Paul Cattermole, the singer who found huge success with pop group S Club 7, has died aged 46.
A statement from his family said he was found at home in Dorset on Thursday and pronounced dead later that day. No cause of death was given, but police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances.
The band paid tribute, writing:
We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul. There are no words to describe the deep sadness and loss we all feel. We were so lucky to have had him in our lives and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. He will be so deeply missed by each and every one of us. We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and of the band at this time.
The Hertfordshire-born singer was to be part of a recently announced reunion for the group, who had four UK No 1 singles including Don’t Stop Movin’ and Bring It All Back. He had been pictured walking outdoors in good spirits on Wednesday, in pictures published by the Daily Mail.
Cattermole auditioned for S Club 7, a septet manufactured by svengali Simon Fuller, in 1998. They initially courted a young audience through the children’s TV show Miami 7 in 1999. Their debut single Bring It All Back – its buoyant, positive mood typical of the band’s hits – followed, setting off a remarkable run of success: all 11 of their singles reached the UK Top 5. Their 2000 song Never Had a Dream Come True was also a hit in the US, reaching No 10.
Cattermole’s musical tastes ended up chafing against S Club 7’s perky pop, and he quit in 2002 to form the unsuccessful metal band Skua. S Club 7 split the following year.
In 2008, Cattermole reunited with bandmates Jo O’Meara and Bradley McIntosh to form S Club 3, who didn’t release new material but performed live across the UK. The full band reunited in 2015 for an arena tour – later described by Cattermole as “difficult: not everyone in the band sees eye to eye” – and then again in February this year, announcing a tour to begin in October. “It feels amazing to announce that we’re reuniting and performing together again,” the group said. “Music and friendship have always been at the core of everything that we’ve ever done.”
Cattermole was frank about the difficulties he faced after S Club 7’s success. Prior to the 2015 reunion, he had been declared bankrupt and his income from the tour went towards clearing his debts: “I paid £36,000 to HMRC but the lawyers’ fees were about 40-something,” he said in 2018. “I didn’t let anyone down on not paying my share. We would be playing in arenas to 20,000 people just after I’d had conversations on the phone like: ‘We need £10,000 right now!’ Then I’d have to go out and do Reach for the Stars.”
After the 2015 tour, he was injured in a touring production of The Rocky Horror Show and the loss of income prompted him to put a Brit award that S Club 7 had won in 2000 for best British newcomer up for auction. It sold for £66,100 on eBay, with Cattermole saying: “The amount of messages has absolutely overwhelmed me... I have really enjoyed the process.”
In recent years he had worked various jobs in Dorset, including as a community radio manager. He also provided tarot card readings and offered his services as a “psychic, clairvoyant and spirit coach”.
Cattermole had a relationship with S Club 7 band member Hannah Spearritt from 2001 to 2006, after a romance between the two was written into the TV show Hollywood 7. “It didn’t feel [forced] because I had totally grown into the idea, quite quickly. I thought she was great,” he told the Guardian in 2019.
Those paying tribute included TV host Lorraine Kelly, who wrote: “This is so sad. Lovely man and he was so looking forward to the S Club 7 reunion. Interviewed them all many times and struck by how gentle and shy he was.”
