Paul Danan. Photo:
John Phillips/Getty
Paul Danan, best known for starring on Hollyoaks as well as his stints on various reality TV shows, has died. He was 46.
On Thursday, Jan. 16, the late actor’s management company, Independent Creative Management, confirmed the news of his death in a statement shared on Instagram.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of Paul Danan at just 46 years old,” the post read. “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.”
Paul Danan on ‘Hollyoak’. Alamy
The talent management company asked that fans respect Danan’s family, friends and colleagues as they ask for privacy amid the tragic news.
“No further comments will be made at this time,” the post concluded.
Danan became a household name for his portrayal of Sol Patrick on the British soap opera, Hollyoaks, from 1997 to 2001. The actor also made appearances in various children’s shows such as The Queen’s Nose and The Basil Brush Show before he landed a role in Casualty, a medical drama.
Eventually, Danan became British reality TV royalty after stints in Come Dine With Me, Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother.
The news of the television personality’s death comes less than a year after he revealed he was hospitalized for respiratory failure due to a vaping addiction in June 2024.
“I’m upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed,” he told The Sun at the time. “My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital. I was on a machine in [the] ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night. I’m so lucky.”
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“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,'” he recalled. “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.”
Danan also admitted that vaping after years of cigarette use had “pushed me over the edge.”
