Darius Danesh

Darius Campbell Danesh, the “Pop Idol” runner-up and West End Star has died, police said. He was 41.

A spokesperson for the Rochester Police Department told Variety his death is currently the subject of “an open investigation.” ITV, the network which broadcast both “Popstars” and “Pop Idol,” also released a statement, saying: “Darius was a much loved and memorable part of both the ‘Popstars’ and ‘Pop Idol’ series, and our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends at this difficult time.” “We ask that you kindly respect our wishes for privacy at this time whilst we come to terms with the tragic loss of our son and brother.”

'Pop Idol' runner-up Darius Campbell Danesh, who went viral with his rendition of 'Hit Me Baby One More Time,' has died at the age of 41.

“A true gent with a kind soul & mischievous tinkle in his eye. The BBC quoted a statement from Danesh’s family, which read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh. Danesh went onto release a single, “Colourblind,” which reached the number one spot in the U.K. A really good bloke – funny and kind and very talented.” A spokesperson for the Rochester police department told Variety his death is currently the subject of “an open investigation.” The singer, who was Scottish, was reportedly found dead in an apartment in Rochester, Minnesota on Thursday, Aug.

The pair told how they were close friends of Bearsden-born Darius, who even attended their son's wedding back in 2002, while Colourblind was UK Number 1.

Our thoughts, prayers and love go to his lovely family. Always super kind and generous. Darius - you'll always be with us." Taylor said: “Devastated at the shocking news of the sudden death of our dearly loved friend Darius. That date coincided with the 20th anniversary of Darius getting his first number one with Colourblind. “We celebrated our son and daughter-in-law's 20th wedding anniversary last Thursday. The couple last saw the singer when he popped in for a hair cut in March this year - while his pal Gerard Butler also visited the salon. "We ask that you kindly respect our wishes for privacy at this time whilst we come to terms with the tragic loss of our son and brother." He always caused a stir - sometimes singing for our clients. He recalled fondly: “Indeed Darius came to the wedding and all the guests toasted his chart success - and of course we danced to the track. Our hearts are broken. [Taylor Ferguson](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/lanarkshire-born-king-crimpers-taylor-27259934) has paid tribute to [Pop Idol](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/darius-danesh-life-after-pop-26710993) star [Darius Danesh](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/pop-idol-star-darius-campbell-27756699) and revealed the date of his death coincided with the 20th anniversary of his first number one single Colourblind.

UK singer Darius Danesh, who first found fame on ITV talent shows Popstars and Pop Idol, has died. He was aged 41. The Scottish singer became famous after ...

Scottish Colourblind singer Darius Campbell-Danesh, who shot to fame after appearing on UK TV talent show Popstars, has died aged 41.

A statement said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh. He was in tears at the end of it, as well. [Darius said](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/darius-danesh-life-after-pop-26710993): "I drank the water for the video and raised the funds but, when I went to Glasgow to see my mum for her birthday, I collapsed. The pair filed for divorce two years later and the divorce was finalised in 2018. He was the first winner of ITV’s Popstar to Operastar series in 2010. I am proud of my heritage and I don't want to lose that. But Darius Campbell reflects that I am Scottish.” [Scottish singer-songwriter](https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/music) Darius launched his career with a rendition of Britney Spears’ ...Baby One More Time on Popstars over 20 years ago – the series which also starred Will Young and Gareth Gates. He was then voted on to the finals of Pop Idol the following year but turned down a record deal with music mogul Simon Cowell. He sang it in such a way it brought tears to my eyes. The book was a Sunday Times sixth best seller. “It turned out I had a cerebral oedema where your brain swells bigger than your skull.

The cause of his death remains unknown, his family has said. | ITV National News.

Chapman was later a judge on music competition series Pop Idol, on which Campbell Danesh also starred. From that eventful first audition on Popstars to him kindly inviting me to see him perform on the West End stage. TV and radio presenter Nicki Chapman has said Campbell Danesh was a "true gent". Chapman, 55, who was a judge on Popstars while Campbell Danesh was a contestant on the show in 2001, tweeted: "There will only ever be one Darius Campbell Danesh. "A true gent with a kind soul & mischievous tinkle in his eye. He credited Cowell with persuading him to take on the role in Chicago in the first place. He took on the principal role of toreador Escamillo in the production, for a one-off performance which marked the first ever opera at the venue at the time. After coming third in Pop Idol in 2010, he went on to win the first series of ITV’s Popstar To Operastar contest, beating Bernie Nolan of the Nolan Sisters in a close final.

