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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Connie Rusk

Darius 'was booked into hotel where he died under pal Gerard Butler's girlfriend's name'

Darius Campbell Danesh used his friend Gerard Butler's girlfriend's name to book into the hotel room where he tragically died, it has been reported.

The Pop Idol singer was tragically found dead in his bed at the apartment on August 11. He was just days away from his 42nd birthday.

The Colourblind hitmaker had formed a close friendship with fellow Scot Gerard, 52, with the pair pictured heading out on a dog walk in the weeks prior to his death.

Darius used Gerard's partner's name Morgan Brown as a guise to check in to the apartment in Rochester, Minnesota, according to Mail Online.

Using false names is common for celebrities to not attract unwanted attention, with Darius appearing to use Morgan's moniker to conceal his identity.

Darius was found unresponsive in bed at his apartment in Rochester, Minnesota (Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
The Pop Idol singer, 41, is said to have used Gerard's partner's name Morgan Brown to check in (Getty Images)

Mirror Online has contacted Gerard's representatives for comment.

In one of the final snaps of the late star - taken just weeks before he died - Darius could be seen enjoying a walk barefoot with the P.S I Love You actor near Gerard's Malibu home.

Wearing a flat cap and rolled up khaki trousers in the photo, which was taken on June 11, Darius walked a dog as he carried a pair of boots as 300 star Gerard walked alongside him with a pair of trainers slung over his shoulder.

Following his rise to fame in the U.K in the early 00s - appearing on both Popstars and Pop Idol before going on to wow on the West End - Darius eventually headed over to America where he found love, critical success and a number of showbiz pals.

Darius' apartment is situated opposite St Mary's Mayo Clinic, which is the top rated hospital in the US (MayoClinic.Org)

Gerard was said to have visited Darius at the block of flats "a few times", with a source telling The Sun: "I saw Gerard around a few times - I think he was supporting his friend."

Darius' family could face an agonising two-month wait before discovering the star's cause of death.

Local police in the area said there were "no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances" and said they are awaiting toxicology results, but they could take up to two months.

A police spokesman said: "The investigation into the cause of his death is still pending. There is no known threat to the public."

Darius rose to fame on Pop Idol back in 2001 (Fremantle Media/REX/Shutterstock)

Fans of the former singer-turned-actor pointed out on Wednesday that the area in which he lived was an obscure choice.

He had been staying at The Berkman apartments, billed as Rochester’s premier address for “elegant short-term and long-term furnished suites and residential living”. Most tenants who live at the block of flats work or are being treated at the Mayo Clinic nearby.

The Mayo Clinic is ranked among the top hospitals in the world, and has treated prominent figures, including Muhammad Ali, Johnny Cash, and Ronald Reagan.

It is well known for its pioneering research into cancer and heart surgery, and face transplants.

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