Celebs we sadly said goodbye to in 2025
As 2025 comes to a close, let's take a look back at those we tragically lost.
In the last 12 months, the world heartbreakingly said goodbye to a number of notable figures, celebrities, sports stars, and entertainers across television, films, music, and more.
Hollywood lost the likes of Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton and Michelle Trachtenberg and music fans mourned Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne, R&B icon D’Angelo and Grammy-winning singer Roberta Flack, to name just a few.
Meanwhile, the world of sport was rocked by the sudden deaths of boxer Ricky Hatton and Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota.
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In the past year we also lost a wrestling star and reality TV legend, as well as renowned filmmakers and directors, fashion designers, bestselling authors, and religious figures and political activists.
So, with 2026 on the horizon, let's reflect on some of the well-known people who died in 2025 and remind ourselves about their star-studded careers.
Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer
The sudden death of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer sent shockwaves through Hollywood.
Police were called to the home of the renowned filmmaker and actor, 78, and photographer, 68, on Sunday, 14 December, after they were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.
Reiner is credited with being behind some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and 1990s, including This Is Spinal Tap, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride.
The couple's 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has since been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
He has not entered a plea, and his case is scheduled for arraignment in January.
Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne's death well and truly rocked the world on 22 July.
The Black Sabbath singer tragically passed away aged 76, with his cause of death announced as cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease.
He tragically left behind his wife, Sharon Osbourne, with whom he had been married for 43 years, and their three children - Aimee, 42, Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39.
He also had three other children from his first marriage.
A statement from his family read at the time: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time."
His death came after the iconic musician got to play one final farewell gig, which took place on 5 July at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham.
Fans said their goodbyes by emotionally lining the streets of the city for his funeral and leaving a mountain of heartwarming tributes and flowers at Black Sabbath bench.
Giorgio Armani
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani died aged 91 in September.
Armani, who was famous for dressing celebrities including Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Lady Gaga, was known for his relaxed tailoring.
He was one of the most influential and globally famous designers of the late 20th century.
A statement on the brand's Instagram page said he 'worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections and the many ongoing future projects'.
It also said he was 'indefatigable to the end' and 'driven by relentless curiosity and a deep attention to the present and to people'.
Diogo Jota
In July, Liverpool FC footballer Diogo Jota tragically died in a car crash in Spain aged just 28.
The Lamborghini Jota was travelling in veered off the road and burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout, and the sports star was found dead alongside his brother Andre Silva.
Heartbreakingly, just 11 days before the crash, Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in a ceremony in Porto.
A month on from their wedding, she shared a heartbreaking tribute to Instagram, which featured photos from their wedding day.
Cardoso wrote [translated]: "1 month [since we said], 'Until death do us part'. For ever, Your [bride]."
Hulk Hogan
In the same month, American Wrestling star Hulk Hogan died aged 71.
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was a leading figure in wrestling during the 1980s and won six WWE Championships.
He faced names including Andre the Giant and Randy Savage and enjoyed a career in the media, featuring in films and television shows.
Forensic documents confirmed his cause of death was an acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.
Diane Keaton
Annie Hall actress Diane Keaton died in October aged 79.
The actress shot to fame in the 1970s with her role as Kay Adams in The Godfather and was a regular collaborator of Woody Allen’s, winning an Oscar for his influential film Annie Hall and becoming associated with the title character’s menswear-centric wardrobe.
Her other films included Father Of The Bride, The Family Stone, Something’s Gotta Give and The Book Club movies.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Keaton's family said: "The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11."
The message continued: "She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her."
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa
Another death that shocked the world was that of Oscar-winning American actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65.
The celebrity couple were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the US, back in February.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the couple, who had been married since 1991, were found dead along with their dog in their Santa Fe home.
It was later revealed that Arakawa, a concert pianist, died as a result of hantavirus, a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings, while Hackman’s main cause of death was heart disease.
A New Mexico medical investigator revealed that Arakawa died about a week before Hackman, and Dr Heather Jarrell explained that given he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, it is 'quite possible that he was not aware that she [his wife] was deceased'.
Hollywood star Hackman received two Oscars, two Baftas, four Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award in a world-renowned acting career which spanned six decades.
