Marie Curie poll finds the nation's favourite epitaph for Dying Matters Awareness Week

• Milligan beats rivals Oscar Wilde and Churchill in Marie Curie poll
• Stephen Fry and other celebrities offer their exclusive epitaphs to mark Dying Matters Awareness Week

Spike Milligan’s “I told you I was ill” has been voted the nation’s favourite epitaph, in a new survey carried out by Marie Curie Cancer Care as part of Dying Matters Awareness Week (14-20 May).

The Goon Show comedian was the clear winner in the poll of famous epitaphs, picking up almost two-thirds of votes (60%). Milligan beat off competition from Oscar Wilde, whose epitaph “Either those curtains go or I do” came in second place (9.4%), and Frank Sinatra’s epitaph “The best is yet to come” in third (6.6%).

In fifth place was the epitaph of comedian Frank Carson – “What a way to lose weight” – who died in February 2012, while wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill finished in sixth with his epitaph “I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” (See full table below).

Dying Matters Awareness Week (14-20 May 2012) aims to encourage people to talk more openly about death, dying and bereavement and to take small actions that can make a big difference at the end of life such as writing a will, registering as an organ donor and letting those close to them know how they would want to be cared for.

To mark the week, Marie Curie Cancer Care also asked celebrity supporters what their epitaphs would be:

• "With thanks to the ingraver for speling my epitarf propperly" – Stephen Fry
• "Go tell the chief whip, passers-by, that here, alack, unpaired I lie." – Ann Widdecombe
• "So would you call THIS ‘man flu’?" – Louis Theroux
• "One place I don’t need my lipstick" – Alison Steadman
• "I'd live my life exactly the same again. Except three inches shorter." – Stephen Merchant
• "Unbelievable, Jeff - I've gone!" – Chris Kamara
• "Life was great.  Thanks to all who made it so" – Sir Ranulph Fiennes
• "She made a difference" – Edwina Currie
• "Please can I try again?" – Bill Oddie
• "Well now I have Cold Feet" – Fay Ripley
• "Surely there’s been some mistake" – Alexei Sayle
• "Any chance of a replay?" – Richard Wilson

Imelda Redmond, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: “Spike Milligan’s epitaph is legendary and many of the great comics and writers have been immortalised by their epitaphs. However, for most people death is too uncomfortable a subject to talk about. It’s really important that people discuss things like where they would like to spend their final moments with friends and loved ones.

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. As difficult as these conversations are, the more open people are about their end of life wishes, the more likely it is that these wishes can be met.”

Eve Richardson, Chief Executive of the Dying Matters Coalition said: “How we are remembered after we die lives on in the memories of those still alive, which is why it’s so important we discuss our end of life wishes while we can and make clear our preferences.

By talking more openly about dying and end of life issues we stand the best chance of ensuring we don’t die with regrets or leave a mess behind for those close to us. That’s why we want as many people as possible to discuss their end of life wishes and to take small actions that can make a big difference such as registering to become an organ donor, writing a will or making an effort to speak to anyone they know who is nearing their end of their life or who has been bereaved.”

Full table of poll results: The nation's favourite epitaphs

1. "I told you I was ill" – Spike Milligan
2. "Either those curtains go or I do" – Oscar Wilde
3. "The best is yet to come" – Frank Sinatra
4. "That's all, folks!" – Mel Blanc
5. "What a way to lose weight" – Frank Carson
6. "I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter" – Winston Churchill
7. “I may be gone but Rock and Roll lives on” – John Belushi
8. “She did it the hard way” – Bette Davis
9. "I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis" – Humphrey Bogart
10. "Please keep off the grass" – Peter Ustinov

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