The singer was found dead in his US apartment in Minnesota on August 11, but the cause of his death is still unknown. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell Danes,” his family said in a statement. “The local police department confirmed that there was no evidence of intent or suspicious circumstances. The cause of his sudden death is unknown at this stage while medical examinations are ongoing. “We ask that you kindly respect our wishes for privacy at this time while we come to terms with the tragic loss of our son and brother.” Born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and Iranian father, Mr Campbell Danesh was the eldest of three boys and attended Bearsden Primary School before studying English literature and philosophy at Edinburgh University. He made his first bid for fame on ITV’s Popstars in 2001 and went on to appear on the first Pop Idol, which was won by Will Young. His debut single, Colourblind, was released in July 2002 and went straight to number one in the charts. The Scottish singer-songwriter went on to a successful career, appearing in West End shows such as Chicago, where he played Billy Flynn, Guys And Dolls and Gone With The Wind. Speaking about his role as Flynn, the actor previously said he based his performance on his old mentor and Pop Idol judge Simon Cowell. Mr Campbell Danesh starred alongside Ugly Betty star America Ferrera in the Prohibition-era Chicago musical and said: “He’s the perfect businessman and a great guy and there’s a lot of Simon Cowell in Billy Flynn in the way he approaches things . and I recognize it in character.’ Image: Darius Campbell Danesh. Photo: James Gourley/Shutterstock Mr Cowell convinced him to take 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”. After coming third on Pop Idol, he won the first series of ITV’s Popstar To Operastar competition in 2010, beating Bernie Nolan of the Nolan Sisters in a close final. A few months after his win, which was judged by Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins and Mexican-born tenor Rolando Villazon, he landed his first major operatic role in a production of Carmen at London’s O2 Arena, playing the title role of the toreador Escamillo. In the same year, Mr. Campbell Danesh spoke to Hello! magazine about a car accident in which he broke his neck. He was a passenger in a Porsche when it crashed into a wall at 70mph in Spain after skidding in oil. In 2011, he married Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge, known for her role in the science fiction film Species, in Santa Barbara, California. However, the couple divorced a few years later. After both his parents were diagnosed with cancer and recovered, he became a supporter of many charities, including Cancer Research UK.
