12 Celebrity Deaths That Shocked The World In 2014

In 2014 the world said farewell to some of the world's greatest talents with fans united in their tributes to some of their own personal heroes. Truly talented actors, actresses, human right activists, directors, comedians and sportsmen left the world and a shining legacy behind. Over the twelve months, fans said goodbye to young icons and Hollywood legends: some taken before their time, which is where the real tragedy lies. And it's no wonder that the grief was so fiercely felt by fans: through familiarity, celebrities feel like part of your life as you follow their dreams only to see them crash to a tragic halt. That inevitably comes with some real emotional responses. Gone are the days where news of anyone in the public eye passing away would reach you at breakfast the next morning as the power of social media, sharing online and live news feeds allow fans to mourn immediately as the news breaks. Obviously it's not the same personal grief as is felt by family and friends, but when public figures are so genuinely ignored the flow of emotion is entirely tangible. With 2015 now kicked off, it's time to look back on the year just gone and pay tribute to those who were lost from the world of celebrity...

Robin Williams was found dead at his home in California aged 63. He had been battling severe depression and the cause of death was apparently suicide.

Williams was best known as a stand-up comedian and an award-winning actor as he played lead roles in Good Morning Vietnam, Good Will Hunting, Mrs Doubtfire and voiced the genie in Aladdin.