The following notable deaths of British people occurred in 2026. Names are reported under the date of death, in alphabetical order. A typical entry reports information in the following sequence:

Contents

• January
• February
• March
• References

• Name, age, citizenship at birth, nationality (in addition to British), or/and home nation, what subject was noted for, birth year, cause of death (if known), and reference.

January

• 1 January
  • Arnold Long, 85, British cricketer (Sussex, MCC, Surrey). ^[1]
  • Gregory de Polnay, 82, English actor ( Dixon of Dock Green , Doctor Who , Howards' Way ). ^[2]
• 2 January
  • Ian Balding, 87, British horse trainer. ^[3]
  • Jenny Collins, 83, broadcaster and producer (BBC Radio Merseyside). ^[4] (death announced on this date)
  • Sir Patrick Duffy, 105, British politician, MP (1963–1966, 1970–1992) and president of the NATO Assembly (1988–1990). ^[5]
  • Tim Robertson, 81, English-born Australian actor ( Chances , Australia You're Standing In It , Stingers ). ^[6] (death announced on this date)
• 3 January
  • Gerry Gable, 88, British political activist and magazine editor ( Searchlight ). ^[7]
  • Terry Wharton, 83, English footballer (Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers, Crystal Palace). ^[8]
• 4 January – Alan Baker, 81, English footballer (Aston Villa). ^[9] (death announced on this date)
• 5 January
  • Andrew Bodnar, 71, English bass guitarist (The Rumour) and songwriter ("I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass"). ^[10] (death announced on this date)
  • Andrew Carter, 86, English classical choral composer and pedagogue ^[11]
  • Colin McDonald, 95, English footballer (Burnley, Headington United, national team). ^[12] (death announced on this date)
  • Molly Parkin, 93, Welsh painter, novelist and journalist. ^[13]
  • Ken Wilcock, 91, British sprinter. ^[14] (death announced on this date)
  • Mike Wilson, 66, British kart racer, six-time Karting World Champion. ^[15]
• 7 January
  • Martin Chivers, 80, English footballer (Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, national team). ^[16]
  • Tony Field, 79, English footballer (Blackburn Rovers, Southport, Memphis Rogues). ^[17]
• 8 January –
  • Howard Riley, 87, English footballer (Leicester City, Walsall, Barrow). ^[18]
  • Terry Yorath, 75, Welsh football player (Leeds United, national team) and manager (national team). ^[19]
• 9 January – Tina Packer, 87, British actress ( David Copperfield , Doctor Who ) and stage director, co-founder of Shakespeare & Company. ^[20]
• 10 January – Derek Martin, 92, British actor ( Law & Order , Eldorado , EastEnders ). ^[21]
• 11 January
  • Andrew Clements, 75, English classical music critic ^[22]
  • Robert Hopkins, 64, English footballer (Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion, Shrewsbury Town). ^[23]
  • Trevor A. Toussaint, 65, British actor ( Hollyoaks ). ^[24]
  • John Wallace, 76, Scottish trumpeter, composer and arts educator. ^[25]
• 12 January
  • Sheila Bernette, 94, English singer ( The Good Old Days , The Black and White Minstrel Show ) and actress ( The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins ). ^[26]
  • Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, 26, British guitarist (Black Midi). ^[27] (death announced on this date)
  • Eddie McCreadie, 85, Scottish football player (Chelsea, national team) and manager (Chelsea). ^[28]
• 13 January
  • David Collier, 70, English sports administrator, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (2004–2014). ^[29]
  • David Webb, 60, British-born Hong Kong activist investor, prostate cancer. ^[30]
• 15 January – Kenny Morris, 68, English drummer (Siouxsie and the Banshees). ^[31] (death announced on this date)
• 16 January – Mickey Brady, 75, Northern Irish politician, MLA (2007–2015) and MP (2015–2024). ^[32]
• 18 January
  • David Young, 80, English footballer (Charlton Athletic, Southend United, Newcastle United). ^[33]
  • David Thomas, 83, British crown jeweller, complications from Alzheimer's disease. ^[34]
• 20 January – Tommy Wright, 81, English footballer (Everton, national team). ^[35] (death announced on this date)
• 21 January
  • Stephen Baxter, 56–57, British medieval historian. ^[36] (death announced on this date)
  • Ian Macowat, 60, English footballer (Crewe Alexandra, Northwich Victoria, Gillingham). ^[37] (death announced on this date)
  • Peter Squires, 74, English cricketer (Yorkshire) and rugby union player (British & Irish Lions). ^[38]
• 24 January – David Abulafia, 76, British historian ( The Great Sea: A Human History of the Mediterranean ). ^[39]
• 25 January – Sir Mark Tully, 90, British journalist and writer. ^[40]
• 26 January – Danny Coughlan, British singer and guitarist. ^[41]
• 27 January
  • David Andrews, 90, British actor and director. ^[42] (death announced on this date)
  • Joan Hall, 90, British politician, MP (1970–1974). ^[43]
  • Nigel Ogden, 71, British theatre organist and radio presenter ( The Organist Entertains ). ^[44]
• 29 January
  • Peter Lee, 80, English cricketer (Northamptonshire, Lancashire). ^[45] (death announced on this date)
  • Jim Wallace, Baron Wallace of Tankerness, 71, Scottish politician, acting first minister (2000, 2001) and deputy first minister (1999–2005), complications from surgery. ^[46]
• 30 January – David Triesman, Baron Triesman, 82, British politician and trade union leader, member of the House of Lords (since 2004). ^[47]

