The popular Swedish actor has died at the age of 73 after a long illness, his family has confirmed.
A few years ago, Svensson said he was in poor health and had moved into a nursing home in the Stockholm area.
– I live here permanently.I suffer from memory loss, he said.
Svensson has had a long career, including roles in Hedebyborna, Maria Wern and Hassel, but he became best known to Swedish audiences as postman and family man Gustav Svensson in the then hugely popular comedy series Svensson, Svensson.
Director Edward af Sillén has worked with Svensson on several productions and describes him as “a very fine colleague” and a self-critical perfectionist.
– Allan Svensson is forever a part of SVT's Christmas.His portrayal of the hopeless, choleric and loving Gustav in “Svensson, Svensson” is nothing short of a classic.He also appeared in two other of SVT's most popular TV dramas: Hedebyborna and Tre kärlekar.We miss him now, but he will always be a part of SVT's memory, says newly appointed Swedish state television (SVT) CEO Anne Lagercrantz.
Claudia Galli Concha and Gabriel Odenhammar, who played the children Lina and Max Svensson, also publicly expressed their grief over the death.
– No, no.Not you Allan.Not now.I thought that somewhere in the future we would meet again, would laugh again, would talk again.(...) I will miss you incredibly much, writes Galli Concha on Instagram.
– It's my other dad who dies now.My real dad died in 2016.Then I called Allan and said that now it's just you.“Is that so, little guy” he said.I was always "little guy" to him and he always answered when I called.He was very nice, says Odenhammar.
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David Icke is back on YouTube after being suspended for over five years. In a video message, he confirms that he was removed from the platform in April 2020 due to statements that contradicted the official COVID narrative.
Icke, 73, was formerly a professional footballer and BBC sports commentator before he began writing and lecturing in the 1990s about alternative explanations for world events and power structures. He has published numerous books and built a global following through his theories about how the world functions.
In his comeback message, Icke describes how he was suddenly removed from the platform following a livestreamed interview that reached a large audience.
— It was in April of 2020 when I was, shall we say, saying things that were at odds with the COVID narrative that I was thrown off YouTube and everything else unceremoniously half an hour after a live interview that got a massive audience, he says in the video.
All content to be restored
Icke states that he has been informed that all previous content from his channel, which was deleted five and a half years ago, will be restored on the platform. He also mentions that there is "loads of other content" that could not be published during the suspension period.
The author also has a new book coming out titled "The Roadmap: Escaping the Maze of Madness", which he describes as "a real eye-opener" when it comes to explaining "the whole conspiracy's" scope.
— So it's with great pleasure that I announce that I'm back on YouTube because of the reach, because of the impact that the channel has and the impact it can have on communicating information, says Icke.
He urges his followers to subscribe to the channel and notes that it "helps the algorithm". Icke also runs the website ickonic.com where he published material during the suspension period.
Uncertainties surrounding the reversal
The YouTube channel was shut down in April 2020 as part of the platform's measures against content that violated the platform's very strict guidelines regarding COVID-19. Icke had on several occasions expressed views that deviated from health authorities' official directives about the virus and the experimental mRNA vaccines, which also led to him being banned from several social media platforms.
His work has over the years encompassed theories about global power structures, technology and societal development. He has also built a presence through books, lectures and digital content.
Why YouTube is now choosing to restore Icke's account is unclear, however, and the platform has not publicly commented on the decision.
— It's nice to see you again, Icke concludes his message to his followers.
At least twelve elderly people died in connection with serious failures in home care services during 2024 in Sweden. In five of the cases, they called for help without anyone responding, according to an investigation of Lex Sarah cases.
The Swedish Health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO) closed 190 so-called Lex Sarah reports regarding failures in home care services during 2024. The investigation, conducted by publicly funded Swedish broadcaster SVT, identified twelve deaths where inadequate care played a role.
In five of the cases, it involved safety alarms that were either forgotten or handled incorrectly. One person called for help seven times before passing away. Another, who had suffered a stroke, had to wait over two hours for assistance. Several died alone.
An additional four care recipients died after being left without food, care, or both for extended periods.
— This must not happen and it says something about the staff's working conditions, says Lars Rahm at IVO to SVT.
Twelve deaths
In total, the investigation shows 43 cases where failures in alarm handling led to or risked leading to serious consequences. In several situations, alarms were forgotten when staff who had received them were occupied with other tasks.
Furthermore, SVT has also identified an additional twelve deaths where it cannot be ruled out that the outcome could have been different with different actions. In five of these cases, staff had left the location despite the care recipient not opening the door.
Rahm describes the results as very concerning and points out that the Lex Sarah reports likely only show a fraction of reality.
— This is a highly worrying outcome. IVO's other information, such as tips and complaints, suggests underreporting, he says.
