Singer Darius Campbell Danesh, who rose to fame on ITV talent show Pop Idol, has sadly died at the age of 41.
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His family confirmed the news with a statement that reads: "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 examiner's office."
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It added that the local police department have confirmed that there were no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances and the cause of his sudden death is unknown at this stage.
The singer's family confirmed the sad news
"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," it concluded.
The Scottish-born singer became a household name in the early noughties after appearing on the British talent competition Pop Stars before making it all the way to the final of Pop Idol.
© Photo: Getty ImagesDarius rose to fame after appearing on Pop Stars and Pop Idol
While he finished behind Will Young and Gareth Gates, he blew viewers away with his voice and went on to sign a record deal with producer Steve Lillywhite. His debut single, Colourblind, was released in 2002 and shot straight to number one in the UK.
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In 2010, he returned to ITV to appear on the competition series Popstar to Operastar, which he won after being coached by tenor Rolando Villazón.
He later became a West End star, appearing in musicals such as Chicago, Funny Girl and Guys and Dolls before moving to the US with his wife Natasha Henstridge in 2011. The two separated in 2017.
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