Paul Cattermole
Paul Cattermole (centre)

Paul Cattermole, who has died aged 46, was a member of S Club 7 from their formation in 1998 until he quit the band in 2002. At the time of his death, he had recently rejoined his former bandmates and was set to embark on a 25th anniversary tour.

S Club 7 were one of the most successful pop acts of their late 90s and early 00s, notching up 11 Top 5 singles in the UK. Their debut album, S Club, went to No.2 in Britain, while follow-up 7 (2000) reached No.1, and the third, Sunshine (2001), reached No.3.

They also won Best British Breakthrough Act at 2000’s BRITs and two years later scooped the Best British Single award for their chart-topper Don’t Stop Movin’.

Cattermole was born in St Albans, Hertfordshire in 1977, later attending the National Youth Music Theatre, where he studied alongside his future S Club 7 bandmate (and partner) Hannah Spearritt. He joined S Club after being spotted by producers from Simon Fuller’s company, 19 Management, and asked to audition.

Like The Monkees, S Club 7 were devised to exist on TV as well as on record and in their time together there were four television shows featuring the band – Miami 7, L.A. 7, Hollywood 7 and the final series Viva S Club, which saw Cattermole leave the fictional version of the band, just as he had the real one.

He later described frustration with the S Club 7 management, saying that “it had got to the point where things were being handled so badly, I had to go.”

After quitting S Club 7, Cattermole briefly rejoined his school nu metal band, Skua. The newly-monickered S Club, meanwhile, limped on for another year, before disbanding. In 2008, Cattermole joined former bandmates Jo O’Meara and Bradley McIntosh to form S Club 3, performing at various nightclubs, universities and holiday camps.

The original S Club 7 lineup would reform several times, first in 2014 (later heading out on the Bring It All Back 2015 tour) and then again in February 2023 when they announced a 25th anniversary tour, scheduled to begin at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on 13 October.

Sadly, Cattermole was found unresponsive at his home in Dorset on 6 April, and was pronounced dead later that afternoon.

“We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul,” the band said in a statement. “There are no words to describe the deep sadness and loss we all feel. We were so lucky to have had him in our lives and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. He will be so deeply missed by each and every one of us.”