Celebrities and the public reveal the top things they would like to do before they die

• Buying a house, skydiving and emigrating amongst the nation’s top lifetime ambitions in Marie Curie poll
• Alison Steadman, Ricky Tomlinson, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and other celebrities reveal what they want to do before they die for Dying Matters Awareness Week

Travelling more, having children and seeing them grow up, and winning the lottery have been voted as the top things people would like to do before they die, in a new national survey carried out by Marie Curie Cancer Care as part of Dying Matters Awareness Week (12-18 May).

“Travel more” was the most common response given in the survey of 2,334 British adults, with Australia, USA/New York and New Zealand cited as the most desirable destinations, along with a round the world trip. “Having children” and “seeing my children grow up, get married or graduate” were the next most common things people said they would like to do before they die. (See table of most common responses below)

“Winning the lottery” was one of the most frequently cited aspirations for people in their lifetimes, followed by a “sky dive or parachute jump.” “Getting married”; “writing a book and having it published”; “buying a house”; “seeing the Northern Lights” and “emigrating/living abroad” also featured amongst the most common responses.

Dying Matters Awareness Week (12-18 May 2014) aims to encourage people to talk more openly about death, dying and bereavement and to take small actions to be ready for the end of life, such as writing a will, making funeral wishes known and letting those close to them know how they would want to be cared for.

To mark the week, Marie Curie also asked celebrity supporters to name the top things they would like to before they die:

Ricky Tomlinson – “That is an easy one. The most challenging thing on my bucket list is to finish building a fish pond in the garden that I started 10 years ago!”

Stephen Merchant – “Just once I’d like to feature in a women’s magazine as ‘best dressed’ rather than ‘weird crush’”

Sir Ranulph Fiennes – “I would like to visit China and walk along the Great Wall with my family (and no zimmer frame)”

Alison Steadman – “I would really to make a documentary about the overuse of plastics in our precious world. I'm passionate about banning plastic bags in supermarkets and raising awareness of the danger and pollution they're causing”

Ann Widdecombe – “To learn to sing in tune and stop embarrassing everyone else in church!!”

Jason Isaacs – “Since winning the FA Cup for Liverpool, winning Wimbledon or knocking out Floyd Mayweather are looking slightly less likely with every passing day, and since I’ve already jumped out of a plane without a parachute (the hairy guy clipped to my back had one, naturally), my greatest hope is that, before I go, just once, I can make a would-be joke in public and see my daughters look at me with anything other than total contempt, pity and horror”

Arabella Weir – “I'd like to dance a Michael Jackson routine with Justin Timberlake and Usher. I won't be as good as them, but I'd give it a go.”

John Challis – “Quite simple! I'd love to drive USA coast to coast taking in Route 66 in a red Mustang convertible, playing good music the whole way!”

Noddy Holder – “I would like to sail the seven seas on my own yacht because ‘all the nice girls love a sailor!’”

Bill Oddie – “I get called up on stage at a Prince concert and he hands me a mic and we end up duetting. What's more, he is reasonably impressed!”

Edwina Currie – “My most bizarre secret ambition (achieved) was appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, in the arms of the Italian Stallion Vincent Simone. We were the first to be voted out, and we wuzz robbed. A bucket list item… the Taj Mahal - with someone lovely!!”

Chris Kamara – “I was lucky enough to complete the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro in 2011 with my son, Jack, and a whole group of friends and fellow fund raisers supporting Marie Curie - that was on my Bucket List”

Interestingly, some respondents revealed that they had not considered their own death or that they were reluctant, or even superstitious, about thinking about the subject. Responses included, “I’ve not thought about death”; “I’m 74. I don’t intent to die till I’m 95, so I haven’t thought about it” and “I don’t have a bucket list, as if I did tick everything off, would I sit back and wait to die?”

Imelda Redmond, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie, said: “People in Britain have a very clear idea of the things they would like to achieve while they are alive. However, the vast majority of people are still uncomfortable discussing death and dying, and are reluctant to make plans for the end of their lives. Without having these crucial conversations with friends and family – such as where people would like to spend their final days - it’s likely that people’s end of life wishes will not be met. We know that most people would like to be cared for at home at the end of their lives for instance, but the majority of deaths still occur in hospital – the place people least want to be.”

Claire Henry, Chief Executive of the Dying Matters Coalition, said: “Every minute someone in Britain dies, but for many people talking about dying and facing up to their own mortality remains something either to be delayed for as long as possible or ignored altogether. While dying is one of life’s few certainties, the majority of people are still shunning important conversations about their wishes. That’s why we want to see a national conversation on dying, so that all of us become more comfortable in making our end of life wishes known and talking about the things we would like to do before we die.”

Most common survey responses:

The top things people would like to do before they die

1. Travel (45%)*
2. Have children (5%)
3. See my children grow up, get married/settled, or graduate (5%)
4. Win the lottery (5%)
5. Skydive / parachute jump (4%)
6. Get married (4%)
7. Write / publish a book or have a bestseller (4%)
8. Buy a house (3%)
9. See the Northern Lights (3%)
10. Emigrate / live abroad (2%)

(* including travel more, round the world and to specific destinations)

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