisoning the Archbishop of Canterbury if you work in the catering department of Lambeth Palace.
All entries must be submitted on this thread no later than 23.59 GMT on 31st December 2025. No entries will be accepted after this time. No exceptions. You may make changes to your list up until this time but only if someone pops their clogs before the beginning of the year or if you've put someone in twice.
There are also some bonus awards:
Inside Track with the Grim Reaper Award: given for picking the first death of 2026.
Quantity Not Quality Award: given for picking the most people who croak in 2026, regardless of their points value.
Sudden Death: given for picking the last death of 2026
This is only a game. The Ship, its management and their associated minions do not necessarily endorse the death any human being. This is not in any way a "wish list". Reviewing past years will show that truly evil and nasty dictators seem to have a habit of lingering while those figures we truly respect and admire often don't. The Circus is a place for games, not discussion of the rights or wrongs of those games. If you want to discuss the ethics of this one there are other places you can do that. If you find the game distasteful, that’s fine - you’re under no obligation to take part.
There are no prizes other than the warm fuzzy feeling you get for being a winner.
Good luck to all players and bad luck to your nominees.
Tagged:
Comments
1. Peter Kaye
2. Boris Johnson
3. Paul Gascoigne
4. Adam Hart-Davies
5. Michael Schumacher
6. Michael Crawford
7. Mike Oldfield
8. Charles Windsor
9. Donny Osmond
10. Chris Hoy
11. Boy George
12. Donald Trump
13. Michael J Fox
1. Paul Gascoigne (Gazza).
2. Ronnie Wood (a Stone).
3. Paul Gambaccini (Presenter).
4. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.
5. Nigel Farage, MP for Clacton.
6. Joseph (Sepp) Blatter. (former President of FIFA and under a cloud until 2027)
7. Bashar Hafez al-Assad, (former west London doctor and now ex-President of Syria).
8. Alan Bennett (National Treasure).
9. Dennis Skinner (Beast of Bolsover rtd).
10. Dame Esther Rantzen.
11. Sir Frederick Hugh Barclay, (the surviving Barclay Brother).
12. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (former US President).
13. Donald John Trump, (current US President).
Reserve in case any don't make midnight on the 31st of December Dame Julie Andrews.
HM King Charles
HM Queen Camilla
HRH Princess Catherine of Wales
George Carey
Esther Rantzen
Michael Aspel
Donald Trump
Joe Biden
Billy Connolly
Joanna Lumley
Vladimir Putin
Richard O Sullivan
Neil Kinnock
A couple changes from the 2025 list. Listed oldest to youngest:
1. Luis Aparicio (1934)
2. Sandy Koufax (1935)
3. Bill Mazeroski (1936)
4. Juan Marichal (1937)
5. Jim Kaat (1938)
6. Carl Yastrzemski (1939)
7. Steve Carlton (1944)
8. Rod Carew (1945)
9. Reggie Jackson (1946)
10. Nolan Ryan (1947)
11. Johnny Bench (1947)
12. Mike Schmidt (1949)
13. Cal Ripken, Jr. (1960)
In the event one of those departs the stage prior to the opening of the pool, then my replacement name will be Tony Oliva (1938).
1. Donald Trump
2. Vladimir Putin
3. Mitch McConnell
4. Bruce Willis (my brother was born the same day as Bruce)
5. Judi Dench
6. William Shatner
7. Charlie Sheen
8. Joe Biden
9. Clint Eastwood
10. Elton John
11. Michael Caine
12. Julie Andrews
13. Michael J. Fox
And my just in case pick:
Jay Leno
2 Biden
3 King Charles
4 Queen Camilla
5 Farage
6 Putin
7 Neil Kinnock
8 Brian May
9 Cliff Richard
10 John Cleese
11 Elton John
12 Annie Lennox
13 Billy Connolly
Just in case: Maddy Prior
2 Esther Rantzen
3 Rupert Murdoch
4 David Owen
5 David Blunkett
6 Alan Bennett
7 Donald Trump
8 HM Queen Camilla
9 Miriam Margolyes
10 HM King Charles III
11 Tom Baker
12 Bill Cash
13 Tony Blackburn
Reserve: John Major
2. Tatiana Schlossberg
3. Michael J. Fox
4. Joni Mitchell
5. Bruce Willis
6. King Charles III
7. Valerie Bertinelli
8. Chris Hoy
9. Christina Applegate
10. Joe Biden
13. Eric Dane
extra- Selma Blair
11. Teddy Melancamp
12. Kathy Griffin
Thanks @Sipech.
