Early today News had begun spreading across the Internet that Sir Norman Wisdom had passed away in a article featured on the Sky Web page.
We made an extremely nervous phone call to the family of Sir Norman Wisdom expecting to hear the sad news only to find they know nothing regarding this and Sir Norman is alive and well and wondering what all the fuss is about, the family state that he has enjoyed christmas and wish's everyone the Best for 2009.
SKY have however released the following press statement (Enclosed).
" Thank you very much for your email. The following is an official statement from Sky News:
A Sky News spokesman, "As soon as Sky News was made aware that a pre-prepared video obituary of Norman Wisdom was running online, it took immediate steps to rectify the publishing error. We apologise for any confusion caused."
The video has now been removed from sky.com and sky.com/news. We are, of course, very happy to hear that the great man himself is well and enjoying Christmas, and grateful to you for bringing this mistake to our attention."
Hahahaha! Showbiz deaths usually come in threes, and usually at Christmas, so after Harold Pinter and Eartha Kitt there'll probably be another big'un soon. Good to hear this wasn't the hat-trick...
There was a similar rumour about Norman Wisdom about a month back; he's in a nursing home on the Isle of Man and, sadly, doesn't seem to have long left.
A Sky News spokesman, "As soon as Sky News was made aware that a pre-prepared video obituary......."
I remember reading about 10 years ago, that The Times had already prepared an obituary to the Queen Mum, years before she actually died - ready to publish the moment the news broke about her death.
So I take it this is common practice in the media industry?
[cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite]Hahahaha! Showbiz deaths usually come in threes, and usually at Christmas, so after Harold Pinter and Eartha Kitt there'll probably be another big'un soon. Good to hear this wasn't the hat-trick...
There was a similar rumour about Norman Wisdom about a month back; he's in a nursing home on the Isle of Man and, sadly, doesn't seem to have long left.
[cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite]Hahahaha! Showbiz deaths usually come in threes, and usually at Christmas, so after Harold Pinter and Eartha Kitt there'll probably be another big'un soon. Good to hear this wasn't the hat-trick...
There was a similar rumour about Norman Wisdom about a month back; he's in a nursing home on the Isle of Man and, sadly, doesn't seem to have long left.
Oggy true re the Queen mum mate. I was FM of a 5 star hotel on the route that her hearse would be taken when she died. years before she died the BBC came to see what rooms they would have to book to set up their cameras when the Queen Mum actually died. When they phoned to ask almost told em to f**k off thought it all weird.
There was a detailed plan for the Queen Mother's death, codenamed Operation Lion, which had been in place for years and had been drawn up by government and broadcasters. There will be one for the Queen's passing, too.
In newspapers, sometimes obits are written by people who have died before the subject of the obituary...
................
And occasionally obits do get erroneously published when the deceased is still alive and kicking. The classic case being Mark Twain who replied to his premature obituary saying that rumours of his death had been greatly exaggerated. I think more recently the Torygraph published an obit of Dave Swarbrick (or someone out of Fairport Convention) when he was still composing, rather than decomposing.
Oggy you and me both I used to love his films when I was a kid. There is a scene in one of them where he is trying to have his photo taken without laughing and the face he pulls is unbelievable :-)
He had a hard old life in his early years and he worked his nuts off to get where he did. Even if the humour is not to your taste you have to admire the bloke.
I still find him funny I have to admit and that face he pulls really is amazing...... ;-)
[cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite]Hahahaha! Showbiz deaths usually come in threes, and usually at Christmas, so after Harold Pinter and Eartha Kitt there'll probably be another big'un soon. Good to hear this wasn't the hat-trick...
There was a similar rumour about Norman Wisdom about a month back; he's in a nursing home on the Isle of Man and, sadly, doesn't seem to have long left.
If you have a moment this is his Wiki page, he never "made it" until after WWII and didn't turn professional as a musician until he was 31, by then he's been in the Merchant Navy, the Army and was flyweight boxing champion in the British Army in India - I imagine there might have been some real competition for that title. A great story:
[cite]Posted By: BlackForestReds[/cite]If you have a moment this is his Wiki page, he never "made it" until after WWII and didn't turn professional as a musician until he was 31, by then he's been in the Merchant Navy, the Army and was flyweight boxing champion in the British Army in India - I imagine there might have been some real competition for that title. A great story:
Comments
Early today News had begun spreading across the Internet that Sir Norman Wisdom had passed away in a article featured on the Sky Web page.
We made an extremely nervous phone call to the family of Sir Norman Wisdom expecting to hear the sad news only to find they know nothing regarding this and Sir Norman is alive and well and wondering what all the fuss is about, the family state that he has enjoyed christmas and wish's everyone the Best for 2009.
SKY have however released the following press statement (Enclosed).
" Thank you very much for your email. The following is an official statement from Sky News:
A Sky News spokesman, "As soon as Sky News was made aware that a pre-prepared video obituary of Norman Wisdom was running online, it took immediate steps to rectify the publishing error. We apologise for any confusion caused."
The video has now been removed from sky.com and sky.com/news. We are, of course, very happy to hear that the great man himself is well and enjoying Christmas, and grateful to you for bringing this mistake to our attention."
My first trip to the pictures with my Dad was a Norman Wisdom film (at the Granada in Welling).
expected to see varius NW films on.
There was a similar rumour about Norman Wisdom about a month back; he's in a nursing home on the Isle of Man and, sadly, doesn't seem to have long left.
I remember reading about 10 years ago, that The Times had already prepared an obituary to the Queen Mum, years before she actually died - ready to publish the moment the news broke about her death.
So I take it this is common practice in the media industry?
He'll be 94 in February.
Adrian Mitchell died over Christmas as well
In newspapers, sometimes obits are written by people who have died before the subject of the obituary...
Makes me chuckle everytime
Fact or folklore?
LMAO, Inspector...!
................
And occasionally obits do get erroneously published when the deceased is still alive and kicking. The classic case being Mark Twain who replied to his premature obituary saying that rumours of his death had been greatly exaggerated. I think more recently the Torygraph published an obit of Dave Swarbrick (or someone out of Fairport Convention) when he was still composing, rather than decomposing.
I got it off his official website
norm
He had a hard old life in his early years and he worked his nuts off to get where he did. Even if the humour is not to your taste you have to admire the bloke.
I still find him funny I have to admit and that face he pulls really is amazing...... ;-)
I met him on holiday in Bournemouth when I was very young and have a photo of myself with him. My sister and I played with his son and daughter.
His son was a decent spin bowler and played for Sussex 2nds.
Real showbiz heavyweight!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Wisdom
Zed off fella. He aint never been on big brother so hes a no one.