Celebrity Squares by NOx

Each of the eight outer shaded squares contains the jumbled letters of the first name of one celebrity (living or dead) and the surname of another, with a single letter omitted from one of them. They comprise 4 actors, 4 singers (all of whom had UK number one singles), 4 players of sport and 4 children's TV presenters, their 'other halves' being Hugh Callow, Jackie Charles, Christopher Duncan, Michael Ekland, Shane Federer, Janet Greene, Jackie Lewis and Wayne Shearer. In addition, one solution must have a single letter removed before entry in the grid. Solvers should arrange the nine missing letters within the central shaded square in order to complete the three unclued and unnumbered entries and reveal the name of the celebrity to whose memory this puzzle is dedicated.



Across
    1    Fellow with crew? (7)
    7    Dull dark blue carpet (5)
    12    Not quite comfortable checking a label attached to a large fruit (10)
    13    Dench recalled Queen and Karim taking off Kipling hero (4)
    14    Piano dominating in club (8)
    15    Assumes spa's not hot (9)
    17    Pen where you'd find pig with reduced appetite (6)
    19    Suggest dance exercises (6)
    21    Stand clear of opening for secret weapon (4)
    23    Discarded refuse beginning to niff badly (4)
    27    Grub ultimately rather modest cold leaves for film star Charles (4)
    28    Inclined to forgo a bit of lively bonking (4, two words)
    29    Looks to secure record returns (6)
    33    Prop biting Argentina's No. 8 is let off (6)
    37    Means to call round again returning stuff that's secreted (9)
    39    Spurs like taking gamble - flat back four originally fails (8)
    40    Mussolini's great aunt's mother? (4)
    41    One plugging worthless bills - they favour particular stocks  (10)
    42    Compulsion to shed posh frock (5)
    43    Peter out embracing marine with special affection (7)
 Down
    1    Large rodents are found in bar (5)
    2    Good to stop reformed alcoholics heading for rum jelly (4)
    3    Slip up in the middle of emptying nappy (5)
    4    Cook dallying over second of burgers without relish (9)
    5    Continue popping out children, lying about being solvent (5)
    6    Shudder about getting covered in fungus (5)
    8    Advanced zip slowly (5)
    9    One with choice pins might jitterbug (8)
    10    Sharon perhaps losing initial bodily firmness (4)
    11    Diminutive singer opening up in the French style (7)
    16    A little of everything served up in a pot (4)
    18    Dated Nelly Robinson? (4)
    20    Exhausted rake left enthralled by kinky sex puts back out (9)
    22    Old English priest wearing his daughter's swimsuit? (8)
    24    Body could become covered in gore with this cut (4)
    25    Wanting to have large room ready (7)
    26    Amorous wife wrong to be shy of husband (4)
    30    We're against American Government cuts, possibly (5)
    31    May come to surface emitting cry of pain (5)
    32    Doctor catching one's cold (5)
    34    Advanced, following either side of assault vessel (5)
    35    My inspiring new tip for Russell Brand (5)
    36    Something that helps those on slopes erect barrier fences (4)
    38    Type of passport with no space at the back for relatives (4)
To enter this competition, send your entry as an image or in list format giving the name of the celebrity to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th March 2018. The first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book donated by  Chambers.