Paul Danan has tragically passed away at the age of 46. His management team released a heart-rending statement confirming his death: "It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of @pauldanan at just 46 years old," they announced.
"Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many. His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him."
The statement continued by calling for privacy during such a tough period: "During this difficult time, we kindly request respect and privacy for Paul's family, friends, and colleagues. No further comments will be made at this time."
This devastating news comes shortly after the former Hollyoaks actor was hospitalised following respiratory failure caused by vaping addiction—a grim reminder of his stern warning last year.
Having been given critical care for respiratory failure and pneumonia only last year, Paul had previously spoken out about the effects of vaping, reflecting on a harrowing experience: “I'm upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed. My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital, reports the Mirror.
"I was on a machine in ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night.
I'm so lucky. ” His previous health scare was serious enough that his loved ones were cautioned he may not survive.
The former soap actor shared a stark warning he received from doctors about his critical condition. Speaking on the seriousness of his situation, he recounted: "The doctor was so, so harsh with me. She told me, 'Paul, you don't know how serious this was and you are going to be in here for a while now, on this oxygen'. She said if I ever smoke in any form again I risk being linked to an oxygen tank later on in life. She said that's it now."
His last update on social media from a week ago was an audition tape for Twelfth Night’s Orsino, which has since seen fans leaving heartfelt condolences.
One fan expressed their sorrow, writing: "RIP mate sleep well."
Another posted in disbelief, "So shocked. I hope it's not true. RIP Paul. Why are so many young and vibrant people leaving us so soon? " The actor, also known for being on Love Island back in 2005, has previously spoken candidly about his past addiction struggles. On The Dozen podcast with Liam Tuffs, he detailed an unsettling introduction to cocaine at the age of 19 on his first day at Hollyoaks: "The day I started there, someone and I am not going to say who, handed me an eighth of cocaine and I didn't really know much about coke and he was like, 'welcome.' It was the first day, the first read through, I hadn't even filmed anything."
Paul, who is father to nine year old Deniro, exited Hollyoaks in 2001 aiming for Hollywood but stayed involved in reality television.
In a candid chat with Mail Online last November, Paul opened up about his regrets concerning his departure from Hollyoaks due to fears of being "typecast". He shared: "Back then, everyone didn't want to be the next Ken Barlow. You wanted to go off and play different roles, especially when you're a real actor."
His move to LA brought him close to major film roles, yet he found the constant rejection challenging.
Paul reflected: "Acting is a tough job and I think you don't realise how lucky you are when you're in a soap and you've got the closest thing to a nine to five job in acting that you can get. And when you get out there, you're like s**t, man, it is really tough! " His stint on 2005's Love Island, which featured Rebecca Loos and Jayne Middlemiss, turned out to be detrimental to his acting pursuits. He explained: "It didn't help with my acting career because suddenly people were like 'oh, we don't want to hire a reality star! ' Casting directors were a bit snobby like that, they don't people want to see me on a TV show thinking 'isn't that the guy from Love Island? '"
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
Story Saved
You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.