2016 really IS a bad year for celebrity deaths...but 2010 was worse, study reveals
- Gizmodo UK looked at the statistics regarding celebrity deaths this year
- Found that 2010 was worse for the number of deaths in the same period
- Alexander McQueen, Corey Haim and J.D Salinger died in 2010
- But this year the celebrities that passed away have been more famous
- This might be making it seem as if this year is worse than any other
There is no doubt this year seems to have been a bad time to be a celebrity - and according to research by Gizmodo UK the statistics agree.
The countless celebrity deaths since the start of the year might have left you feeling as if something strange is in water.
And it turns out that the number of celebrities who have died this year is bizarrely high compared to the last few years, but is not in fact the worst.
The death of Prince (pictured) last month has been the latest in a series of celebrity deaths this year. It turns out that the number of celebrities who have died this year is bizarrely high compared to the last few years, but is not in fact the worst in terms of numbers
The death of Prince last month was the latest in a series of celebrity deaths this year.
David Bowie died in January, followed less than a week later by Alan Rickman.
Since then, the world has lost, among others, Terry Wogan, Harper Lee, Sir George Martin, Nancy Reagan, Ronnie Corbett and Victoria Wood.
Share this article
Gizmodo UK journalist James O'Malley looked at the data from Wikipedia, showing how many celebrities have died so far this year compared to the same 121-day period over the previous six years.
The celebrities were classified by whether or not they were 'notable' enough to have their own Wikipedia page.
The results showed that, although more celebrities had died during the same period in 2010, the celebrities who died this year were much more famous than any of the other years.
Alexander McQueen, Corey Haim, Dixie Carter and J.D. Salinger are among the big names who died in the same period in 2010.
Based on the number of hits each individual's Wikipedia page receive, Gizmodo UK calculated scores to reflect how many 'more famous' celebrities died in the first 90 days of the year.
Gizmodo UK looked at the data from Wikipedia, showing how many celebrities have died so far this year compared to the same 121 day period over the previous six years. It found that by this point in 2010 and 2015, more celebrities had died compared to 2016
There is no doubt this year seems to have been a bad time to be a celebrity, and according to Gizmodo UK the statistics agree. The celebrities who have died this year were much more famous than those who died in the previous six years, the graph shows
CELEBRITY DEATHS: 2016 v 2010
2016
January: David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Terry Wogan.
February: Harper Lee.
March: Sir George Martin, Nancy Regan and Ronnie Corbett.
April: Erik Bauersfeld, David Gest, Victoria Wood and Prince who passed away in April.
2010
January: Jean Carroll, John Freeman, J.D. Salinger, Casey Johnson, Jean Simmons
February: Alexander McQueen
March: Corey Haim
April: Dixie Carter , John Forsythe,
Of the high-scoring celebrities that died in the same time frame, those who died this year had a much higher score, meaning the famous deaths have been much more famous this year in particular, like David Bowie (pictured) who passed away in January this year
Of the high-scoring celebrities that died in the same time frame, those who died this year had a much higher score, meaning the famous deaths have been much more famous this year in particular.
This could be why it seems like more celebrities are dying.
But as 2015 went on the rate of celebrity deaths fell.
'2016 has been a brutal year so far, and now we have the evidence,' said O'Malley.
'Let’s just hope the rest of this year doesn’t continue like it began.'
However, if celebrities keep dying at the current rate, he said, this year will be the worst year for celebrity deaths.
More graphs are available on the original Gizmodo UK article.
Most watched News videos
- Scottish woman has temper tantrum at Nashville airport
- Tesla Cybertruck explodes in front of Trump hotel in Las Vegas
- Mass panic as New Orleans attacker flies down Bourbon street
- Shocking moment zookeeper is fatally mauled by lions in private zoo
- Horrific video shows aftermath of New Orleans truck 'attack'
- Meghan Markle celebrates new year in first Instagram video
- Tesla Cybertruck burns outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas
- See how truck that drove into crowd made it through police barrier
- Cheerful Melania Trump bops to YMCA at Mar-a-Lago NYE bash
- New Orleans terror attack suspect reveals background in video
- Plane passenger throws drink at flight attendant in boozy fight
- Horrifying moment yacht crashes into rocks and sinks off Mexico coast
