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FINAL DAYS
Paul Cattermole told a fan he was ‘buzzing’ for S Club 7 reunion the day before he was found dead in his home
S Club 7 star Paul Cattemrmole told a fan the day before he was found dead that he was “buzzing” at the prospect of performing with his bandmates again and promised: “It’ll be brilliant.”
The 46-year-old singer, in one of his last conversations, was said to be “smiley and upbeat” ahead of the group’s reunion tour in October.
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Tragically, Paul was found dead at his flat the following day, leaving the rest of the band, including his ex Hannah Spearritt “numb”.
They pledged to press on with the tour yesterday which will include a special tribute to Paul, who quit the band in 2002 before they eventually split the following year.
The fan, a man who bumped into Paul close to his flat at lunchtime on Wednesday, said: “I was a big fan of S Club back in the day — they were my era — and I particularly liked the girls.
“But I knew Paul lived in the area and he was very happy and chatty when I introduced myself.
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“He told me the band were going back on tour and couldn’t hide how excited he was about it. He was beaming when he said, ‘I’m going to smash it — it will be brilliant!’”
The fan said they parted with a friendly handshake when the star told him he was heading off for lunch with a friend.
Police found Paul’s body the next day at his modest ground-floor flat in Wareham, Dorset, and are not treating his death as suspicious.
The fan, who asked not to be identified, said he was left stunned when the terrible news broke on Friday.
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He recalled of their meeting: “I distinctly remember how well he looked.
“He was dressed in a black coat, jeans and trainers so it knocked me for six when I discovered he’d died the next day. He was smiley and upbeat and had so much to look forward to then the next day he was gone — it’s just awful.”
Shocked neighbours yesterday told how they did not realise “quiet” Paul was a pop star, with one saying she thought he was a taxi driver.
The rest of the band — Hannah, 42, Rachel Stevens, 44, Tina Barrett, 46, Jon Lee, 40, Jo O’Meara, 43, and Bradley McIntosh, 41 — were told of his death by a member of manager ’s team.
Hannah was said to have been “in pieces”. A source close to the band said yesterday: “She couldn’t even speak of the news — her boyfriend has been having the conversations that need to be had.
“This has come out of nowhere and she is simply numb.”
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Fuller created the band in 1998 and guided them to hits including Reach, Don’t Stop Movin’ and S Club Party as well as their own spin-off TV series Miami 7.
The pop mogul — who also managed The Spice Girls — said yesterday: “Paul was a beacon of light for a generation of pop music fans and he will be greatly missed.
“We’re all deeply shocked and saddened by this news.”
Poignant footage of Paul in reality show First Dates Hotel in 2019 resurfaced online yesterday.
In the clip, Paul admitted he would trade his fame for a chance at “one true love”. He said: “Fame isn’t the route to happiness. Money isn’t the route to happiness — being with somebody you love is.”
The singer went on to pour out his heart about his past loves, including Hannah. But he left after a date with a music lover and returned to live at his Dorset home.
Locals described him as a quiet and reclusive figure. He lived in a normal road and outside his flat near an industrial estate lay an ashtray filled with cigarette.
He was not known in a nearby bar and staff were unaware of him at the local Indian takeaway or the gym.
Neighbours said a 2010 black Audi S5 and grey Volkswagen Jetta belonged to Paul — but he was rarely seen out in them.
Paul made a living as a tarot card reader after falling on hard times since quitting S Club 7.
He also spent some of his final months helping to run community radio station Purbeck Coast FM in the picture-postcard seaside town of Swanage.
One worker, who asked not to be named, said yesterday: “Paul was lovely. We saw him a few times. He was a pleasure to be around.”
Paul was said to have been in good spirits at a park close to his home the day before his death.
An onlooker said: “He looked fine — he was out strolling in woodland near his home and I saw him playfully skimming stones. It’s hard to believe he died the next day.”
Paul’s brothers Colin and Martin — who both live in Swanage — were being comforted by family members yesterday.
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Dorset Police said: “We were called at 4.41pm on Thursday 6 April 2023 to reports of the sudden death of a man aged in his 40s at an address in Wareham. The man’s family have been informed and HM Coroner notified.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious and enquiries are being carried out on behalf of HM Coroner.”
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Donations to where it all started
By Hannah Hope
PAUL Cattermole’s devastated family have asked fans to donate to the National Youth Music Theatre instead of sending flowers.
The stage group was where Paul launched his career aged 17, and met bandmate Hannah Spearritt plus actors Sheridan Smith and Tom Chambers.
They toured Hong Kong, Taiwan and New York with a production of Pendragon.
Founder and artistic director Jeremy James Taylor, 74, told the Sun on Sunday: “It’s terribly sad to have lost Paul.
“He worked terrifically well in the company, he played Sir Lancelot, and had a very good year with us.
“He was such a nice guy. He was liked by one and all and will be greatly missed.”
A source added: “He loved his time in the National Youth Music Theatre and was really proud to have it on his CV. It was the start of his career. He loved the work the teachers did with him and it gave him the confidence to secure his place in the band.”
To donate please visit.
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