D'angelo
American Grammy-winning R&B singer D’Angelo died in October aged just 51, following a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
The musician, whose real name was Michael Archer, was known for his raspy voice and music which blended hip hop, soul and gospel to create a fresh sound, which would go on to become known as neo soul.
He rose to major mainstream attention with the release of his 2000 single Untitled (How Does It Feel), and its accompanying shirtless music video.
The song won him a Grammy for best male R&B vocal performance and propelled his album Voodoo to top the Billboard 200 chart, winning the Grammy for best R&B album.
His family said in a heartbreaking statement: "The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life."
The Vivienne
In January, we lost the RuPaul’s Drag Race icon The Vivienne, who died at just 32, leaving fans around the world devastated.
James Lee Williams won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and came third on the 2023 edition of Dancing On Ice.
Williams, who was born in Wales, adopted the drag name as they were known for wearing Vivienne Westwood clothing.
In a statement confirming the news, Simon Jones PR wrote: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams - The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.
"James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career."
The family later revealed The Vivienne died from cardiac arrest after taking ketamine.
As per BBC News, Jones said: "I hope by us releasing this information we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body."
Pope Francis
The whole world mourned the loss of Pope Francis after he died aged 88 on Easter Monday, just a day after greeting crowds in Vatican City.
During his lifetime, he had been vocal on politics, speaking out against war and climate change, and urged more focus on the poor and downtrodden of the world.
His death prompted warm tributes from leaders across the globe and his funeral drew hundreds of thousands of mourners.
In a statement announcing his death, Cardinal Kevin Ferrell of the Vatican said: "At 7.35 this morning, the bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his church."
Michelle Trachtenberg
Another actor we tragically lost in 2025 was American actress Michelle Trachtenberg, who was best known for her roles in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl.
She died aged 39 in February, as a result of complications from diabetes, New York City’s medical examiner said.
Born in New York City, Trachtenberg began her acting career in adverts at the age of three and later joined hit show Buffy The Vampire Slayer in its fifth season as Buffy’s younger sister, Dawn.
She then went on to become a Gossip Girl fan favourite in the role of Georgina Sparks - an old frenemy of Serena van der Woodsen.
Kim Woodburn
TV personality Kim Woodburn died aged 83 in June following a short illness.
Woodburn rose to fame presenting How Clean Is Your House? and had appeared in Celebrity Big Brother in 2017 as well as E4’s Celebrity Cooking School in 2022.
She also regularly appeared on ITV's Loose Women and This Morning.
At the time of her passing, a representative for Kim said: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved Kim Woodburn passed away yesterday following a short illness.
"Kim was an incredibly kind, caring, charismatic and strong person. Her husband Peter is heartbroken at the loss of his soulmate. We are so proud of the amazing things Kim achieved in her life and career.
"We kindly ask that Kim’s husband and close friends are given the time and privacy they need to grieve. We will not be releasing any further details."
Charlie Kirk
American political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September in a shooting that left the US stunned.
The right-wing influencer was fatally shot back in September at a Republican rally he hosted at Utah Valley University, while he was speaking to students.
The incident happened with over 3,000 people in attendance and the 31-year-old was answering a question when a single shot struck him in the neck.
Despite being rushed to hospital as quickly as possible, his political ally and US President Donald Trump later confirmed that Kirk had died.
Prosecutors have since charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and plan to seek the death penalty.
Other people we lost in 2025
Of course, this isn't a complete list and sadly, we lost a whole host of famous faces in 2025.
We also said goodbye to former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton, who died at the age of 46 in September, as well as singer Linda Nolan, who died aged 65 following a long battle with cancer in January.
At the beginning of the year, the world also heartbreakingly lost Oscar nominee Dame Joan Plowright, Hollyoaks actor Paul Danan and director David Lynch.
We also tragically lost singer and actress Marianne Faithfull, American boxing champion George Foreman, footballing legend Denis Law and Top Gun star Val Kilmer.
We were also shocked by the passing of Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson, Superman actor Terence Stamp, Grammy-winning singer Roberta Flack and Veteran broadcaster John Stapleton.
Later in the year, we said goodbye to Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid actor Robert Redford, Fawlty Towers star Prunella Scales, and author Dame Jilly Cooper.
And more recently, we said goodbye to Reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff, former Stone Roses and Primal Scream bass player Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, and renowned author of the 'Shopaholic' book series Sophie Kinsella.
Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Music, Sport, News, World News
Madison Burgess