{{Short description|English actor and television personality (1978–2025)}} {{use British English|date=January 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Paul Danan | image = Paul Danan.jpg | image_upright = 0.75 | caption = Danan in 2015 | birth_name = Paul Louis Danan | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1978|7|2}} | birth_place = Chigwell, Essex, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2025|1|15|1978|7|2}} | death_place = Brislington, Bristol, England | occupation = {{hlist|Actor|television personality}} | alma_mater = Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts | years_active = 1995–2025 | children = 1 }}
'''Paul Louis Danan''' (2 July 1978 – 15 January 2025) was an English actor and television personality, known for playing the role of Sol Patrick in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', between 1997 and 2001. In 2005, he appeared as a contestant on the first series of ITV's ''Celebrity Love Island'' and returned for the second series in 2006. He was also a housemate on the twentieth series of ''Celebrity Big Brother'' in 2017.
==Early life== Danan was born in Chigwell, Essex, to a Moroccan Jewish family, on 2 July 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Agbonlahor |first=Winnie |date=17 August 2017 |title=Everything you need to know about Celebrity Big Brother housemate Paul Danan |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/paul-danan-cbb-contestant-2017-10893874 |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=The Mirror}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishtelegraph.com/prof_186.html |title=CELEBRITY 'BAD BOY' PAUL IS LOOKING FOR A 'NICE JEWISH GIRL' |website=Jewish Telegraph |access-date=20 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021003447/http://www.jewishtelegraph.com/prof_186.html |archive-date=21 October 2016}}</ref> His father was from Fez, Morocco.<ref name=":2" /> Danan attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.<ref>{{cite web |title=A JEWISH TELEGRAPH NEWSPAPER |url=https://www.jewishtelegraph.com/prof_186.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226190809/http://jewishtelegraph.com/prof_186.html |archive-date=26 February 2021 |access-date=20 November 2020 |website=Jewish Telegraph}}</ref>
==Career== Between 1997 and 2001, Danan played Sol Patrick in the Channel 4 soap opera, ''Hollyoaks''.<ref name=":0" /> Following his departure from the soap, he played "the Monster" in ''Desires of Frankenstein'' by James Martin Charlton at the 2002 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.one4review.com/Theatre_/theatre2002/desires_frankenstein.htm|title=Thrive Themes – Conversion Focused WordPress Themes|access-date=30 January 2007|archive-date=23 October 2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20071023033307/http://www.one4review.com/Theatre_/theatre2002/desires_frankenstein.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2002, Danan played Melody's Agent Max Mitford in the CBBC series ''The Queen's Nose''. In 2005, he appeared as a contestant on the first series of ITV's ''Celebrity Love Island''. He returned for the second series in 2006.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5294220.stm |title=Love Island final watched by 3.8m |publisher=BBC News |date=29 August 2006 |access-date=9 October 2007 |archive-date=17 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917115227/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5294220.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Following his appearance on the show, Danan won funniest reality TV personality at the 2007 Loaded Lafta Awards.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5407140.stm |title=Russell Brand bags comedy award |publisher=BBC News |access-date=9 October 2007 |date=4 October 2006 |archive-date=2 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002135629/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5407140.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The same year, he appeared in an episode of ''Dick & Dom in da Bungalow'' and presented a television series entitled ''Test Drive My Girlfriend'' on ITV2.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/02/14/lcolumn14.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071126022117/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/02/14/lcolumn14.xml|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 November 2007|title=The Tuesday column: romance|date=14 February 2006|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=9 October 2007|location=London, UK}}</ref> In September 2006, Danan appeared in the ITV2 series Calum, Fran and Dangerous Danan, in which he traveled from Texas to Los Angeles on America's U.S. Route 66 with Calum Best and Fran Cosgrave.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 January 2025 |title=Love Island and Hollyoaks icon Paul Danan dies aged 46 as star branded 'beacon of light' |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/breaking-love-island-hollyoaks-icon-34491998 |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Daily Record}}</ref> In 2007, Danan was due to play Jack in ''Jack & the Beanstalk'' at the Preston Guild Hall, but he was sacked after swearing during the Christmas Lights switch on.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 November 2007 |title=Actor swears at switch-on crowd |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/7107455.stm |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=BBC News}}</ref>
