A year like no other began with the shock death of basketball star and Oscar-winner Kobe Bryant before a pandemic upended life as we knew it.
Here are some of the high-profile figures who said their final goodbyes over the last 12 months:
1. Neil Peart
Peart, the drummer from Canadian prog-rock trio Rush, died aged 67 following a battle with brain cancer. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl led the tributes and Peart was lauded as one of the greatest drummers in rock ‘n’ roll history.
2. Kobe Bryant
The former basketball superstar, 41, was killed alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others after their helicopter crashed in Calabasas, Southern California. Oscar-winner Bryant’s death sent shockwaves around the world and Barack Obama was among those who paid tribute.
3. Nicholas Parsons
Parsons, a broadcaster known for hosting Radio 4’s Just A Minute, died aged 96 following a short illness. Stephen Fry described Parsons as a “great institution” while Graham Norton said he was “truly the kindest and most generous person I’ve ever worked with”.
4. Terry Jones
Monty Python star Jones, who had dementia, died at the age of 77. The actor and comedian directed some of the comedy troupe’s best-loved works and his former colleagues were among those to pay tribute.