There are a lot of annual reviews taking place at this point in the year. I was reading the list of people in entertainment and arts we have lost in 2020 this week. I must admit I don’t know a lot of them. But there are names on the list that make me feel sad.
- Kirk Douglas (He might be Spartacus, but I will always remember him for Ace in the hole)
- Joseph Shabalala
- Roy Hudd
- Kenny Rogers
- Max Von Sydow
- Honor Blackman
- Tim Brooke-Taylor
- Lynn Faulds Woods
- John Prine
- Little Richard
- Ian Holm
- Vera Lynn
- Ricky Valance
- David Bryant (always there to beat Scotland)
- Ennio Morricone
- Diana Rigg
- Diego Maradona (the hand of God)
- Bobby Ball
- Frank Bough (I still remember the Grandstand theme)
- Gerard Houllier (another local gone)
- Sean Connery
- Eddie Van Halen
- Des O’Connor
- Barbara Windsor
- Peter Alliss (the voice of golf)
- Charley Pride
- Stirling Moss
- Willie Thorne
- JJ Williams
Not just a great voice, but also a great message.
I was thinking about the review of my year. Given that I managed to spend about 9 months of it locked in my house there has been quite a lot happened. I visited Nicaragua via Panama. I’ve managed to buy a new house in Spain. Quite busy really.
I started to wonder, though, in 100 years time, or maybe 200 years time when the historians are doing a review of the 2000s what will they mark this year as. Maybe it will be pandemic year. Maybe it will be BREXIT year (doubt it will be considered that important in 100 years). But there are two things that I think will mark this year more than any others.
On the down side there will be the dishonesty of USA politics. And the odd thing is that no matter which side you prefer you can agree with that statement. Will this be the start of the end of the USA as the greatest world power? I fear it might – a divided country can never survive, it spends so much effort looking in on itself.
On the plus side there have been some amazing efforts to work together for the benefit of the world this year, whether it is related to climate change, or just related to vaccine production. In relation to that I am proud of the contribution of the UK, not just as a country, but the organisations and the people.
On balance my year has been a bit negative, but my hope is that the future will look back on this last year as one where great things started.