Scottish Colourblind singer Darius Campbell-Danesh, who shot to fame after appearing on UK TV talent show Popstars, has died aged 41. Here's everything we ...

He was in tears at the end of it, as well. Darius Campbell-Danesh was married to Natasha Henstridge, a Canadian actress famous for her role in Species, in a secret ceremony back in 2011. He was the first winner of ITV’s Popstar to Operastar series in 2010. "He said to me, 'I am proud of you. But Darius Campbell reflects that I am Scottish.” He was then voted on to the finals of Pop Idol the following year but turned down a record deal with music mogul Simon Cowell. The book was a Sunday Times sixth best seller. According to Press Association, the former Pop Idol contestant and theatre star Darius Campbell Danesh has been found dead in his US apartment at the age of 41, his family announced. “It turned out I had a cerebral oedema where your brain swells bigger than your skull. He sang it in such a way it brought tears to my eyes. They diagnosed it quickly.” Elsewhere, Darius has appeared on stage in the role of Warden in From Here to Eternity the Musical, and Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl.

It comes after the 41-year-old behind hit single Colourblind was found dead at this home in Minnesota.

There is no known threat to the public." The Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person as Darius Campbell, age 41.” [Simon Cowell](https://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/20666581.simon-cowell-remembers-darius-campbell-danesh-pop-idol-star-suddenly-dies-aged-41/) has remembered Darius as “charismatic, funny and just a great person to be with”. “He was charismatic, funny and just a great person to be with. Sharing an update on the star’s cause of death, the statement added: “The investigation into the cause of his death is still pending. The Public Information Officer for the Rochester Police Department said in a statement: “Officers responded to a deceased person call at 11.53am on August 11.

His journey from tryer to survivor to established success story is unlike anything else seen in TV talent show history.

“Darius is a survivor in life,” he said on the show. By the end of 2002, Darius had scored a UK No 1 with the Radio 2 classic Colourblind, landed a top 10 album and was briefly rivalling the established soft-pop dominance of Ronan Keating and Robbie Williams. A key part of the Darius story arrived during Popstars via a promise he made to the judge “Nasty” Nigel Lythgoe. But, crucially, there was always a sense he knew the game he was playing. You know, that doesn’t inspire me.” Instead he signed to Mercury Records and co-wrote his 2002 debut album, Dive In, with the likes of Steve Lillywhite (The La’s, Travis) and The Matrix (Avril Lavigne, Ronan Keating). Dressed somewhere between a roll-necked Steve Jobs and a swashbuckling musketeer, he became the instant star of a show that spectacularly failed in its remit to create stars.

'There are no words, only love,' said actor.

[Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. Danesh and Henstridge began dating in 2004. That in itself was an amazing experience, but a painful one. Danesh previously told The Herald: “It was often a long-distance relationship for half of it. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism [a tribute to Danesh from his Pop Idol co-star Gareth Gates here](/arts-entertainment/music/news/darius-danesh-gareth-gates-tribute-death-b2146376.html), and [other celebrity tributes here.](/arts-entertainment/tv/news/darius-danesh-death-tributes-will-young-b2146268.html)

Music producer and former Pop Idol judge Peter Waterman has paid tribute to his friend Darius Danesh.

It is yet not known whether Darius had any link to the Mayo Clinic. So quiet, so polite, so gentle, I guess he was the perfect person. [Pop Idol singer Darius was found dead in his Rochester, Minnesota, apartment on August 11](/tvshowbiz/article-11116931/Darius-dead-Pop-Idol-star-dead-apartment-aged-41.html) aged 41, as police continue to probe his mystery death. We'll secure the residence.' There is no known threat to the public.' Another call was allegedly made minutes later from an operator saying: 'No need for them to respond. He had too much talent. He always called me Peter. He never called me Pete. Darius could have gone on to be bigger than Michael Buble.' [Good Morning Britain](/tvshowbiz/good-morning-britain/index.html) on Wednesday, Pete described Darius as 'the perfect person' as he revealed they were in contact recently and planned to work together on the star's return to music. 'He was the perfect person': Pete Waterman pays tribute to Darius Danesh as he reveals they were planning to work together on star's return to music ahead of his death

Pop Idol star Darius Danesh almost died twice before his tragic death at aged 41. Many celebrities have been sharing tributes for the star including music ...

I had been flying a lot and picked up bacterial meningitis which at that time was on the rise." He continued: "I had picked up an inflammatory virus from the Thames that had stayed in my system. The charity is said to remove 99.9 percent of all known "water-borne pathogens, bacteria and viruses" - and drank water from a Thames sewage outlet. The terrifying ordeal happened when he filmed a promo clip for his charity Fresh2O Water filter. Darius broke his neck and his "trauma compression injury" was similar to the injury that Superman actor Christopher Reeve suffered - which left him paralysed. He had been a passenger in a Porsche when it hit a wall at 70mph after skidding on oil during a sunshine break in Spain.

