Darius Campbell Danesh - previously Darius Campbell - first shot to fame on Popstars before becoming a household name on Pop Idol a year later. The hit show, which eventually became The X-Factor, saw Darius offered a record deal from Simon Cowell after coming third on the show.
He came third behind Will Young and Gareth Gates in 2002 and went on to become a West End star, starring in Chicago, Guys and Dolls, Gone With The Wind, From Here to Eternity and alongside Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl in 2016. But the star - who has died aged 41 - stunned his fans when he turned the contract down.
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He proved doubters wrong as he went on to produce five top 10 singles including his number one hit, Colourblind, and a platinum debut album, Dive In.
His family announced today (Aug 16) that the theatre star, who split his time between Scotland and LA, was tragically found dead in his US apartment.
Speaking to Hello! about his time on Pop Idol, Darius said that turning down the contract was the 'obvious' thing to do.
Instead, he went on to work with producer Steve Lillywhite, who collaborated with him on Colourblind, which shot to number one.
He told the magazine: "I was lucky because when I auditioned, nobody knew what Pop Idol would be, or that it would become The X Factor.
"All I cared about was getting a record deal and releasing songs I’d written. 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."
In a statement confirming his death, his 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."
