Darius Campbell Danesh: Pop Idol star died in US apartment block near Mayo Clinic

Pop Idol star Darius Campbell Danesh was found dead in an apartment block where short-term residents often work or receive treatment at the famous Mayo Clinic hospital which is opposite, MailOnline can reveal today.

The death of the Scottish singer-songwriter and actor aged just 41 in the US was announced by his family yesterday, five days after he was discovered unresponsive in his bed in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 11.

Darius was living at The Berkman apartments, a two-year-old building situated across seven floors that is billed as Rochester’s ‘premier address for elegant short term and long-term furnished suites and residential living’.

Most of the tenants who live at The Berkman – which has about 270 long-term rentals and 75 short-term or nightly rentals – work or are being treated at the Mayo Clinic’s 1,265-bed Saint Marys Campus across the road.

The campus – which opened in 1889, has 70 operating rooms and ten intensive care units – specialises in cardiac treatment, transplants, epilepsy monitoring, neonatal intensive care, psychiatry, neurosurgery and rehabilitation.

The Berkman is specifically marketed as being near the hospital, with its website title being ‘Berkman Apartments across from Mayo Clinic’ and its description saying: ‘Directly across from Mayo Clinic’s Saint Marys Hospital’. 

Rochester Police Department said it responded to a ‘deceased person call’ at 11.53am on August 11 at The Berkman, and the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person as Darius. 

It is yet not known whether Darius had any link to the Mayo Clinic. A Rochester Police Department spokesman said: ‘The investigation into the cause of his death is still pending. There is no known threat to the public.’

A police dispatch call was placed when a ‘medical’ team was requested for a ‘possible deceased’ person, reported The Sun. Another call was allegedly made minutes later from an operator saying: ‘No need for them to respond. We’ll be waiting for RPD [Rochester Police Department] to arrive on the scene. We’ll secure the residence.’

Darius was thought to have been just weeks away from a reunion tour with his former Pop Idol co-stars, with sources close to him claiming that he had been hugely ‘excited’ for the homecoming and UK comeback trip.

Stars of the show from across the world, including Queen singer and American Idol winner Adam Lambert, were due to be invited back with Thames TV filming at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End, reported The Sun.

Police have said there were ‘no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances’ as of yet while they await toxicology reports. Darius lived in the US and had been in a relationship with Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge. 

The couple married in 2011 at the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, but had since divorced. His former wife wrote in a statement yesterday: ‘There are no words Darius… only Love Love Love. Forever Janam.’

A statement from Darius’s family said: ‘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.

Simon Cowell, 63, led the tributes to the late singer he first met in 2002 when he finished in third place on Pop Idol. 

The music mogul released a statement honouring the star who passed exactly 20 years after he topped the charts with his critically-acclaimed single Colourblind.

Darius famously turned down a record deal from Cowell but the two have remained friendly over the years and reunited at an X Factor party and recording. 

It was also revealed that the late star recently visited Simon’s home in Malibu for the evening to attend the party and judges’ homes filming.

Cowell told MailOnline: ‘I first saw Darius on television over 20 years ago and I got to know him really well. He was charismatic, funny and just a great person to be with.

‘His passing, for someone so young, is an absolute tragedy and my heart goes out to his family and friends.’

Among the last people to be pictured with Darius before his death was actor and friend Gerard Butler, who had frequented Rochester – a small urban city with a population of around 117,000 – in recent months.

Despite finishing in third place on Pop Idol, Cowell clearly saw Darius’s star quality and still offered him a deal, but the singer claimed it was the ‘obvious choice’ to reject it.

Darius previously told Hello! of that incident: ‘When Simon Cowell offered me a contract and I turned it down, it seemed like the obvious thing to do. I understand why people thought I was mad to do it, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have a number one with Colourblind.

‘I would just have been doing covers and then nobody would have heard of me ever again. I’m so lucky to be able to do what I love without having to beat to the drum of having someone else telling you what to wear and how to act.’

Following the news that the Scottish singer had passed away, a series of stars took to social media to offer their sympathies, including Lorraine Kelly, Adele Roberts and Rylan.

His Popstars alumni Jessica Pietersen and Michelle Heaton – who featured on the show in 2001 – were also among those stars paying tribute following the tragic news.

Singer Myleen Klass, who also shot to fame on Popstars with her band Hear’Say, posted following his tragic passing and honoured him with a throwback image, titled: ‘Back where it all began.’

