Why have so many celebrities died in 2016? Carrie Fisher, George Michael, Debbie Reynolds and Rick Parfitt added to long list
THIS year the world has been rocked by a series of shocking celebrity deaths, leading many to see 2016 as the worst year for losing much-loved stars.
Even as the end of the year approached, there seemed to be no let-up in the apparently endless series of losses.
Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt passed away on Christmas Eve after suffering an infection following an injury to his shoulder.
Wham! singer George Michael was found dead in his bed on Christmas Day by boyfriend Fadi Fawaz.
Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher passed away on December 27 after suffering a massive heart attack.
And her mother, the Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, died just a day after her daughter following a stroke.
The seemingly endlessly rising body count has led many to declare 2016 the worst year ever for celebrity deaths.
But why have so many celebs kicked the bucket this year?
Here are a few theories which people have come up with to explain the phenomenon…
Baby boomers are dying
One possible explanation is that members of the so-called “baby boom” generation are getting older and dying.
The result of the massive population boom which happened after the end of the Second World War is that now there are more older people in our society.
People in their 50s and above make up a larger part of the population across Western countries.
This is one of the factors which is often cited as a reason for increasing pressure on the NHS in the UK.
And it has been claimed that a greater proportion of celebs could therefore be getting older, reaching the age where they are more likely to get ill and die.
Old age might help to explain some celeb deaths, such as Harry Potter star Alan Rickman, who died in January aged 69, or boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who died in June at the age of 73.
But many celebs which 2016 has claimed were relatively young.
This is especially true when you consider that the average life expectancy in the US and the UK – where most of the stars lived – are 79 and 82 respectively.
Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll
Celebrities are now always known for their healthy lifestyles, and many of those who passed away this year were not the clean-living type – particularly those who died young.
George Michael, who died at just 53, had a well-known arrest record relating to drugs, and reports circulating after his death have claimed he was throwing hedonistic all-night parties up to a few weeks before his demise
Prince’s death in April at the age of 57, was surrounded by rumours of prescription and illegal drug abuse.
And David Bowie, who died in January aged 69, once declared cocaine to be his “soulmate”.
According to Cambridge News, Billboard senior editor Jem Aswad said earlier this year: “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.”
More celebs than ever
One theory is that there are simply more celebrities these days, meaning more of them are logically bound to die.
The rise of the internet and social media has catapulted people to fame faster than ever.
The average person is aware of far more famous people nowadays than they might have been 20 years ago.
Before, fame was reserved for figures like movie stars and musicians.
But now soap actors, reality stars and even people who make YouTube videos from their bedrooms are widely known.
The trouble with this theory is the majority of famous people to have died this year belonged to the old guard of well-established celebs, rather than this new breed.
Coincidence, or something else…?
Some have said it could be a coincidence that so many celebs have died in 2016.
But others have gone further, claiming that no more famous people have died this year than any other year.
There are several theories which try to explain why it might just seem like a lot of celebrities are dying this year.
More coverage
The internet has brought an explosion in the number of news outlets, while slashing the time it takes for news to travel.
And social media has meant web users are subjected to a barrage of information.
This has led some to theorise that it might seem like more celebrities have died –because of the sheer amount of coverage.
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