Holly Willoughby leads tributes as former This Morning Dr dies suddenly
Dr Uchenna Okoye sadly passed away at the age of 53
Former This Morning medical expert Dr Uchenna Okoye has sadly passed away at the age of 53 following a 'sudden illness', her family have confirmed.
Sharing the sad news in a social media statement, Dr Okoye's family said: 'We are heartbroken to announce that Dr Uchenna Okoye sadly passed away after a sudden illness on Friday 15th September 2023.
'We know many of you will be devastated and shocked to see this post.
'We ask for your prayers and some privacy at this difficult time. We will be in touch in the coming days.'
Upon hearing the shock news, many of Dr Okoye's former colleagues and friends were quick to comment.
This Morning host Holly Willoughby wrote: 'Sending my love to her friends and family… so very sorry for your loss.'
Holly also took to her her Instagram Story to pay tribute further, writing: 'Unbelievably sad to hear of the passing of Dr Uchenna Okoye. We first worked together many moons ago with Oral B UK and she was very kind to me... and then of course again, giving her advice on This Morning. Sending all my love to her family. (sic)
Former Loose Women star Andrea McClean also paid her respects, writing: 'This is the saddest news. Please pass on my love and prayers to her family 💔'. (sic)
Elliot Wright then commented: 'What! I can’t believe it, my thoughts go out to the family especially her daughter. So sad 🙏🏼', with Myleene Klass adding: 'I can’t believe you’ve gone. I’m so sorry for your family, your daughter. RIP my friend x'. (sic)
Actress Donna Air then wrote: 'What ?! No, I’m so confused . How, why .. her daughter!! 💔💔💔 shocked and saddened'. (sic)
This Morning's beauty expert Sarah Jossel then added: 'This is so devastating to hear. My sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues. What a huge huge loss. She will be missed by so many.' (sic)
Remembering the famous faces we've sadly lost in 2023:
Fred White
Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White passed away at the age of 67 in January. His brother and band mate Verdine White confirmed the sad news in a statement.
David Gold
Joint-chairman of West Ham, David Gold, sadly died at the age of 86 following a short illness in January. West Ham confirmed the news in a statement, revealing he passed away peacefully surrounded by his daughters and fiancee.
Gianluca Vialli
Former Chelsea and Italy footballer Gianluca Vialli sadly lost his long battle with pancreatic cancer in January, at the age of 58. Tributes from fans and football clubs across the world poured in following the news.
Jeff Beck
Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck sadly died at the age of 78 in January, after contracting bacterial meningitis. His family confirmed the news in a statement.
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley, US singer and only child of Elvis Presley, sadly died at the age of 54 in January, after being rushed for medical treatment earlier in the same day.
Robbie Bachman
Bachman-Turner Overdrive drummer and co-founder Robbie Bachman sadly died at the age of 69 in January. His older brother Randy Bachman confirmed the news in a social media statement.
Paco Rabanne
Spanish-born fashion designer Paco Rabanne sadly died at the age of 88 in February. A statement on Twitter read: 'The House of Paco Rabanne wishes to honour our visionary designer and founder who passed away today at the age of 88. Among the most seminal fashion figures of the 20th century, his legacy will remain a constant source of inspiration.'
Burt Bacharach
Composer of some of the best known pop songs of the 21st century, Burt Bacharach, sadly died at the age of 94 in February. Having written over 500 songs in his career, Burt was often described as one of the 'greatest songwriters'.
John Motson
Legendary football commentator John Motson sadly died at the age of 77 in February. Tributes from around the world of sport poured in for him.
Steve Mackey
Pulp bassist Steve Mackey sadly died at the age of 56 in March, following a number of months in hospital. His family and former band mates paid a touching tribute to him online.
Gary Rossington
Gary Rossington, the last original member of band Lynyrd Skynyrd, sadly passed away at the age of 71 in March. The band released a statement to pay tribute to Gary.
Tom Sizemore
Actor Tom Sizemore, who appeared in Saving Private Ryan, sadly died at the age of 61 following a brain aneurysm in March.
Margaret Lake (Mystic Meg)
Mystic Meg, real name Margaret Lake, sadly died at the age of 80 in March, following a short illness. The astrologer was famed for her horoscopes and her appearances on the National Lottery TV show.
Lance Reddick
The Wire and John Wick actor Lance Reddick died suddenly from natural causes at the age of 60 in March, his family confirmed in a statement.
Paul O'Grady
Paul O'Grady passed away 'unexpectedly but peacefully' at the age of 67 according to his partner Andre Portasio. The comedian and TV star was well-known for his drag queen persona Lily Savage.
Bernadette Hunt (Falcon)
It was announced in March that Gladiators star Falcon, real name Bernadette Hunt, sadly passed away at the age of 59 following a battle with cancer.
Paul Cattermole
Just weeks after S Club 7 announced a reunion tour in March, sad news was announced that singer Paul Cattermole had sadly passed away. His family released a statement confirming the shock news.
Mark Sheehan
The Script's lead guitarist Mark Sheehan sadly passed away at the age of 46 in April. The band released a statement to confirm the shock news, revealing he'd passed away following a short illness.
Barry Humphries
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Len Goodman
Former Strictly Come Dancing head judge Len Goodman died in April aged 78. His agent confirmed the news saying that Goodman was "A much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him."
Terrence Hardiman
The actor who played the Demon Headmaster, Terrence Hardiman, sadly died at the age of 86 in May, with his agent confirming the news.
