What happened to Darius? Colourblind singer’s career after Pop Idol, wife Natasha Henstridge - cause of death

Darius Campbell-Danesh, a former Pop Idol contestant and theatre star, has died at the age of 41, his family have announced.

A family statement said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Darius Campbell -Danesh.”

But what happened to him in the years since his rise to Pop Idol fame, and what was the cause of his death?

Here is everything you need to know.

What happened to Dairus since Pop Idol?

Danesh, from Glasgow, rose to prominence on ITV’s Popstars in 2001, before reaching the finals of Pop Idol with Gareth Gates and Will Young a year later.

He turned down a record deal from Simon Cowell and instead signed with producer Steve Lillywhite.

Danesh’s first single, ‘Colourblind’, debuted at number one in July 2002 and remained there for two weeks.

His debut album, ‘Dive In,’ was certified platinum, and he went on to have five top 10 singles and a gold-certified second album.

Danesh published ‘Sink or Swim,’ a book about the difficulties of working in the music industry, in 2004 - it was a Sunday Times sixth best seller.

Danesh became a stage star after a successful music career, appearing in Guys and Dolls, Gone with the Wind and two West End runs of Chicago.

He co-starred in Chicago with Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera, and credited Cowell with convincing him to take on the role in the first place.

At the age of 25, he was the youngest performer to play Billy Flynn since the show’s Broadway debut in 1975.

Danesh’s connection to musical theatre would continue, and in 2010, he was crowned the winner of ITV’s first series of Popstar To Operastar, beating Bernie Nolan of the Nolan Sisters in a close final.

He earned his first major opera part just a few months after winning the show - which included Welsh vocalist Katherine Jenkins and Mexican-born tenor Rolando Villazon as judges - when he was cast in a production of Carmen at London’s O2 Arena.

Was he married?

In 2010, Danesh told Hello! magazine about a car accident in which he broke his neck; the musician was a passenger in a Porsche that crashed into a wall at 70 mph after slipping on a patch of oil during a sun holiday in Spain.

In February 2011, the Glaswegian married Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge, whose films include the science-fiction hit Species.

The pair were wed at the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, but divorced a few years later.

How did he die?

Danesh was discovered dead in his US apartment - the cause of death is unknown.

“Darius was found unresponsive in bed in his apartment room in Rochester, Minnesota, on 11 August and was pronounced dead in the afternoon by the local medical examiners’ office,” his family’s statement said.

“The local police department has 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.”

Danesh fell into a near-fatal coma in 2017 after drinking contaminated water from the River Thames.

He was reportedly demonstrating water filter bottle tops for the Fresh2O safe drinking charity, and though the top in question was a demonstration model, he contracted meningitis and a brain edema - when the brain swells to be larger than the skull - as a result.

What was his net worth?

Danesh’s net worth has not been confirmed, although online estimates put his value at between $15 - $16 million (£12.4 - £13.2 million).