Gareth Gates, 38, who also appeared on Pop Idol in 2002 where he pipped the late star to second place, honoured Darius with a heartfelt post after his tragic death was confirmed by relatives in an emotional statement.

He said: ‘I can’t quite believe the news of my dear friend Darius passing. I’m heartbroken. Darius took me under his wing during our time in Pop Idol, like a big brother; always looking out for me and for that I thank you my friend.

‘I will miss our chats. He was one of the most beautiful, intelligent and gentle souls I was lucky enough to know, a soul that lit up every room. Goodbye my friend. For ever in my heart.’

Darius first shot to fame when he appeared on Popstars in 2001 before going on to defy critics and enjoy a successful music and theatre career.

In a performance regarded by most as cringey when it aired at the time, Darius garnered attention for his cover of Britney Spears’s Hit Me Baby One More Time sporting his memorable ponytail and goatee on the ITV talent show.

After Pop Idol in 2002, he turned down Cowell’s offer of a record deal and signed with producer Steve Lillywhite, whose credits include U2 and the Rolling Stones.

His debut single, Colourblind, was released in July 2002 and went straight to number one, marking the start of a run of top 10 releases.

As the accolades began pouring in for the acclaimed singer and songwriter’s career, his first solo album Dive In went platinum, while his first West End stage appearance came as Billy Flynn in the iconic Chicago.

He lived in the US and found love with Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge, whose films include sci-fi hit Species.

The couple married in 2011 at the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, but were divorced a few years later. 

He previously told the Scottish Herald: ‘That relationship was certainly not without its ups and downs. Over the course of 12 years, we broke up many times and had a period of six months apart

‘It was often a long-distance relationship for half of it. That in itself was an amazing experience, but a painful one. When you love someone you want to be with them.’

And in 2010, he spoke to Hello! about a car crash in which he broke his neck. The singer had been a passenger in a Porsche when it hit a wall at 70mph after skidding on oil during a sunshine break in Spain.

Darius was left seriously ill in 2017 when he collapsed and went into a near-fatal coma after drinking from the River Thames while promoting water filters for the Frech2o safe drinking charity.

After collapsing with bacterial meningitis and severe brain swelling, the Glaswegian was placed in a coma, waking to find his mother Avril Danesh – herself undergoing chemo and radiotherapy for breast cancer – in tears at his bedside.

Following his third-placed finish in Pop Idol, he went on to win the first series of ITV’s Popstar To Operastar contest, beating Bernie Nolan of the Nolan Sisters in a close final.

A few months after his win on the ITV show, which featured Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins and Mexican-born tenor Rolando Villazon as judges, he landed his first major opera role as he was cast in a new production of Carmen at London’s O2 Arena.

He took on the principal role of toreador Escamillo in the production, for a one-off performance which marked the first ever opera at the venue at the time.

Darius later cemented his creative credentials after working as the co-executive director on the Daniel Radcliffe thriller Imperium in 2016, then Tomorrow in 2018.

The singer made friends along the way, being pictured with actors including fellow Scot Gerard Butler in June this year. In 2019, he was pictured enjoying a low-key stroll with unlikely pal actress Rebel Wilson in Portofino, Italy.

In 2011, speaking about reprising the role of Chicago’s scheming lawyer Flynn, he said he had based his portrayal of the character on his old mentor and Pop Idol judge, Cowell.

Darius starred opposite Ugly Betty star America Ferrera in the musical set in prohibition-era Chicago, and said: ‘He’s the consummate businessman and a wonderful guy and there’s a lot of Simon Cowell in Billy Flynn in terms of the way he approaches things and I recognise that in terms of the character.’

He credited Cowell with persuading him to take on the role in Chicago in the first place.

He said: ‘I’m incredibly grateful for the experiences I’ve had and all the opportunities that it opened up and to be able to call Simon Cowell a friend and to be able to have dinner with him.’

Darius had also been an ambassador for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice.

He was born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and Iranian father. The eldest of three boys, he attended Bearsden Primary School before studying English literature and philosophy at the University of Edinburgh.

Although he found fame as Darius Danesh, he later changed his name to incorporate his mother Avril’s maiden name, Campbell, after an emotional visit to his grandfather in a Paisley nursing home made him reflect on his Scottish heritage.

He became a supporter of cancer charities including Cancer Research UK after both his parents were diagnosed with cancer and recovered.

He said: ‘I’m incredibly grateful for the experiences I’ve had and all the opportunities that it opened up and to be able to call Simon Cowell a friend and to be able to have dinner with him.’