Andy Rourke
Andy Rourke, bassist of legendary Manchester band The Smiths, sadly died aged 59 in May following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. Smiths bandmate Johnny Marr broke the sad news of Rourke's passing in a social media post: 'It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andy Rourke after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer. Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans. We request privacy at this sad time.'
Tina Turner
Rock 'n Roll legend Tina Turner sadly passed away at the age of 83 in May, following a long illness. Her publicist Bernard Doherty confirmed the singer's death saying she had died "peacefully" in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.
Meg Johnson
Former Emmerdale actress Meg Johnson, who played the role of Pearl Ladderbanks, sadly passed away at the age of 86 in June, after suffering with dementia.
Coco Lee
Hong Kong-born singer Coco Lee, who starred in Disney's Mulan, sadly died at the age of 48 in July, following a suicide attempt at her home.
Tony Bennett
Legendary singer Tony Bennett sadly died at the aged 96 in July, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Tributes for the singer poured in for the singer from around the world following the news.
George Alagiah
BBC newsreader George Alagiah sadly passed away at the age of 67 in July, following a long-term battle with cancer. His agent confirmed the sad news in a statement, revealing George died peacefully around his family.
Trevor Francis
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Chris Bart-Williams
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Sinéad O'Connor
Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor sadly passed away at the age of 56 in July, with her family saying: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad."
Randy Meisne
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Paul Reubens
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Angus Cloud
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Mark Margolis
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DJ Casper
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Darren Kent
Actor Darren Kent, who played a Goatherd from Slavers Bay in hit series Game Of Thrones, sadly passed away at the age of 36 in August, following a long health battle.
Sir Michael Parkinson
Legendary broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson sadly passed away following a brief illness at the age of 88 in August. His family released a statement to confirm the news, which said: "After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family. The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve."
Ron Cephas Jones
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Jack Sonni
Legendary Dire Straits guitarist Jack Sonni sadly died at the age of 68 in August 2023, with the band sharing a tribute to X (formerly known as Twitter) announcing the news. The cause of Jack's death was not revealed at the time, however tributes poured in for the talented musician.
Mohamed Al Fayed
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Steve Harwell
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Jean Boht
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Dr Trisha Stratford
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David McCallum
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Michael Gambon
Actor Michael Gambon, who played the role of Dumbledore in Harry Potter, amongst other huge roles, sadly died at the age of 82 in September, after suffering from pneumonia. A statement on behalf of his wife Lady Gambon and son Fergus Gambon, issued by publicist Clair Dobbs, said: "We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon.
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Burt Young
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Sir Bobby Charlton
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Angelo Bruschini
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Bill Kenwright
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Matthew Perry
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George Brown
Kool & The Gang drummer George Brown sadly passed away at the age of 74 in November, following a battle with lung cancer. As well as being the drummer, George was the songwriter for a number of the band's hits.
Annabel Giles
After being diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma in July 2023, it was announced in November 2023 that TV host Annabel Giles had sadly lost her life at the age of 64. Her children released a statement, confirming their mum had died peacefully at Martlets Hospice in Hove.
Terry Venables
Former England, Barcelona and Tottenham manager Terry Venables died at the age of 80 in November 2023. In a statement released by the League Managers' Association, his family said:
"We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness. We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives."
Dean Sullivan
Brookside actor Dean Sullivan, best known for the playing the role of Jimmy Corkhill, sadly passed away in November following a short illness. His family confirmed the sad news in a statement on social media.
Shane MacGowan
Irish singer Shane MacGowan sadly died at the age of 65 at the end of November. Shane, who was the frontman of The Pogues, was recently discharged from hospital in Dublin where he'd been receiving care for an infection.
His wife released a statement on social media to confirm his sad passing.
Alistair Darling
Former Labour MP Alistair Darling sadly passed away in November just two days after his 70th birthday.
Frances Sternhagen
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Benjamin Zephaniah
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Andre Braugher
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Steve Halliwell
ITV confirmed on Friday 15th December that Emmerdale actor Steve Halliwell had passed away at the age of 77, having portrayed Zak Dingle since 1994. A statement from show bosses said: 'Steve will forever be synonymous with Emmerdale. The proud defender and head of the Dingle family. Heart and humour in all he did, it has been and always will be impossible not to smile when you think of him.'
His family added: "He went to sleep, peacefully with his loved ones around him. He was making us laugh to the end, the most amazing father and grandfather you could ever wish for, family was everything to him. We would like to thank the wonderful staff at St James Hospital and the Wheatfield Hospice for their love and kindness in his final days. He didn't want sadness, just to rejoice in a life well lived."
Bill Granger
Australian chef Bill Granger sadly passed away in a London hospital on Christmas Day, surrounded by his wife and three daughters. Although Bill's cause of death hasn't been made public, his family released a statement, revealing "he will be deeply missed by all."
Lee Sun-kyun
Actor Lee Sun-kyun, who was best known for his role in Parasite, was sadly found unconscious in a car park at 10.30am on 27th December.
As well as a number of guest appearances on This Morning, Dr Okoye also featured on makeover show 10 Years Younger, as well as Sky News, Good Morning Britain, and BBC One's Food: Truth or Scare.
Dr Okoye is survived by her daughter and her husband, Chidi Ngwaba.
Our thoughts are with Dr Uchenna Okoye's family at this sad time.