Legendary Pop Superstar George Michael dies at 53

A host of well-loved stars have died in the past eight months, including music legend Prince, comedy star Victoria Wood, superstar David Bowie and actor Alan Rickman



A TRIBUTE: POP SUPERSTAR GEORGE MICHAEL.

As we   reach the end of the year, 2016 will go  down as one that has seen a host of well-loved stars pass away.

Legendary singer George Michaeltragically died "peacefully" on Christmas Day aged just 53, his publicist announced.

The police and ambulance service were called to his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire just before 2pm.

The sad news was broken in a short statement issued at 11pm by Michael Lippman, which said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.



George Michael dead at 53: Live updates as world-famous superstar singer dies 'from heart failure' on Christmas Day



"The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage."

Mr Lippman later revealed George was found "in bed, lying peacefully" and that he is understood to have died of heart failure.



Rick Parfitt died aged 68 (Photo: Getty Images)

His death came a day after Status Quorocker Rick Parfitt OBE died suddenly on holiday, aged 68 - after suffering a severe infection 'he caught in hospital'.

The musician passed away at the hospital he was admitted to in Spain on Thursday, his manager confirmed in a statement this afternoon.

It's claimed the veteran musician was taken in after suffering complications from a previous shoulder injury - but picked up a severe infection while he was there.

He died at lunchtime on Christmas Eve, his family added in the statement.

But these deaths are only the latest in a shockingly high list, including superstar musicians David Bowie and Prince, comedy greats Victoria Wood and Caroline Aherne, sporting legend Mohammad Ali and actor Alan Rickman.

Figures appear to confirm a spike in high-profile deaths this year, with Wikipedia recording 642 notable deaths in January compared to 466 just a month earlier.

But, as many social media users have been asking, why are so many celebrities dying in 2016?

Here, we look at some possible theories.


CELEBRITY DEATHS IN 2016 SO FAR

'Baby boomers' are dying

Between 1946 and 1964, there was a massive growth in population.

This means people in their 50s, 60s and 70s now make up a much larger percentage of the population than they did four or five decades ago.

And as a result, more of them are famous,

These people, dubbed 'baby boomers', are reaching an age where they are more likely to develop life-threatening conditions such as cancer and heart disease.

This applies to many stars who rose to fame during the pop culture boom of the 1960s, including the late Bowie, whose 'Space Oddity' made the top five of the UK Singles Chart in 1969.

Why do you think so many stars have died in 2016? Tell us in the comments section below



David Bowie's hit 'Space Oddity' made the top five of the UK Singles Chart in 1969(Photo: Mirrorpix)

Bowie passed away aged 69 on January 10, just two days after the release of his final album, Blackstar, and 18 months after he was diagnosed with liver cancer.

However, this theory does not apply to many famous faces who have died this year, including agony aunt Denise Robertson and comedian Ronnie Corbett, who both passed away in their 80s.

Celebrities live wild lifestyles

This may not be the case for all celebrities, but some notable figures who have died this year were known to live a 'sex, drug and rock and roll' lifestyle.

This includes Bowie, who once described cocaine as his 'soulmate' and the late Howard Marks, who made millions of pounds a year in his career as a drug smuggler.

It also includes Jefferson Airplane co-founder Paul Kanter, who once advocated the use of LSD for mind expansion and spiritual growth, the Telegraph reports.

Marks died aged 70 on April 10 after being diagnosed with inoperable colorectal cancer, while Kanter passed away aged 74 on January 28 following a heart attack.

And even celebrities who did not dabble with - or become addicted to - drugs or booze are likely to have experienced some strain and stress from their fame.

Jem Aswad, a Billboard senior editor, said earlier this year: "One, the average life expectancy of a lot of people who were big in the '60s and early '70s—it's getting to be that time.

"They're all hitting their 70s. [And] given the era, there were a lot of drugs and a lot of cigarette smoking and being a touring musician performing every single night takes its toll on you."



The late Howard Marks made millions of pounds a year in his career as a drug smuggler

There are more famous people

As mentioned earlier, the high number of people born in the 'baby-boom' era has resulted in more stars aged between 52 and 70.

However, social media has also played a role in the rise of celebrities, providing an extra platform for 'ordinary' people to rise to fame.

Nowadays, reality TV stars, music presenters and YouTubers like Zoella are household names, attracting millions of fans from across the world.

And even soap actors and actresses are far more prominent than they were in previous decades, when most celebrities were cinema and theatre stars or musicians.



Nowadays, YouTubers like Zoella (pictured), who currently lives in Brighton, are household names

"Over the past 10 years, social media has played a big part," notes the BBC's Nick Serpell, who described the number of famous deaths since January as 'phenomenal'.

However, this theory arguably does not explain why 2016 in particular has been a bad year for celebrity deaths so far.

We know more stars - even if we've never met them

With the rise of the web, we can now find out everything we wish - and in some cases, don't wish - to know about stars from around the globe.

Before the Internet, we would learn about celebrities and their lives from television, the cinema, newspapers, and word of mouth.

But now, there is an endless amount of information about them online - regardless of where they are from and whether they are an A-lister or a Z-lister.

This includes news of their deaths.



A stream of people took to Twitter to pay tribute to Alan Rickman after his death

Within seconds of Rickman's death being announced in January, thousands of shocked fans were taking to Twitter to express their sadness.

Other famous faces also used the social media site to pay their own tributes to the star, resulting in even more people hearing of his death.

And the same occurs every time a well-known person dies.

In addition to the vast trove of information about them on the web, celebrities can also use social media to reach out to their fans and stay in the spotlight.

It's simply coincidence

The high number of stars to have died in 2016 already may simply be down to coincidence.

But even if it is, it is probably enhanced by the fact that many legendary musicians and actors are now reaching their 60s and 70s and, therefore, more likely to see their health decline.