Kiss of Life
HM King Charles III
HRH Catherine, Princess of Wales
Sir Brian May
Sir Chris Hoy
Sir Billy Connolly
Michael J Fox
Michael Schumacher
Joe Biden
Not Kiss of Life
Donald Trump
Vladimir Putin
Rupert Murdoch
Elon Musk
Nigel Farage
Reserve
Dame Judi Dench
1. Donald Trump
2. Vladimir Putin
3. Joe Biden
4. Binyamin Nettanyahu
5. Buzz Aldrin
6. Elton John
7. Ringo Starr
8. Cliff Richard
9. Paul Gascoigne
10. William Shatner
11. Duke of Kent
12. Michael Caine
13. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor
1. Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin - Astronaut
2. Rosemary West - Convicted mass murderer
3. Don King - Boxing promoter
4. Radovan Karadzic - Convicted war criminal
5. Alan Bennett - Playwright
6. Nicolas Maduro - Venezuelan dictator
7. Harald V - King of Norway
8. Harvey Weinstein - Convicted serial rapist
9. Geoffrey Boycott - Cricketer
10. Ratko Mladic - Convicted war criminal
11. Julie Goodyear - Actress (Coronation Street)
12. Kenneth Copeland - Prosperity gospel weirdo
13. Chris Hoy - Cyclist
If any of them go in the next week or so, my reserve is:
Stephen King - Author
George Carey
Mariah Carey
Jeremy Clarkson
Michael Douglas
Boris Johnson
Barry Manilow
Paul McCartney
Elon Musk
Priti Patel
Anne Robinson
Harry Styles
Donald Trump
Ann Widdicombe
Reserve - Justin Beiber
1 Collins, Phil
2 Douglas, Michael
3 Fox, Michael J
4 Holder, Noddy
5 Hoy, Chris
6 Manilow, Barry
7 Mitchell, Joni
8 Rantzen, Esther
9 Ronstadt, Linda
10 Sheen, Charlie
11 Taylor, Andy (Duran Duran)
12 Thomsett, Sally
13 Wood, Ronnie
Last call for entries. There's a little over 36 hours to get your guesses in.
Donald Trump
Vladimir Putin
Rupert Murdoch
Elon Musk
Nigel Farage
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Bill Clinton
Placido Domingo
John Major
Reserve
JD Vance
2. King Charles
3. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor
4. Sarah Ferguson
5. Princess Alexandra
6.Vladimir Putin
7. Benjamin Netanyahu
8.Katie Price
9. Bruce Willis
10. Esther Rantzen
11. Kanye West
12. Rupert Murdoch
13. Patricia Greene (hoping this one is a kiss of life)
1: Logan Paul
2: Donald Trump
3: Vladimir Putin
4: Rupert Murdoch
5: Elon Musk
6: Nigel Farage
7: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
8: Bill Clinton
9: Placido Domingo
10. John Major
11. Lizzo
12. Dawn French
13. Deborah Meaden
Reserve
JD Vance
So am adding Selma Blair onto the spreadsheet.
1. Dame Esther Rantzen (That's Life!)
2. Harvey Weinstein (convicted sex offender)
3. Ghislaine Maxwell (procurer)
4. Asma al-Assad (wife of former Syrian President)
5. Donald Trump (angry orange man)
6. Geoffrey Boycott (cricketer)
7. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (national embarrassment)
8. Kanye West (musician)
9. Charles III, HM The King (King)
10. Carl XVI Gustav, HM The King of Sweden (King)
11. Billie Jean King (not a King)
12. Prince Richard, HRH The Duke of Gloucester (Duke)
13. Michael Schumacher (champion racing driver)
1: Sir John Young "Jackie" Stewart - racing driver
2: Emerson Fittipaldi - racing driver
3: Sir Geoff Hurst - played one match for Essex as wicket keeper, might have played other sports too
4: Keith Fletcher - Essex legend
5: Tony Lewis - Glamorgan legend
6: John Lydon - musician
7: David Fenton - musician. Didn't write a song about wanking, but would like to thank whoever it was who started the rumour.