Darius Danesh, the singer who found fame on Pop Idol, has sadly passed away and tributes from friends and family are flooding in.

Darius took me under his wing during our time in Pop Idol, like a big brother; always looking out for me and for that I thank you my friend," Gareth added, "I will miss our chats. Simon Cowell, a former Pop Idol judge told PA news agency, "I first saw Darius on television over 20 years ago and I got to know him really well. "I can’t quite believe the news of my dear friend Darius passing. A statement from the family read, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh. Leading the emotional tributes to the late Darius, the singer's ex-wife Natasha Henstridge took to social media to share a post of them and their two sons, Tristan River and Asher Sky. Deepest condolences to his family," said the presenter.

Darius Campbell Danesh was the singer who came third on Pop Idol, behind Will Young and Gareth Gates, and looked to have the musical world at his feet. So ...

It left him in a neck brace and he told Hello! His brain later swelled up and he fell into a coma. He previously told the Herald newspaper that it was a "turbulent" relationship, and Darius was devastated when they filed for divorce a few years later. He told the Daily Record at the time that his real name was Darius Campbell-Danesh and revealed it wasn't his decision to drop the Campbell from his name, stating that TV producers made the decision for him. In 2010, Darius announced that he'd changed his surname to Campbell, saying he was very "proud" of his Scottish heritage and felt compelled to do so after his Scottish grandfather sang a song that brought tears to his eyes. Darius met his former wife when he moved from Scotland to the US and became a step-dad to her two young sons. He credited Cowell with persuading him to take on the role in the first place, saying he was "incredibly grateful" for the opportunities he had been given and "to be able to call Simon Cowell a friend". "He's the consummate businessman and a wonderful guy and there's a lot of Simon Cowell in Billy Flynn in terms of the way he approaches things and I recognise that in terms of the character," he said. "I suddenly got a shock, worrying that the water filters didn't work and that they had been sent off and that other people could have died because of this," he said. The singer was promoting a water filter for a charity in which he demonstrated the product. "When Simon Cowell offered me a contract and I turned it down, it seemed like the obvious thing to do," he said. [Hello magazine](https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2014062519567/darius-campbell-talks-turning-down-record-deal-with-simon-cowell/) that not hooking up with Cowell was the "obvious thing to do" and that the controversial decision had led to his success in the music industry.

The Scottish singer Darius Campbell Danesh, who has died suddenly aged 41, burst into the early world of reality television when he appeared on the talent ...

But Pop Idol set him on his way and he followed Colourblind in the singles chart with Rushes (2002) and Incredible (What I Meant to Say), the following year. A second album, Live Twice (2004), proved to be his final LP, hovering outside the Top 30, although it did produce two Top 10 singles, Kinda Love (2004) and the title track (2005). The following year, directed by Trevor Nunn, he starred as Rhett Butler in the original production of Gone With the Wind (New London theatre, 2008), Margaret Martin’s musical adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel. Then he toured with the company in Carmen, which included a performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Following his first stint in Chicago, he was taken seriously enough to be given the starring role of Sky Masterson in the director Michael Grandage’s Olivier award-winning production of Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly theatre, 2007). Darius wrote all the songs and it became a Top 10 hit that quickly fulfilled his vow to go platinum.

Darius Campbell Danesh was found dead in his US apartment on August 11, his family announced, with actress Natasha on Wednesday (17.08.22) sharing a series of ...

There is no known threat to the public.” Darius said about the split: “It was often a long-distance relationship for half of it. That in itself was an amazing experience, but a painful one. “The investigation into the cause of his death is still pending. A statement from Darius’ family about his passing said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh. “Darius was found unresponsive in bed in his apartment room in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 11 and was pronounced dead in the afternoon by the local medical examiners’ office.

Music producer and former Pop Idol judge Peter Waterman lamented the death of his friend Darius Danesh and noted that he was the perfect person.

He always called me Peter. He never called me Pete. He was so polite, and so talented.'

Darius died just eight days before his 42nd birthday but he certainly lived his life to the fullest in the weeks prior to his tragic passing.

