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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Connie Rusk

Darius' final days - Rod Stewart gig and dog walk with Gerard Butler before tragic death

Pop Idol star Darius Campbell Danesh's sudden death aged just 41 has devastated fans across the globe, with his cause of death later ruled as a result of "inhalation of chloroethane".

The singer was found dead in his bed at his flat in Minnesota last Thursday, his heartbroken family announced in a statement.

Having propelled to fame on the BBC show Popstars back in 2001, Darius went on to forge a stellar career over the past two decades.

Dying just eight days before his 42nd birthday, Darius' death shocked fans around the world.

Now, Darius' girlfriend Lauren Cheek has revealed the results from his autopsy, which showed his heart swelled to twice its normal size and the singer had a broken neck, a result of a 2010 car crash.

Darius lived life to the fullest in the weeks prior to his tragic passing as the West End star delighted fans at a Rod Stewart Los Angeles gig he attended on June 14 - just nine weeks before his death.

Darius enjoyed a walk with Gerard Butler just weeks before his death (Maciel-Ngre / BACKGRID)
The singer delighted a fan when he posed for a selfie at a Rod Stewart gig in LA in June (Instagram)

In one beaming photo, a gracious Darius thrilled one concert-goer as he stopped to chat to her and pose for the selfie.

Despite being on the phone, the Colourblind hitmaker stopped to pose for the snap as they stood in a queue for the concert.

Darius rocked a baseball cap and khaki jacket as he grinned for the camera next to the female fan.

Just days prior, the TV star had hung out with his Hollywood pal Gerard Butler.

The two had become friends when Darius moved over to America and headed out on June 11 to walk his dog.

Darius appeared to find his boots a bit hot as he was walking barefoot, with his chinos rolled up.

Darius lived life to the fullest in the weeks prior to his tragic passing (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

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 41-year-old was rumoured to duet alongside Will Young and Gareth Gates in a special show being made imminently in Britain.

Plans were reportedly being made for filming at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End.

"He was really excited about the reunion and was in talks with producers to appear on it. They were looking at getting filming started around the end of September,” the friend told The Sun.

"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.

"I spoke to Darius recently and he was in good spirits — he was his usual happy self."

Darius' cause of death was later determined as a result of 'inhalation of chloroethane' (Dave Benett/Getty Images)
He was reportedly excited for a Pop Idol reunion (PA)

The one-off special was said to include never-before-seen footage, while "Will and Gareth were being lined up for a duet," according to the source.

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.

"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.

"The local police department have confirmed that there were no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances.

"The cause of his sudden death is unknown at this stage while medical examinations continue.

"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."

Following the news of Darius' untimely death, a police dispatch call, obtained by The Sun, reveals a call was placed at 11.53am when a 'medical' team was requested for a 'possible deceased' person.

A few moments later, another call came through from an operator saying: "No need for them to respond. We'll be waiting for Rochester Police Department] to arrive on the scene. We'll secure the residence."

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.

"The Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person as Darius Campbell, age 41.

"The investigation into the cause of his death is still pending," the statement concluded.

Darius saw success when he came third on Pop Idol behind Will and Gareth in 2002.

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 a UK number one and his album Dive In also ranked in the UK top 10.

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