S Club 7's Paul Cattermole dies 'unexpectedly' aged 46
Original S Club 7 band member Paul Cattermole had been due to join his former bandmates for a 25th reunion tour in October.
Friday 7 April 2023 17:58, UK
S Club 7's Paul Cattermole has died at the age of 46.
The singer, whose cause of death is currently unknown, was found dead on Thursday afternoon at his home in Dorset.
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His unexpected death comes just weeks after the group announced it was going on a major reunion tour.
A statement from his family and S Club 7 said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of our beloved son and brother Paul Cattermole.
"Paul was found yesterday, 6th April 2023 at his home in Dorset and was pronounced dead later that afternoon.
"While the cause of death is currently unknown, Dorset Police has confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances.
"Paul's family, friends and fellow members of S Club request privacy at this time".
A statement on the S Club social media accounts said: "We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul. There are no words to describe the deep sadness and loss we all feel.
"We were so lucky to have had him in our lives and are thankful for the amazing memories we have.
"He will be so deeply missed by each and every one of us. We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and of the band at this time."
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Tributes paid to 'gentle and shy' S Club 7 star
The band - made up of original members Rachel Stevens, Bradley McIntosh, Hannah Spearritt, Jo O'Meara, Jon Lee, Tina Barrett and Cattermole - was due to be reuniting in October for an 11-date 25th anniversary tour of the UK and Ireland.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the seven-piece pop group, which was created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, had hits including Reach, Don't Stop Movin' and Bring It All Back.
The band was also known for the BBC children TV shows Miami 7 and LA 7, which saw the seven bandmates play fictionalised versions of themselves.
Cattermole had twice been in a relationship with his fellow band member Spearritt, first in 2001 for five years, then again in 2015 for several months.
The band was together from 1998 until 2003 when they disbanded, but Cattermole left the band in the summer of 2002, forming a nu metal band with old school friends. However, his new band split the following year after failing to sign with a record label.
During S Club's five years together they produced four studio albums and topped the charts with singles including Never Had A Dream Come True and Have You Ever.
Following the band's break-up, McIntosh, O'Meara and Cattermole became members of the spin-off group S Club Allstars, previously S Club 3, with Barrett joining them in 2014.
The same year, the full band briefly returned to the spotlight with a medley of their best-known songs for a 2014 BBC Children In Need appeal.
In 2015 they again reunited for their Bring It All Back tour, with Cattermole saying he used earnings from the tour to pay off bankruptcy debts.
He had spoken openly about the financial difficulties he had faced after leaving the band, selling the Brit award he won for best newcomer for £66,000 on eBay in 2018, saying he had "bills to pay".
Later speaking about the sale of his Britannia statuette, he told NME he had struggled to find work after a back injury which he said he'd suffered while touring the UK with The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
While some of Cattermole's S Club bandmates had gone on to appear in reality shows including I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing On Ice, he said despite approaching producers he had been turned down.
He said: "I'm not famous enough, apparently... I've been told this by many of these reality TV shows - they just don't want me."
Paying tribute, television presenter and DJ Vernon Kay said Cattermole "always had time for a chat" and the news was "so very sad".
Kay, who will take over Ken Bruce's Radio 2 slot later this year, wrote on Twitter: "From when I first started in TV all the way through CBBC, T4, TOTP, smash hits poll winners Paul and [S Club] were always there."
Former S Club manager Simon Fuller also paid tribute, saying he was "deeply shocked and saddened" by news of Cattermole's death, and calling him "a beacon of light for a generation of pop music fans," adding "he will be greatly missed".
Away from the pop he was famous for, Cattermole, who was originally from St Albans, Hertfordshire, had spoken of wanting to record a Motown album.