Entertainment
Ant and Dec pay tribute to Darius Campbell Danesh after Pop Idol star’s death: ‘We had many laughs with him’-Charlotte Manning-Entertainment – Metro
The Geordie duo presented Pop Idol for two series.
Ant and Dec said ‘our hearts go out to his lovely family’ (Picture: REX / Getty)
Former Pop Idol presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have shared a heartfelt tribute to Darius Campbell Danesh after his death aged 41.
Campbell Danesh’s death was confirmed on Tuesday by his family, after he was found ‘unresponsive’ on August 11 at his US apartment in Rochester, Minnesota.
The pair shared a statement on their joint Twitter account on Wednesday morning, recalling the fun they had with him during his time on singing contest.
They penned: ‘We are very sorry to hear of the passing of Darius Campbell Danesh at such a tragically young age.
‘We had many laughs with him on his Pop Idol journey. Our hearts go out to his lovely family. #RIP.’
He then appeared on the first series of Pop Idol in 2002, which was won by Will Young, performing songs including Atomic Kitten’s Whole Again.
Ant and Dec presented the show for two series (Picture: Fremantle Media/REX/Shutterstock)
Tributes have poured in for the late singer, from stars including Pop Idol’s Gareth Gates, Simon Cowell, and Campbell Danesh’s ex-wife, Natasha Henstridge.
The Scot reached the final three of Pop Idol, famously turning down an offer from Simon Cowell and signing a deal with producer Steve Lillywhite.
Darius won over the nation when he appeared on Pop Idol (Picture: Fremantle Media/Shutterstock)
Campbell Danesh’s debut single, Colourblind, was released in 2002 and shot straight to number one in the UK. He went on to release his debut album, Dive In.
Overall, he achieved five top 10 singles in the UK chart.
Former Pop Idol judge Nicki Chapman was also quick to pay tribute on Tuesday evening, tweeting: ‘There will only ever be one Darius Campbell Danesh.
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‘A true gent with a kind soul & mischievous tinkle in his eye. From that eventful first audition on Popstars to him kindly inviting me to see him perform on the West End stage Thoughts are with his family at this sad time.’
His cause of death is not yet known but a statement from his loved ones confirmed local police had ruled out any ‘signs of intent or suspicious circumstances’.
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MORE : Darius Campbell Danesh was at the top of the charts with Colourblind exactly 20 years ago
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