Paul CattermoleS Club 7
It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of S Club 7 star Paul Cattermole, who died on Thursday at the age of 46. The cause of his death is unknown but there are no suspicious circumstances, according to a statement from his family and the pop group.
Cattermole was born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and his grandfather worked at London’s famous Abbey Road studios, giving him the idea at a young age of finding a job in music. As a teenager, he entered the National Youth Music Theatre and thought his future could lie in major stage shows. At 16, he decided to go in a different musical direction, forming a heavy metal band called Skua. He was somewhat conflicted about joining a pop group a few years later but, after some initial hesitation, felt it too good an opportunity to turn down.
S Club 7 found fame in 1999 on BBC children’s TV show Miami 7 before going on to achieve huge chart success. They had 11 UK top 10 singles, including four number ones, and sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. They also won two Brit Awards.
Cattermole left the group in 2002, saying the band wanted to move to a more cool and contemporary sound while their management wanted them to stick to bubblegum pop. He rejoined his old band but struggled to break out of the pop pigeonhole, and the association with S Club was too strong to allow him to form a credible rock career. After his departure, the remaining group dropped the number from their name and eventually split the following year. There were partial reunions – some involving Cattermole – in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
In February this year, all seven S Club members reunited and announced a comeback tour with 11 dates at arenas in the UK and Ireland scheduled for later this year. However, Cattermole’s death has put an end to these plans.
Tributes have flooded in from fans and friends. TV and radio host Vernon Kay said the news of Cattermole’s death was “so very sad”, while manager Simon Fuller said: “Paul was a beacon of light for a generation of pop music fans and he will be greatly missed.” TV presenter Lorraine Kelly said Cattermole was a “lovely man” to interview, and she had been “struck by how gentle and shy he was”.
Cattermole struggled to find performing work after leaving S Club 7, and he said he never saw much of the money his group made. In 2018, he put his Brit Award statuette – won for best newcomer in 2000 – on eBay. He said he was “skint”, with bankruptcy looming after a big tax bill. In recent years, he was offering personal tarot readings before the latest reunion was announced.
The band had expressed excitement about their upcoming tour, telling the Sun newspaper they wanted to bring the world “a bit of joy” after difficult times. It feels difficult losing a bit of your childhood today and I’m sure lots of other fans are feeling the same way.
Fans and friends have paid tribute to Paul Cattermole following his death at the age of 46. TV and radio host Vernon Kay said the news of Cattermole’s death was “so very sad”, while manager Simon Fuller said: “Paul was a beacon of light for a generation of pop music fans and he will be greatly missed.” TV presenter Lorraine Kelly said Cattermole was a “lovely man” to interview, and she had been “struck by how gentle and shy he was”.
Cattermole was born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and his grandfather worked at London’s famous Abbey Road studios, giving him the idea at a young age of finding a job in music. As a teenager, he entered the National Youth Music Theatre and thought his future could lie in major stage shows. At 16, he decided to go in a different musical direction, forming a heavy metal band called Skua. He was somewhat conflicted about joining a pop group a few years later but, after some initial hesitation, felt it too good an opportunity to turn down.
S Club 7 found fame in 1999 on BBC children’s TV show Miami 7 before going on to achieve huge chart success. They had 11 UK top 10 singles, including four number ones, and sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. They also won two Brit Awards.
Cattermole left the group in 2002, saying the band wanted to move to a more cool and contemporary sound while their management wanted them to stick to bubblegum pop. He rejoined his old band but struggled to break out of the pop pigeonhole, and the association with S Club was too strong to allow him to form a credible rock career. After his departure, the remaining group dropped the number from their name and eventually split the following year. There were partial reunions – some involving Cattermole – in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
In February this year, all seven S Club members reunited and announced a comeback tour with 11 dates at arenas in the UK and Ireland scheduled for later this year. However, Cattermole’s death has put an end to these plans.
Cattermole struggled to find performing work after leaving S Club 7, and he said he never saw much of the money his group made. In 2018, he put his Brit Award statuette – won for best newcomer in 2000 – on eBay. He said he was “skint”, with bankruptcy looming after a big tax bill. In recent years, he was offering personal tarot readings before the latest reunion was announced.
The band had expressed excitement about their upcoming tour, telling the Sun newspaper they wanted to bring the world “a bit of joy” after difficult times. Fans and friends have paid tribute to Paul Cattermole following his death, expressing their shock and sadness at the news. They remembered him as a beacon of light for a generation of pop music fans who will be greatly missed.