Paul Danan’s friends and family came together to share memories of their loved one at his funeral in Waltham Abbey this afternoon. However, many of his famous friends were left heartbroken as they were not able to attend due to traffic mayhem.
The soap star, 46, was found dead in his luxury apartment near Bristol last week, where he reportedly “slipped and fell”. According to his neighbours, an ambulance was called to the flat on Wednesday evening. Boyzone singer Shane Lynch and Hollyoaks stars James Redmond and Terri Dwyer were among the mourners in attendance.
His management announced the tragic news of Paul’s death last Thursday and said the actor was a “beacon of light”. Their statement said: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of @pauldanan at just 46 years old.
“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. 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.”
The Mirror reports that following this, Avon and Somerset Police issued a further update. The statement said: “Officers attended a property in Brislington, Bristol, at around 5.20pm yesterday (Wednesday 15 January) where sadly a man in his 40s was declared deceased by paramedics.
“His family have been notified and our thoughts are with them. They have asked for people to respect their privacy during this incredibly difficult time. His death is not being treated as suspicious and officers are preparing a file for the coroner.”
The 00’s legend was due to appear in court over drug and driving offences a few hours before his devastating death. He was meant to enter a plea at Warrington Magistrates’ Court in Cheshire on Thursday after being charged with being in possession of several bags of cocaine as well as a ‘quantity’ of cannabis, says the court documents.
The charge came just months after his addiction to vapes had caused him to be rushed to the hospital and given CPR after experiencing respiratory failure. At the time, his condition was so severe that his family was warned that “he might not make it”.
Also while staying in intensive care last year, the actor contracted pneumonia. At the time he believed his health battle was brought on by years of smoking.
He said: “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. 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.”
He also said the doctors did not beat around the bush when it came to the cause of his critical position. He added: “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.”
Addiction is something that had followed Paul throughout his life and is something he had been open about. Speaking on The Dozen podcast with Liam Tuffs, he revealed that he was introduced to cocaine at 19-years-old during his first day on Hollyoaks.
Telly presenter, Lizzie Cundy, was one of the mourners who was delayed by traffic on the way to the funeral. She appeared on The Jeremy Vine Show earlier today, Tuesday, January 21, before desperately trying to make it to the funeral.
She told the Mirror: “I got changed just after The Jeremy Vine Show, Paul was such a dear friend and I wanted to be there to pay my respects because he was such a lovely guy with the biggest heart as we all know.
“The traffic getting to Waltham Abbey is just utterly horrific and gridlocked, so many of us are going to miss paying our respects to such a loving man. It’s so upsetting. Paul always had the biggest smile when we were around him and he never failed to bring such joy to everybody. His loss will be felt by everybody.”
Since Paul’s death, a fundraiser has been set up to make his nine-year-old son’s life a bit easier. The JustGiving page has already raised more than £6,000 towards its £10,000 target, with over 200 supporters.
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