"He was really excited about the reunion and was in talks with producers to appear on it. “It was going to be an hour-and a-half-long special hosted by Ant and Dec and full of nostalgia for the millions of Pop Idol fans. [The Mirror](https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/darius-final-days-before-tragic-27763349), In one beaming photo, a gracious Darius thrilled one concert-goer as he stopped to chat to her and pose for the selfie. He famously declined an offer from tycoon Simon Cowell to sign a record deal and instead worked on Colourblind himself with a music producer. It was an exciting time for the singer, who was reportedly looking forward to appearing in a Pop Idol reunion show just weeks before his tragic death. The Public Information Officer for the Rochester Police Department told the publication: “Officers responded to a deceased person call at 11.53am on August 11. Darius' family announced his tragic death in an emotional statement, which read: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh. The two had become friends when Darius moved over to America and headed out on June 11 [to walk his dog](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/last-photo-darius-shows-pop-27760087). Following the news of Darius' untimely death, a police dispatch call, obtained by He first appeared on our screens in show Popstars back in 2001, Darius went on to forge a stellar career over the past two decades. Plans were reportedly being made for filming at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End. The Colourblind singer delighted fans at a Rod Stewart Los Angeles gig he attended on June 14 - just nine weeks before his death.

The singer, 41, starred on 2002 talent show Pop Idol before having a string of hits and stage roles.

In an interview with Hello! magazine the same year, the star revealed he had been in a car crash in Spain, which had left him with a broken neck. "I came back with a willingness to learn from my mistakes and to simply share my voice and love of music," he added. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh," they said in a statement. You know, that doesn't inspire me." The final was watched by more than 13 million people. Actor Sanjeev Bhaskar tweeted: "Sad news of Darius' shockingly untimely passing.

The late singer starred on the talent show Pop Idol before having a string of hits and stage roles.

"I came back with a willingness to learn from my mistakes and to simply share my voice and love of music," he added. "So sad to hear the news of Darius's passing," she said. RIP." "Hugely enthusiastic, a passionate performer and proud Scotsman. He was an absolute gentleman & I know all of us who did Popstars with him will remember him with huge fondness. He had a way of bringing us all together & had such a natural warmth about him. You know, that doesn't inspire me." "How great! "He's the consummate businessman and a wonderful guy and there's a lot of Simon Cowell in Billy Flynn in terms of the way he approaches things, and I recognise that in terms of the character," he said. The final was watched by more than 13 million people. Our hearts go out to his lovely family. In a post on Instagram, he added: "He was one of the most beautiful, intelligent and gentle souls I was lucky enough to know, a soul that lit up every room."

A heartbreaking phone call was made to the police after Pop Idol star Darius Campbell Danesh was found unresponsive in his US apartment before he was ...

The Canadian actress and model, 48, who was married to the former Pop Idol star for two years from 2011 to 2013, penned: "I have found the paradox that is you love until it hurts. Gareth, 38, described his Pop Idol co-star as his 'big brother' as he penned: "I can’t quite believe the news of my dear friend Darius passing. Darius took me under his wing during our time in Pop Idol, like a big brother; always looking out for me and for that I thank you my friend. Forever Janam." "There are no words Darius… Forever in my heart." There is no known threat to the public.” We'll secure the residence." We'll be waiting for Rochester Police Department]to arrive on the scene. [ITV](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/itv) show Popstars in 2001 - also appeared on the first Pop Idol, which was won by [Will Young](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/will-young). [Darius Campbell Danesh](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/darius-danesh) died in his home at the age of 41, and a heartbreaking call has revealed the moment the Pop Idol star was found unresponsive in his US apartment. [confirming the tragic news in a statement](https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-darius-campbell-danesh-dead-27756667) on Tuesday, revealing that he had died 'suddenly'.

The singer, 41, starred on 2002 talent show Pop Idol before having a string of hits and stage roles.

He told the publication he felt like "the luckiest man alive", having been told by nurses he was 3mm from death. "I came back with a willingness to learn from my mistakes and to simply share my voice and love of music," he added. He was a guest on The Kumars and couldn't have been a nicer, warmer guest with a great sense of self deprecation." "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh," they said in a statement. In an interview with Hello! You know, that doesn't inspire me." "Darius was a lovely bloke," added broadcaster James O'Brien. "He's the consummate businessman and a wonderful guy and there's a lot of Simon Cowell in Billy Flynn in terms of the way he approaches things, and I recognise that in terms of the character," he said. The final was watched by more than 13 million people. "How great! "Imagine, I could have done a cover of Gareth's cover of Robson and Jerome's cover of the Righteous Brothers," he joked. "I look back at it all with fond memories, and with deep appreciation of the support of the British public at a time when I first went through Popstars - I made mistakes and I was too cocky and I didn't have humility," he said.