Alex Salmond (1954–2024), former first minister of Scotland

Alex Salmond was the first minister of Scotland from 2007 through 2014, leading the country as it prepared to vote on a referendum on independence from the United Kingdom.

Peter Higgs (1929–2024), Higgs boson particle Nobel Prize winner 

Peter Higgs was a British theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for proposing the existence of the subatomic particle that bears his name, the Higgs boson.

Angela McCluskey (1960–2024), frontwoman of Wild Colonials

Angela McCluskey was a singer and musician best known as the frontwoman of the ‘90s group Wild Colonials, and who collaborated with such artists as Morgan Page, Télépopmusik, , and Kendrick Lamar.0

Margaret Macfarlane (1920–2023), WWII Enigma code breaker

Margaret Macfarlane was a Scottish woman who worked secretly during World War II as one of the Enigma codebreakers alongside Alan Turing at Bletchley Park, as depicted in the film “The Imitation Game."

Ian Bairnson (1953–2023), guitarist for Kate Bush, Alan Parsons Project 

Ian Bairnson was a Scottish guitarist who played on hits for Kate Bush, the Alan Parsons Project, and Pilot.

Ali Ahmed Aslam (1945–2022), Chicken Tikka Masala inventor

Ali Ahmed Aslam was a restaurant owner in Glasgow, Scotland who was credited with inventing the popular Indian dish Chicken Tikka Masala.

Dan McCafferty (1946–2022), original Nazareth lead singer 

Dan McCafferty was the original and longtime lead singer for the Scottish hard rock band Nazareth.  

Robbie Coltrane (1950–2022), played Hagrid in “Harry Potter” series

Robbie Coltrane was a Scottish actor who played the loveable half-giant Hagrid in the “Harry Potter” film series.

Manny Charlton (1941–2022), lead guitarist for Nazareth

Manny Charlton was the founding lead guitarist for the Scottish rock band Nazareth, known for hits including “Love Hurts” and “Hair of the Dog.”

Les McKeown (1955–2021), lead singer for the Bay City Rollers

Les McKeown was the lead singer for the Scottish band the Bay City Rollers, who had hits in the 1970s including “Saturday Night” and “Money Honey.”

UK Celebrity Deaths 2021

Though these famous figures have died, their legacies live on and continue to inspire and delight us. Join us as we remember celebrities who died in 2021.

Sean Connery (1930–2020), James Bond star and Oscar winner

Sean Connery was an actor who became a superstar for his portrayal of James Bond in “Dr. No” and six other films in the classic spy series.

Annie Ross (1930–2020), jazz singer known for “Twisted”

Annie Ross was a jazz singer with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, best known for her 1952 song “Twisted.”

Star Trek's Scotty, James Doohan, Was an Irish Canadian WWII Veteran With an Inspirational Legacy

Star Trek’s chief engineer, Montgomery Scott, may be the most famously Scottish person in all of pop culture. But here’s something fascinating:

Dale Greig (1937–2019), pioneer of women's running

Dale Greig was a Scottish pioneer of women's running who became one of the first women to run a marathon.

Bradley Welsh (2019), "T2 Trainspotting" star

Bradley Welsh starred in the 2017 film "T2 Trainspotting," playing crime boss Doyle.

Alan Longmuir (1948–2018), Bay City Roller

Founding member of the band known for “Saturday Night.”

Malcolm Young (1953–2017), founding member of AC/DC

Malcolm Young, founding member of Australian hard rock band AC/DC, has died, according to multiple news sources. His death was announced on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017. He was 64.

George Young (1946–2017), co-wrote the hit song “Friday on My Mind” with the Easybeats

Producer for AC/DC on their first five albums.

Mike Towell (1991 - 2016), Scottish welterweight boxer

Mike Towell, a Scottish welterweight boxer, died Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, after suffering severe bleeding and brain swelling following a match Thursday, according to multiple news sources. He was 25.

Adrienne Corri (1931 - 2016), A Clockwork Orange actress

Adrienne Corri, the British actress best known for her role in “A Clockwork Orange,” died March March 13, 2016 according to The Times. She was 84.

Michael White (1936 - 2016)

Michael White, the Scottish-born producer of theater and film hits -- including "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and "Oh! Calcutta!" – has died. He was 80.

5 Sleuths who Paved the Way for True Detective

These five real-life detectives deserve their own TV shows.

The Sixth Rolling Stone

There have been plenty of "Fifth Beatles," but only one person has ever had the honor of being the "Sixth Stone." That was Ian Stewart.