Die Hard 2 and Roots star John Amos dies
John Amos, best known for his roles in the 1977 miniseries Roots and Die Hard 2, has died at the age of 84.
He died on 21 August of natural causes according to a statement from his publicist Belinda Foster, but the news was only released on Tuesday.
Amos also played James Evans Sr on Good Times which featured one of television’s first Black two-parent families.
“That show was the closest depiction in reality to life as an African American family living in those circumstances as it could be,” Amos told Time magazine in 2021.
Among Amos’ film credits were Let’s Do It Again with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier, Coming To America with Eddie Murphy and Die Hard 2.
Such was the impact of Good Times that musicians Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, and the Wu-Tang Clan all name-checked Amos or his character in their lyrics.
“Many fans consider him their TV father,” his son Kelly Christopher Amos said in a statement.
“He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.
“My father loved working as an actor throughout his entire life. He was my dad, my best friend, and my hero.”
The original cast of Roots – Sandy Duncan, from left, John Amos, Ben Vereen, Louis Gossett Jr., Leslie Uggams, Georg Stanford Brown and Lynne Moody. Pic: Amy Sussman/Invision/AP
Amos was fired from Good Times after becoming critical of the show’s white writing staff creating storylines that he felt were inauthentic to the Black characters.
“There were several examples where I said, ‘No, you don’t do these things. It’s anathema to Black society. I’ll be the expert on that, if you don’t mind’,” he told Time magazine.
Pic: AP Photo/Nick Ut
“And it got confrontational and heated enough that ultimately my being killed off the show was the best solution for everybody concerned, myself included.”
Amos’ character was killed in a car accident.
His co-star Jimmie Walker said of the row: “If the decision had been up to me, I would have preferred that John stay and the show remain more of an ensemble.
“Nobody wanted me up front all the time, including me.”
Amos was born on 27 December 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, and was the son of a mechanic.
He graduated from Colorado State University with a sociology degree and played on the school’s football team.
Before pursuing acting, he moved to New York and was a social worker at the Vera Institute of Justice, working with defendants at the Brooklyn House of Detention.
He had a brief professional football career, playing in various minor leagues.
Oasis have said they are “shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan” at their Wembley Stadium concert on Saturday.
Together with their bandmates, Liam and Noel Gallagher have offered their “sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved”.
Metropolitan Police said officers on duty at the stadium responded, alongside venue medics and the London Ambulance Service, to reports a person had been injured at around 10.20pm.
The statement continued: “A man – aged in his 40s – was found with injuries consistent with a fall. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”
According to media reports, the man fell from the stadium’s upper tier.
A concertgoer on social media said they saw the incident and described it as “horrific”.
Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage at their first reunion gig. Pic: AP
Metropolitan Police said: “The stadium was busy, and we believe it is likely a number of people witnessed the incident, or may knowingly or unknowingly have caught it on mobile phone video footage.
“If you have any information that could help us to confirm what happened, please call 101.”
Oasis performed at the venue as planned on Sunday night, delivering the final concert of a five-night run at Wembley.
Addressing fans at the stadium, singer Liam said: “This one’s for all the people who can’t be here tonight, but who are here if you know what I mean, and aren’t they looking lovely. Live Forever.”
The band then played the track of the same name.
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Oasis support act Richard Ashcroft paid tribute on Instagram, writing: “I was shocked to hear of the death of one of the audience last night sending my love to the family and friends.”
A spokesperson for Wembley Stadium said: “Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.”
They will then head to Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States, before returning to Wembley for two more dates in September.
The reunion tour began at the start of July and marks the Gallagher brothers’ first performances together since Oasis split acrimoniously in 2009.
The BBC has responded after it was reported that two Strictly Come Dancing stars have been accused of taking cocaine.
The broadcaster is said to have hired an external law firm to probe the drug-taking allegations, which a source said were “well-known” on the show, The Sun on Sunday reports.
The claims were reportedly made on behalf of celebrity contestant Wynne Evans in a legal submission to the BBC in March.
In response, a BBC spokesperson told Sky News: “We have clear protocols and policies in place for dealing with any serious complaint raised with us. We would always encourage people to speak to us if they have concerns.
“It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”
Sky News understands that it is not unusual for the BBC to engage an external individual to provide additional expert resource to help deliver a BBC-led investigation. In these cases, they would report to an established BBC team.
PA file pic
The allegations published in The Sun on Sunday include a source saying that one Strictly star had told another about a third celebrity on the show: “Have you seen their pupils… they’re off their face.”
“The BBC have known about these allegations for some time, and acknowledged receiving them. Now they are taking firm action,” the source reportedly said.
The two individuals accused of drug taking have not been named.
It is the latest crisis to hit the BBC and Strictly.
In July last year, Amanda Abbington accused Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice of “abusive or threatening behaviour”. The actress, who was paired with Pernice, withdrew from the show in 2023.
The BBC upheld “some, but not all” of the allegations, with Abbington describing an apology from the corporation as a “vindication”, while Pernice denied displaying “abusive or threatening behaviour”.
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Also in July 2024, Strictly professional dancer, Graziano Di Prima confirmed he was leaving the show amid reports of alleged misconduct.
Separately, Laura Whitmore alleged “inappropriate behaviour” during her time on the show.
In January this year, Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans made “inappropriate and unacceptable” comments at the Strictly Come Dancing live tour launch, for which he later apologised.
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