8: Bernie Goetz
9: Bob Dylan
10: Chubby Checker - collectively the last 3 people still alive mentioned in Billy Joel"s "We Didn't Start the Fire"
11: Sir Walter Bodmer - Geneticist
12: Irving Finkel - Philologist (ie he studies Phils) and assyriologist
13: David Bailey - "Who do you think you are?", famous Olympus Trip 35 user
With a shade under 25 1/2 hours left of the festering stool that has been 2025 I'm hoping I'll be safe without a reserve but just in case I'll have legendary hat wearer Phil Harding.
I think this is the earliest I've ever got my team in... often they've just scraped under the wire.
2. Princess Alexandra
3. John Howard (Aust PM 1996-2007)
4. Cardinal Raymond Burke
5. Donald Trump
6. Clint Eastwood
7. Vladimir Putin
8. Bob Katter (somewhat ratbaggy Aust politician)
9. George W Bush
10. Mick Jagger
11. Andrew Tate
12. Elon Musk
13. Joe Biden
Oh, dear. RIP Tatiana and may your mother have comfort.
1. Irving Finkel (assyriologist)
2. David Weber (author)
3. Jackie Stewart (racing driver)
4. Michael Schumacher (racing driver)
5. Phil Harding (archaeologist)
6. Tony Robinson (actor)
7. King Charles III
8. Kier Starmer
9. David Cameron
10. J D Vance
11. Kim Jong Un
12. Donald Trump
13. Vladimir Putin
Reserve in case anything happens in the next 11 hours: Elon Musk
1. Bob Dylan
2. Mick Jagger
3. Nigel Farage
4. Donald Trump
5. Boris Johnson
6. Ken Clarke (former MP)
7. Vladimir Putin
8. Sir Ian McKellen
9. Madonna
10. Adele
11. Sir Paul McCartney
12. Theresa May
Reserve: Joe Biden
The Rt Revd Thomas McMahon
Lord (Richard) Harries of Pentregarth
Politics
Michael Heseltine
Lord (David) Howell of Guildford
Edith Cresson
Royalty
HRH The Duke of Kent
Sport
Bill Beaumont
Chris Hoy
Entertainment
Mel Brooks
Petula Clark
Mick Jagger
Michael Aspel
Miscellaneous
Thomas Markle Sr
Barring any sad news announcements in the next few days, the list is complete. We have had valid entries from 20 shipmates (one submitted after the deadline has not been included) nominating 150 different individuals. 106 of those are unique, with 44 people receiving at least 2 nominations. Those picked the most times are:
- Donald Trump (16)
- Vladimir Putin (11)
- Charles III (9)
- Joe Biden (9)
- Ether Rantzen (6)
Our oldest entrant is Buzz Aldrin, who may or may not live to see his 96th birthday later this month.
Our youngest entrant is Logan Paul, who will be 31 if he survives until April Fools Day.
The median age of our entrants is currently 79.
If, for reasons that one daren't think about, all our nominees were to shuttle off this mortal coil within the next 12 months then besides the inevitable investigation into Shipmates, our likely winner would be Lyda, whose entrants have (as of 1 Jan) an average age of 64 years old.
There were 4 nominees whose date of birth I couldn't find reliable sources for, so if any of them do kick the bucket this year, we'll have to hope for some accurate reporting of their ages.
I'm in the same boat - not due to forgetfulness, rather old age and grandfatherly duties. How about we monitor each other's lists?
2-Joe Biden
3- Celine Dion
4- Britney Spears
5- r. Kelly
6. Michael Douglas
7. King Albert of Belgium
8. William Schatner
9. Michael Schumacher
10. Rupert Murdoch
11. King Charles
12. Bill Cosby
13. Bruce willis
Reserve
Hanna Ljungberg former Swedish female footballer
It does not look like anybody had him on their list.