In 2009, Danan was a guest on the first and second series of the Channel 4 sketch show ''The Kevin Bishop Show''. From 2010 to 2011, he co-hosted ''Stars and Strikes'' for 4Music with presenter Rick Edwards playing a ten-frame ten-pin bowling match against a popstar or group. In November 2012, Danan appeared in an episode of ITV drama ''Crime Stories''. In 2015, he played the character Steve in the TV series ''Good Girls Club'' for Sky TV.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paul Danan|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0199113/|access-date=20 November 2020|publisher=IMDb|archive-date=2 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502065240/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0199113/|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2017, Danan competed in the twentieth series of ''Celebrity Big Brother''. On Day 18, he became the fifth evictee.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=19 August 2017 |title=Paul Danan and Brandi Glanville leave CBB in double eviction showdown |url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/15483316.Paul_Danan_and_Brandi_Glanville_leave_CBB_in_double_eviction_showdown/ |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Colchester Gazette}}</ref> On an episode of ''The Jeremy Kyle Show'' broadcast on ITV on 9 February 2019, Danan discussed his substance addiction. He admitted to being a recovering addict.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deen |first=Sarah |date=8 February 2019 |title=Paul Danan's parents saved his life in 'Pulp Fiction moment' after overdose |url=https://metro.co.uk/2019/02/08/paul-danans-parents-saved-life-pulp-fiction-moment-heroin-overdose-8479650/ |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Metro}}</ref> In January 2022, Danan appeared on the seventh series of E4's ''Celebrity Coach Trip'' in Northern Portugal, where he was put with Team GB athlete Ashley McKenzie. Danan and McKenzie joined a line-up which featured fellow celebrity travellers like Matt Richardson, Honey G, Ginny Lemon,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/19825894.worcesters-ginny-lemon-appears-celeb-coach-trip-clashes-paul-danan/ |title=Worcester's Ginny Lemon appears on Celeb Coach Trip and clashes with Paul Danan |publisher=Worcester News |date= 5 January 2022|access-date=13 February 2022 |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106175457/https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/19825894.worcesters-ginny-lemon-appears-celeb-coach-trip-clashes-paul-danan/ |url-status=live }}</ref> pop duo Honeyz, and ''Birds of a Feather'' stars Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph.<ref>{{cite web |last=Moss |first=Molly |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/celebrity-coach-trip-2022-line-up/ |title=Celebrity Coach Trip 2022 cast {{!}} Meet the line-up of the new series |publisher=Radio Times |date=11 January 2022 |access-date=13 February 2022 |archive-date=4 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104194131/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/celebrity-coach-trip-2022-line-up/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/celebrity-coach-trip |title=Celebrity Coach Trip |website=Channel 4 |access-date=6 January 2022 |archive-date=6 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106175356/https://www.channel4.com/programmes/celebrity-coach-trip |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life== Danan previously lived in Hertford, where he ran a drama club for local children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Robinson |first=Peter |date=29 November 2012 |title=Hollyoaks actor turns to acting for a living |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2012/nov/29/hollyoaks-actor-acting-for-living |access-date=16 January 2025 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> He had one son.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dowell |first=Ben |date=10 August 2017 |title=Who is Paul Danan? Celebrity Big Brother 2017 contestant profile |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/reality-tv/who-is-paul-danan-celebrity-big-brother-2017-contestant-profile/ |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Radio Times}}</ref>
===Legal issues=== In 2010, Danan was given a £350 fine after he was found to be in possession of drugs and swore at a police officer.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 September 2010 |title=Ex-Hollyoaks star Paul Danan fined over drugs |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-11381090 |access-date=16 January 2025 |work=BBC News}}</ref> He was accused of driving under the influence of drugs in Warrington on 2 October 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sansome |first=Jessica |date=16 January 2025 |title=Police issue statement after Hollyoaks' Paul Danan dies age 46 |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/police-issue-statement-after-hollyoaks-30798122 |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Manchester Evening News}}</ref> Before his death, Danan had been due to appear at court in Warrington on two drug charges on 16 January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Tina |date=16 January 2025 |title=Love Island and Hollyoaks star Paul Danan dies hours before drugs court hearing |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/paul-danan-death-love-island-hollyoaks-b1205195.html |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=The Standard}}</ref>
