Cilla Black was the nation's glamorous, no-nonsense aunt. I was really hoping she'd give immortality a go

Often when we feel oddly upset about the death of a celebrity we’ve never met, it takes days to pinpoint the roots of the sadness. I’m getting closer now. It’s not that I thought Cilla – no second name required, like Cher, Elvis or Madonna – would live forever, but in her 70s, her aura as a showbiz force of nature was still strong. I was hoping she’d give immortality a good go.