Will Young pays tribute to 'courageous' Darius Campbell Danesh on what would have been his 42nd birthday
Will Young has offered a heartfelt tribute to his late Pop Idol co-star Darius Campbell Danesh on what would have been the singer's 42nd birthday.
It was announced on Tuesday by Campbell Danesh's family that he had been found dead at his US apartment on 11 August, leaving friends and fans shocked by the tragic news.
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Many of the Scottish singer's famous friends and co-stars have paid tribute to him and now Young, 43, who won the ITV series Pop Idol where Campbell Danesh came third, has added his thoughts.
Posting on Instagram on Friday, which would have been Campbell Danesh's 42nd birthday, Young wrote: “For the past few days my thoughts have been with Darius’s family and will continue to be so.
“I found this picture a while ago taken during Pop Idol. If there was ever an example of not giving up on your dreams then Darius is top of the pile.
“Driven, courageous and gentle. My love goes to his family at this time x”
He shared a photo of them in their early days of fame, laughing and with their arms around each other's shoulders.
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Actor Gerard Butler has also shared a lengthy statement about his late friend, saying he was "devastated by the sudden passing of my dear friend Darius, a true brother in arms".
He also added: "He had the heart of a lion. It was bigger and brighter than the sun and an energy so contagious he could light up a room in seconds."
Meanwhile, as Chris Martin ended a Coldplay gig at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday night he told the crowd: "We are going to send love from Wembley out to the world. We are going to send to Darius’ family – our old friend Darius – and to Ukraine."
Other tributes have come from Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman, Ant and Dec, and Campbell Danesh's ex-wife, actor Nathasha Henstridge.
Watch: Gerard Butler pays tribute to Darius Campbell Danesh
