British actor and reality star Paul Danan has died at age 46.
Representatives for Danan confirmed the news on Thursday, January 16, writing via Instagram, “It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of Paul Danan at just 46 years old. Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many. His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him.”
A cause of death was not revealed in the statement from Independent Creative Management. “During this difficult time, we kindly request respect and privacy for Paul’s family, friends, and colleagues. No further comments will be made at this time,” the post concluded.
Danan’s former Celebrity Big Brother costar Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace paid tribute following the news of his death.
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“Paul Danan… a friend of mine… I’m so shocked and heartbroken…. my darling man… I will cherish all our happy memories,” she wrote via Instagram. “RIP u beautiful amazing talented human.”
Michael Greco, known for his role on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, took to X with a message of his own. “So, so sad to read about the passing of Paul Danan. In this day and age of falsities and fake people, he was a genuine and caring man who just wanted to please everyone,” he wrote. “A lovely warm man that will be missed by many. R.I.P. Buddy.”
Danan rose to stardom while playing Sol Patrick on Hollyoaks from 1997 to 2001. He also appeared on British children’s shows The Queen’s Nose and The Basil Brush Show before being cast on the medical drama Casualty.
After finding success with scripted projects, Danan became a fixture of reality TV in the U.K. He appeared on Come Dine With Me, Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother. He is survived by his 8-year-old son, Deniro.
Less than one year before his death, Danan was hospitalized for respiratory failure in June 2024. He told the U.K.’s The Sun at the time that he spent a week in intensive care due to his vaping addiction.
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“I’m upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed,” he recalled. “My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital. I was on a machine in [the] ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night. I’m so lucky.”
Danan’s doctor “was so, so harsh” following the health scare. “She told me, ‘Paul, you don’t know how serious this was and you are going to be in here for a while now, on this oxygen,’” he added. “She said if I ever smoke in any form again I risk being linked to an oxygen tank later on in life. She said that’s it now.”.
Danan’s final social media post before his death was an audition tape for the character of Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve gone near a bit of the Master that is Our pioneer Sir William Shakespeare,” he captioned the video earlier this month. “You forget what a Genius he really was and remember how beautiful and exhilarating it is when you get stuck in to tackling his work. It’s an amazing experience! I forget sometimes how much i need to be awoken.”
