Paul Cattermole: S Club 7 star was in 'near poverty' before untimely death at 46 - where did his money go?

S Club 7 star Paul Cattermole was "near poverty" before his untimely death at the age of 46 in April 2023.

That’s according to a source who told The Sun the pop star was "not doing well financially" when he died with “lots of debts” and "without a will”.

“People who knew Paul might not be surprised by how little he left,” the source said at the time, “although it is shocking a member of the group would not be well-off."

They added that it was "absolutely terrible that S Club made tens or hundreds of millions but Paul died like this, in near poverty.”

According to the report, the singer left behind assets totalling £35,773, but he also owed more than £20,000 in bills and debts. After paying off what he owed, this left him with just £15,489.

Cattermole had previously expressed his surprise at how little money the band made in the early 2000s, when they were at their peak, and openly voiced his displeasure over record executives making far more money than he or his bandmates.

Each band member reportedly made only £150,000 a year, despite their record label allegedly making millions from their success as the group sold millions of songs worldwide, secured major endorsement deals and were featured on popular TV shows.

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Like many artists from the late 1990s and early 2000s, Cattermole and S Club 7 may have seen a decline in royalties from record sales and music streaming as the industry evolved - especially true if he did not have significant songwriting credits, or if he signed unfavourable contracts.

After S Club 7 disbanded in 2003, Cattermole attempted a solo career but did not achieve the same level of success as he did with the group.

Speaking on ITV’s Loose Women in 2019, Cattermole said he had intended to increase his income by making appearances on well-known reality shows like Dancing On Ice and Strictly, saying: "I've wanted to be on them... but they haven't wanted me for whatever reason."

Before his death, Cattermole had been open about his struggles with mental health issues - including anxiety and depression - challenges which may have affected his ability to work consistently and manage his finances effectively. In 2015, he also suffered a back injury, which he claimed hindered his ability to work.