February

• 1 February
  • Tony Pigott, 67, English cricketer (Sussex, Surrey, national team), heart attack. ^[48]
  • Sir Nicholas White, 74, British medical doctor and researcher. ^[49]
• 3 February – Allan Massie, 87, British journalist and author ( Augustus , Tiberius , Caesar ). ^[50]
• 4 February – John Virgo, 79, English snooker player, ruptured aorta. ^[51]
• 5 February – Ken Weetch, 92, British politician, MP (1974–1987). ^[52]
• 6 February – Mondula, 54, Scotland's only African elephant. ^[53] (death announced on this date)
• 10 February
  • Des de Moor, 64, English writer and musician. ^[54] (death announced on this date)
  • Andrew Ranken, 72, English drummer (The Pogues). ^[55]
• 11 February – Mike Cruise, 78, British astronomer. ^[56] (death announced on this date)
• 12 February
  • Gordon Brown, 95, English rugby league footballer (Leeds, Great Britain). ^[57]
  • Palmerston, 11–12, British cat, chief mouser to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (2016–2020). ^[58]
• 13 February – Brian Westlake, 82, English footballer (Halifax Town, Colchester United, Tranmere Rovers). ^[59] (death announced on this date)
• 15 February – Michael Page, 84, English cricketer (Derbyshire). ^[60] (death announced on this date)
• 16 February – Harry Barnes, 89, English politician, MP (1987–2005), cancer. ^[61]
• 17 February – Anna dePeyster, 81, British-Australian journalist and author. ^[62]
• 18 February – Roy Ellam, 83, English footballer (Bradford City, Huddersfield Town, Leeds United). ^[63] (death announced on this date)
• 19 February – Reliable Man, 17, British Thoroughbred racehorse, euthanised. ^[64]
• 21 February
  • John Bertalot, 94, English organist. ^[65]
  • Bill Glen, 93, Scottish rugby union player (national team). ^[66] (death announced on this date)
• 22 February – Jim Parsons, 82, English rugby union player (Oxford, Northampton, national team). ^[67]
• 24 February – Jim Donnelly, 79, Scottish snooker player. ^[68]
• 25 February – Rob Grant, 70, English comedy writer and television producer ( Red Dwarf ). ^[69]
• 26 February – Drusilla Beyfus, 98, English writer and journalist ( Reading Mercury ). ^[70]
• 27 February – Margaret Farquhar, 95, Scottish politician, lord provost of Aberdeen (1996–1999). ^[71] (death announced on this date)
• 28 February
  • Paul Conroy, 61, British photojournalist, heart attack. ^[72]
  • Bernard Lewis, 100, English clothing chain executive, founder and president of River Island. ^[73]
  • Jack Scarisbrick, 97, British historian and anti-abortion activist. ^[74]

March

• 1 March – Kenith Trodd, 90, British television producer ( Pennies from Heaven ). ^[75]
• 2 March
  • Kevin Ashcroft, 81, English rugby player (Leigh, Warrington) and coach (Salford). ^[76]
  • Len Garry, 84, English musician (The Quarrymen), pneumonia. ^[77]
  • Mike Vernon, 81, English record producer ("Albatross", "Hocus Pocus"), music executive and recording studio owner (Chipping Norton Recording Studios). ^[78]
• 3 March – Andrew Watson, 64, British Anglican clergyman, bishop of Aston (2008–2014) and Guildford (since 2014), member of the House of Lords (since 2022), pancreatic cancer. ^[79]
• 4 March – Ray Glastonbury, 87, Welsh rugby union (Cardiff) and league (Workington Town, national team) player. ^[80] (death announced on this date)

References