Nine-times married, cop-slapping actress. Was in a coma for a while after a collision between her car and a lamp-post on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard in November 2002.
TV and film actor who specialised in playing cowboys, sheriffs and detectives, most notably in 'Maverick' and 'The Rockford Files'. His real surname is Bumgarner, but for some reason he dropped the first syllable when he became famous.
Flawed genius of the football field, who played for Newcastle United, Spurs, Lazio, Rangers and of course England, when he wasn't busy boozing and/or crying. On and off the wagon constantly.
Second Lieutenant with Easy Company, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment who fought in the Second World War as seen in the TV series 'Band of Brothers'. Died in February 2013 but on obit.
Waste of space and occasional TV presenter. Daughter of Sir Bob Geldof & Paula Yates, and she seems more intent in following her mother's footsteps, rather than her dad's.
Annoying one trick pony. Hit paydirt with the mockumentary 'The Office' in 2001, perhaps the most monumentally overrated programme in the history of television.
Actor, born in the US, but raised in Australia, where he found fame through the Mad Max films. Since then, he's been one of Hollywood's top actors. More recently has been directing bizarre films & insulting policemen.
Australian-born animator, chiefly known for 'Rhoobarb' and 'Henry's Cat'. Won best animated film short Oscar in 1976 for 'Great' about the legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Former baseball player, whose career was blighted by drug-taking. Since retirement in 2001, he has been in the news for boozing, assault and more drug-related shenanigans.
Born 25 April 1944 (Bethnal Green, London, England)
Ballroom dancer, best known as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars. Known for shouting out "Seven" in a particularly strange way.
Yet another member of the Neighbours cast who has inexplicably ended up as a pop star. Reported in August 2003 to be receiving treatment for Hodgkin's Disease, a form of cancer which has a 90% survival rate.
Gobby Northern actress who played Bet Lynch in 'Coronation Street' for 25 years. Her off-screen love life has been the stuff of a tabloid editor's dreams: 3 short-lived marriages (one of which was annulled after the reception), 2 called-off engagements,
Joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1952, rising steadily to become its General Secretary from 1985-91 and President of the USSR from 1990-91. Has a map of Italy tattooed on his head for some reason.
Former US Vice President and Presidential candidate. Famously lost the 2000 election to George W. Bush despite having the majority of the popular vote. Now a prominent environmentalist who's documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth' won the Academy Award for be
Born 7 November 1918 (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA)
Travelling evangelist who has been preaching his doctrine of sin and salvation around the world for almost 60 years. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1992.
Born 21 February 1955 (Saint Thomas, US Virgin Isles)
Actor & comedian, best known as the lead role in 'Frasier', but also for his roles in 'Cheers' and 'The Simpsons' (as the voice of Sideshow Bob). Suffered a heart-attack in 2008.
Born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (exact date unknown)
Doctor for the elderly at Pinderfields Hospital, who has become more famous for her blog and other charity and media events profiling her fight against terminal cancer. Born 1981.
Six-foot tall, tub-thumping feminist Aussie writer, best known for her book 'The Female Eunuch' and her frequent appearances on chat shows, where she tries to make out that she isn't that scary really.
Born 25 October 1932 (Tobermore, Northern Ireland)
Legendary ex-Manchester United & Northern Ireland goalkeeper who was a hero in the Munich Disaster, when he saved a number of people from death in the minutes after the plane crash.
Born 19 September 1982 (Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia)
One of the two DJ's responsible for a prank call that ended up with the suicide of a nurse looking after Kate Middleton whilst the future Queen was in hospital with pregnancy sickness. Greig later went on television all weepy and contrite, but not before she had a makeover and new hairdo.
Gargantuan fat character actor, perhaps at his best as the lusty Uncle Monty in 'Withnail and I' (1987). He also used his canny knack for dialect to take on two roles as Dr Mannheimer/Earl Hacker in 'Naked Gun 2½' (1991), and wobbled his boat-load of jowls as Uncle Vernon Dursley in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'.
Former goalkeeper for Hungary, one of the last surviving players from the brilliant team that thumped England at Wembley & reached the 1954 World Cup Final.
Born in Gansu province, China (exact date unknown)
Tibetan activist, dissident and former monk, who is imprisoned for "endangering national security" since 1996. Member of the Association of Tibetan Freedom Movement. Born 1961.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. According to our contributor, he's a nice guy, you'd want him for a grandfather, and he is both the head of state and the spiritual leader of Tibet.