Support for the Swedish royal house remains strong, a new survey shows. But public opinion is evenly divided on when it's time for Crown Princess Victoria to take over the throne – with nearly half believing this should happen now.
The Swedish royal house stands firm in public opinion. In a survey by Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter and Ipsos, two out of three respondents say they want to keep the monarchy as the form of government. Only one in five people believe Sweden should be transformed into a republic where the head of state position is elected.
Although royalism remains strong, the measurements show that support has decreased somewhat over time. Two decades ago, the monarchy's position was even stronger, but in recent years the curve has turned upward again.
Support for the royal house is particularly evident among older voters, those with lower education levels, and those living outside metropolitan areas. Gender differences are small.
— It's only when we look at party sympathies that we see significant differences,says Nicklas Källebring, opinion analyst at Ipsos.
Negative media image
The Left Party's voters are the only group where more want to abolish the monarchy than keep it. The most royalist are Christian Democrat sympathizers, although the sample size there is limited.
The question of who should sit on the throne is more contested. Just over four out of ten respondents believe Crown Princess Victoria should take over now, while almost as many think King Carl XVI Gustaf should continue.
Fifteen years ago, only a small minority wanted to see an early succession. But opinion changed drastically after the publication of a book and newspaper articles that gave a negative image of the king, and the proportion wanting to see Victoria as regent increased markedly. Surveys from the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg have also shown that she is more popular than her father.
Strongest support among young people
Views on who should hold the throne vary between different groups. Women are more in favor of Victoria taking over, while the king has greater support among voters of the Tidö parties (Sweden's center-right governing coalition) compared to the opposition.
Somewhat unexpectedly, the aging king has his strongest support among voters under 30 years old.
— This may possibly reflect a neo-conservative spirit seen among young people today, says Nicklas Källebring.
Victoria is already training for the realm's highest duty. When the king is on longer trips abroad, she becomes regent and temporarily takes over responsibility as head of state. This is happening now in November when the king travels to the climate meeting in Brazil.
Sweden has had so-called cognatic succession since 1980, which means that the oldest child, regardless of gender, inherits the throne.
Ipsos conducted 1,539 interviews with eligible voters during the period October 7–19.
Ace Frehley of KISS has died – The Spaceman has left Earth for his home planet Jendell. Paul Daniel Frehley is sadly no longer with us, but his otherworldly guitar playing, songwriting legacy and not least his unique personality will live on forever.
Published November 2, 2025
Montage. Photo: Jan Sundstedt collection, Jan Sundstedt/Gröna Lund, Stockholm, Sweden, June 2015
Ace Frehley wearing his iconic persona during a photo session in 1976, and backstage before his performance at Gröna Lund (Stockholm's amusement park) in June 2015.
This is an opinion piece. The author is responsible for the views expressed in the article.
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley, one of rock history’s most influential and iconic guitarists, passed away on Thursday, October 16, following complications from a brain hemorrhage caused by a fall down the stairs the previous week.
His family describes their grief as devastating and shares that during his final hours, they were able to surround him with love, care, and peaceful words.
—We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever, the family writes in a statement.
Frehley's former bandmates in KISS – Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss – have all commented on the loss.
— We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history, Stanley and Simmons say in a joint statement.
Frehley's wife Jeanette (the couple separated in the 1980s but never divorced) and their daughter Monique remain as close family and witnesses to a life both on and off stage.
We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS's legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and… pic.twitter.com/y19anvZXbz
Ace Frehley was born on April 27, 1951, in the Bronx, New York, into a musical family. He received his first electric guitar as a Christmas present in 1964 and learned to play entirely without lessons. Among his greatest influences were Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The Who.
As a teenager, he played in various local bands and earned the nickname "Ace" – not least for his ability to arrange dates for his friends. He dropped out of high school when the band Cathedral started making money but later returned to graduate. In 1971, he became a member of the band Molimo, which signed with RCA Records and recorded several songs that were never released.
In late 1972, a friend saw an ad in the Village Voice for the role of lead guitarist in a new band. Frehley auditioned in Manhattan, dressed in one red and one orange sneaker. Despite a lukewarm first impression, he quickly impressed Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss with his guitar playing.
The band named itself KISS in December 1972–January 1973 and soon began painting their faces and wearing elaborate stage costumes, inspired by the New York Dolls and Alice Cooper.
Initially, KISS faced cynicism and indifference from New York's music scene. Frehley also supported himself as a taxi driver to make ends meet while the band fought for their place on stage. When manager Bill Aucoin took over, the band gradually began planning their path to stardom.