===Health and death=== Danan struggled with an addiction to vapes, cigarettes and cocaine.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McArdle |first=Tom |date=16 January 2025 |title=Paul Danan, the Hollyoaks star, dies aged 46 after 'obsessive vaping' habit |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/16/hollyoaks-star-paul-danan-dies-aged-46/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=16 January 2025 |work=The Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Tina |date=16 January 2025 |title=Paul Danan's troubled life had more twists than the Hollyoaks soap he starred in |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/paul-danan-dead-health-battles-hollyoaks-love-island-addictions-b1205229.html |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=The Standard}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Declan |date=16 January 2025 |title=Soap Opera Actor, Reality TV Star Dies at 46 |url=https://www.mensjournal.com/news/paul-danan-british-actor-dies-46 |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Men's Journal}}</ref> He said he experimented with ecstasy from the age of 14 and survived a heroin overdose in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Vikki |date=16 January 2025 |title=Paul Danan told how mum saved him from brink of death after horror drug overdose |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/paul-danan-told-how-mum-34492291 |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=The Mirror}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 August 2017 |title=Paul Danan 'died' after snorting heroin |url=https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/news/paul-danan-died-after-snorting-heroin-1078742.html |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Female First}}</ref> Danan said that he had been to rehab 17 times by 2022,<ref name=":3" /> and that he had spent "about £1 million on rehab and recovery" by then.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 March 2022 |title=Hollyoaks' Paul Danan 'relapsed on drugs and ended up homeless' during lockdown |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/05/hollyoaks-paul-danan-relapsed-drugs-and-ended-up-homeless-in-lockdown-16222689/ |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Metro}}</ref> In June 2024, Danan was hospitalised for respiratory failure caused by "obsessive" vape usage. He had to be given CPR by his family, before being admitted to ICU with pneumonia. Doctors warned him that if he continued smoking in any form, he risked being linked to an oxygen tank later in life.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2025/01/16/hollyoaks-star-paul-danan-dead-46-revealing-health-battle-obsessive-vaping-22373400/|title=Hollyoaks star Paul Danan dead at 46 after revealing health battle from "obsessive" vaping|last1=Adams|first1=Michael|last2=Kitson|first2=Calli|work=Metro|date=16 January 2025|access-date=16 January 2025}}</ref>
On 15 January 2025, Avon and Somerset Police attended an address in Brislington, Bristol, where Danan was pronounced dead, aged 46.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tributes paid to Hollyoaks actor Paul Danan who died aged 46 |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2025-01-16/hollyoaks-actor-paul-danan-dies-aged-46 |website=ITVX |access-date=16 January 2025}}</ref> His death was announced the following day, with a statement from his management giving no cause of death and saying that no further comments would be made.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn93gnz7853o|title=Ex-Hollyoaks star Paul Danan dies at 46|work=BBC News|date=16 January 2025|access-date=16 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hollyoaks star Paul Danan dies aged 46|url=https://news.sky.com/story/hollyoaks-star-paul-danan-dies-aged-46-13289367|date=16 January 2025|access-date=16 January 2025|work=Sky News|language=en}}</ref> His death was not treated as suspicious.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Duggins |first1=Alexi |title=Former Hollyoaks star Paul Danan dies aged 46 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/16/former-hollyoaks-star-paul-danan-dies-aged-46 |website=The Guardian |access-date=16 January 2025 |date=16 January 2025}}</ref> Following the inquest into his death on the 11 March 2025, it was announced he had died from a cocktail of drugs with heroin, methadone, pregabalin, cocaine and zopiclone found in his system, with a secondary finding of benzodiazepine use.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2gdv216gko.amp Paul Danan died after taking cocktail of drugs, inquest hears]. ''BBC News''. Retrieved 11 March 2025.</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1997 | ''The Knock'' | Gang Member | 1 episode |- | 1997–2001 | ''Hollyoaks'' | Sol Patrick | Series regular |- | 1999 | ''TV Hits Awards'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 1999 | ''Brookside: Double Take'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2000 | ''FBi'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2001 | ''A Question of TV'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2001 | ''Liquid News'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2001, 2002 | ''Night Fever'' | Himself | Guest; 2 episodes |- | 2001 | ''The Saturday Show'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2002 | ''Daddy’s Girl'' | Nathan | Television film |- | 2002 | ''The Basil Brush Show'' | Referee | Episode: "The Date" |- | 2003 | ''The Queens Nose'' | Max | 3 episodes |- | 2003 | ''Adventure Inc.'' | Cedric | 1 episode |- | 2003 | ''Casualty'' | Cedric | 1 episode |- | 2003 | ''The Pilot Show'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2003 | ''Ten Minutes'' | Chris | Short film |- | 2004 | ''Football Challenge'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2004 | ''One Man and His Dog'' | Wayne | Film role |- | 2005–2006 | ''Celebrity Love Island'' | Himself | Contestant; series 1 & 2 |- | 2005–2006 | ''Celebrity Love Island: Aftersun'' | Himself | Guest |- | 2005 | ''Death of Celebrity'' | Himself | Documentary |- | 2005 | ''Dick & Dom in da Bungalow'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2005 | ''Live at the Apollo'' | Himself | Audience member |- | 2005 | ''Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2005 | ''Top of the Pops Reloaded'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''Richard & Judy'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''Test My Girlfriend'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''Showbiz Poker'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''The Sharon Osbourne Show'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''The Charlotte Church Show'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''Brainiac's Test Tube Baby'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2006 | ''Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway'' | Himself | Guest; 2 episodes |- | 2008 | ''Balls of Steel'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2009 | ''The Alan Titchmarsh Show'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2009 | ''The Justin Lee Collins Show'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2009 | ''The Kevin Bishop Show'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2010 | ''Celebrity Quitters'' | Himself | Participant |- | 2010–2011 | ''Stars and Strikes'' | Himself | Presenter |- | 2012 | ''Celebrity Come Dine with Me'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2012 | ''Celebrity Juice'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2012 | ''Crime Stories'' | Kevin Baker | 1 episode |- | 2014 | ''Most Shocking Reality TV Moments'' | Himself | Documentary |- | 2015 | ''Good Girls Club'' | Steve | Main role |- | 2016, 2017 | ''Sam Delaney's News Thing'' | Himself | Guest; 7 episodes |- | 2017 | ''Amoc'' | DCI Collins | Film role |- | 2017 | ''Loose Women'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2017 | ''Celebrity Big Brother'' | Himself | Housemate; series 20 |- | 2017 | ''When Reality TV Goes Horribly Wrong'' | Himself | Documentary |- | 2017 | ''Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2017'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2017 | ''The Story of Reality TV'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2019 | ''Are We Dead Yet'' | Gavin | Film role |- | 2019 | ''Judge Romesh'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2019 | ''When Soap Stars Go Horribly Wrong'' | Himself | Documentary |- | 2020 | ''Doll House'' | Andy | Film role |- | 2021 | ''The B@it'' | Himself | Episode: "Is Xmas Offensive?" |- | 2021 | ''The Gift Musical'' | Washy | Episode: "Is Xmas Offensive?" |- | 2021 | ''At Home with Hayley'' | Himself | Guest; 2 episodes |- | 2022 | ''Celebrity Coach Trip'' | Himself | Contestant; series 7 |- | 2022 | ''Farage'' | Himself | Guest; 1 episode |- | 2025 | ''Bloody Love'' | Brian | Posthumous |- ! colspan="4" | '''Sources''': <ref>{{cite web |title=Paul Danan |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/paul-danan/credits/3030277835/ |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=TV Guide}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Paul Danan |url=https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/paul-danan |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=Plex}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Paul Danan |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/paul_danan/ |access-date=16 January 2025 |website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref> |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Association ! Category ! Work ! Result ! Reference |- | 1999 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actor | ''Hollyoaks'' | {{nom}} | align="center"| <ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Travis |first=Emlyn |date=16 January 2025 |title=Paul Danan, 'Hollyoaks' and 'Love Island' star, dies at 46 |url=https://ew.com/paul-danan-dead-hollyoaks-love-island-star-was-46-8775556 |access-date=16 January 2025 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> |- | 2006 | ''Loaded Laftas Comedy Awards'' | Funniest TV Reality Person | {{n/a}} | {{won}} | align="center"| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5407140.stm |title=Russell Brand bags comedy award |publisher=BBC News |access-date=9 October 2007 |date=4 October 2006 |archive-date=2 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002135629/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5407140.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0199113}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Danan, Paul}} Category:1978 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century English male actors Category:21st-century English male actors Category:Alumni of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts Category:People from Chigwell Category:Male actors from Essex Category:English male soap opera actors Category:British people of Moroccan-Jewish descent Category:English male stage actors Category:Drug-related deaths in England