The Spaceman and the musical legacy
KISS exploded onto the music scene in 1974 with the self-titled debut album KISS, followed by Hotter Than Hell (1974) and Dressed to Kill (1975). The major commercial breakthrough came with the live album KISS Alive! (1975), where Frehley's explosive guitar playing became one of the band's most distinctive trademarks.
Frehley developed his alter ego The Spaceman – a silver-clad space figure with sparkling makeup and pyrotechnic guitar solos. His playing style, which blended blues, hard rock, and glam, contributed to several of the band's most iconic songs, including Shock Me, Cold Gin, Parasite, Rocket Ride, Talk To Me, and New York Groove.
After leaving KISS in late fall 1982, primarily due to personal problems, Ace Frehley formed his own band, Frehley's Comet.
There he could explore a more personal musical expression. The band released its debut album Frehley's Comet in 1987, which blended hard rock, glam, and Ace's own characteristic blues-influenced guitar style.
Songs like Rock Soldiers, Breakout (which he wrote together with then-KISS drummer Eric Carr) and We Got Your Rock, showed that Frehley could still combine explosive guitar playing with melodic hooks, and the tours gave him the freedom to experiment on stage outside of KISS.
The band became an important step in his career, cementing him as a solo artist on his own terms, but he always retained the iconic Spaceman persona.
He returned to KISS for the reunion tour Alive/Worldwide Tour in 1996/1997 and participated on the album Psycho Circus (1998), until he left the band again in summer 2002.
During the 2000s, he continued his solo career and released albums including Anomaly (2009), Space Invader (2014), and Spaceman (2018).
Ace Frehley is celebrated as one of hard rock's most influential guitarists. His style inspired generations of musicians, from Slash to Dave Grohl, and his stage presence remains a benchmark for showmanship within the genre.
Photo: Jan Sundstedt collection/"Psycho Circus" promo poster 1998.
A personal impact
On a personal level, I cannot adequately describe the emptiness within me. It is difficult, if not impossible, to summarize in a few words all the memories that overwhelm.
From being, together with other KISS fans, ridiculed and teased by the "cool" kids at school for loving a band unlike anything else, to the occasionally difficult times at home when my parents struggled with alcohol, KISS and Ace Frehley have been a safe soundtrack.
Their music helped me through adversity and gave me strength and inspiration. Honestly, one doesn't know how life would have turned out without KISS and especially Ace Frehley. Sure, you love other magnificent bands – such as Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple – but KISS was different.
KISS was a band for those of us who felt a bit odd, different, and had a sense of not quite fitting in. Childhood and adolescence became infinitely easier to get through when you understood that you're not alone out there.
Later in adult life, getting to meet all the original members of KISS was a surreal experience – and each meeting reminded me why Ace Frehley will always be more than just a guitarist; he was an inspiration, a mentor, an icon.
Ace Frehley together with the writer, in connection with a performance at Gröna Lund (a Stockholm amusement park), in June 2015. Photo: Jan Sundstedt.
The legacy lives on
Ace Frehley's passing leaves a void in the music world. But his legacy – the electrifying guitar playing, the song catalog, the visual stage show, and above all the unique personality that made fans worldwide feel seen – will live on.
The Spaceman has left Earth, but his music continues to provide comfort, joy, and inspiration to new generations. In every guitar solo that echoes through the speakers, in every young person who picks up a guitar and thinks "I can do this," Ace Frehley remains.
And for me, as for many others, the feeling is personal: Thank you for everything, Ace. Thank you for being there, for playing, and for making the world a little more electric. I will never forget you!
"Rock soldiers come and rock soldiers go. And some hear the drum and some never know. Rock soldiers! How do we know? Ace is back and he told you so..."
Jan Sundstedt
Ace Frehley – discography (1974–2024)
With KISS
1974 – KISS
1974 – Hotter Than Hell
1975 – Dressed to Kill
1975 – KISS: Alive! (live)
1976 – Destroyer
1976 – Rock and Roll Over
1977 – Love Gun
1977 – Alive II (live + four newly written tracks and one cover)
1978 – Double Platinum (compilation)
1978 – Ace Frehley (solo album under the KISS name)
1979 – Dynasty
1980 – Unmasked
1981 – Music From "The Elder"
1982 – Killers (compilation plus four newly written tracks) – participates only with name and character
1982 – Creatures of the Night (participates only with name and character)
1996 – You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best! (compilation, reunion period)
1998 – Psycho Circus
With Frehley's Comet
1987 – Frehley's Comet
1988 – Live+1 (EP/live)
1988 – Second Sighting
1989 – Trouble Walkin' (credited to Ace Frehley but often counted as part of the Comet era)
Solo albums
2009 – Anomaly
2014 – Space Invader
2016 – Origins Vol. 1 (cover album)
2018 – Spaceman
2020 – Origins Vol. 2 (cover album)
2024 – 10,000 Volts
