Hannah Spearritt has spoken of her devastation following the death of her S Club 7 bandmate Paul Cattermole.
The singer and actress, 42, has admitted she ‘can’t stop crying’ after pop star Paul died suddenly at the age of 46 earlier this month.
An emotional Hannah has revealed how Paul was the most excited of the group ahead of S Club’s upcoming reunion arena tour, revealing the pair, who dated for seven years, had laughed and hugged as they met up to ‘clear the air’ before the plans were finalised.
‘It’s still so raw and I have these moments where I don’t quite believe that it’s real. I still can’t believe I will never see him again,’ she told The Sun.
‘It’s all the more tragic because he was looking forward to the tour the most out of all of us. He just wanted to have fun and enjoy it.’
Distraught: Hannah Spearritt, 42, has spoken of her devastation following the death of her S Club 7 bandmate Paul Cattermole (pictured in September)
Sad news: The singer and actress has admitted she ‘can’t stop crying’ after pop star Paul died suddenly at the age of 46 earlier this month (Hannah and Paul pictured in 2005)
Paul was found dead at his home in Dorset on April 6.
The sad news came six months before the S Club 7 tour was due to take place in October.
Hannah told how she received a message from her management team asking her to contact them.
She explained: ‘I called the number and was told, “Paul has sadly passed, Paul has died”.
‘I couldn’t make sense of it and had so many questions. I was trying to process it but I just couldn’t.’
Hannah has concentrated on her life with her loved ones – partner Adam Thomas, 42, and their children Taya, four, and Tora, two.
However, Hannah said she is overwhelmed with grief when she is alone, adding ‘my heart is broken for him and his family’.
Hannah said Paul was happier than he had been in years, which makes it ‘even more heartbreaking’.
Back together: (L-R) Paul, Rachel Stevens, Jo O’Meara, Jon Lee, Hannah, Bradley McIntosh and Tina Barrett are seen in February this year before announcing their upcoming reunion tour
Heyday: (L-R) Paul, Tina, Bradley, Jo, Rachel, Jon and Hannah are seen in Los Angeles, California in 1999, with the band filming their BBC television series in the US
Primeval star Hannah expressed her gratitude for the ‘heartwarming’ messages of support from fans, saying they’d brought ‘a little ray of sunshine within the darkness’.
S Club 7 announced in February this year that they would be embarking on a reunion tour in October to mark their 25th anniversary as a band.
Hannah and Paul dated for seven years and eventually went through a tough split as a couple in 2015.
Their management arranged a meeting with a mediator so they could work through their differences in January.
Hannah said she wanted to look to the future and ensure they could work together harmoniously and not make the rest of the band feel awkward.
After their initial nerves dissolved, she said the pair were talking fondly about their time working together as a band in the 90s.
The pair first met when Hannah was 13, when they were both members of the National Youth Music Theatre.
They were both chosen three years later for S Club 7 which was put together by the manager of the Spice Girls, Simon Fuller, when Paul was approached directly and Hannah auditioned.
Looking back: Hannah and Paul dated for seven years and went through a tough split as a couple in 2015 (pictured in November 2004)
Performance art: The pair, who first met as teenagers when they were part of the National Youth Music Theatre, are seen on stage in London in 2001
They later moved in to a flat in London’s East Finchley but they grew closer romantically while filming for the group’s BBC television series Miami 7 in the United States in 1999, with Hannah describing Paul as ‘my first true love’.
Paul left S Club in 2022 and he and Hannah split four years later.
They rekindled their romance when the pop group reunited in 2015 but they went their separate ways for good three months later.
It comes after Bradley McIntosh broke his silence to share a tribute to his late S Club 7 bandmate Paul Cattermole.
The singer spoke out on Friday after his bandmate was found dead at his home in Dorset on 7 April, with a cause of death yet to be announced.
Bradley, 41, wrote on Instagram alongside an old video of himself and Paul messing around by donning wigs in a shop at the peak of their fame: ‘I can’t believe I’m writing this right now but as many of you know we lost our dear friend, fellow band member and big brother Paul last week.
‘Thankyou for the good times the memories and big love. We had so many great adventures together.
‘I know your not going to be with us on the next one in the physical but you’ll always be with us in our hearts and thoughts. Gonna miss you. Love you bro. R.I.P.’
‘Gonna miss you:’ It comes after Bradley McIntosh shared a heartfelt tribute message to S Club 7 bandmate Paul after he died aged 46 earlier this month (pictured together in a throwback video)
Sad: He wrote ‘I can’t believe I’m writing this right now but as many of you know we lost our dear friend, fellow band member and big brother Paul last week’
Devastated: Jo O’Meara broke her silence after the sudden death of her S Club 7 bandmate Paul Cattermole, saying she was ‘shocked and heartbroken’
Thankful: Sharing a throwback photo of Paul on Instagram, she wrote: ‘I just wanted to reach out and thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for the love and kindness you have shown over the tragic passing of our sweetest soul Paul’
Tributes had already been paid to Paul by his other bandmates Rachel Stevens, 45, Jo O’Meara, 43, Jon Lee, 40, Tina Barrett, 46, and Hannah.
Jo wrote on social media: ‘I just wanted to reach out and thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for the love and kindness you have shown over the tragic passing of our sweetest soul Paul.
‘This has been utterly devastating, and I am totally shocked and heartbroken.
‘We have lost someone so incredibly special to us all, and there is a huge sense of sadness that will never go.
‘Paul will forever be a huge part of our lives, and I will forever treasure the memories we made! I will love you always Paul, God bless you my darling, Rest in forever Peace Love JoJo.’
Rachel added: ‘Thank you so much for all your beautiful messages of love and support. The outpouring of love for our Paul has been so incredibly special and has meant so much. I hope he knew how loved he was.
‘Such a kind, gentle and sensitive soul with the most incredible energy and such a wild free spirit. He would light up any room.
‘We are heartbroken but so grateful for the memories we all shared. An absolute shining star who we will love and miss always. RIP darling Paul.’
Touching: Tina, 46, wrote a poem in memory of Paul whom she described as a ‘shining star, full of character and life’
S Club: Tina accompanied the moving poem with a photo from when they were on tour. The band surrounded Paul as he played on the guitar
And Tina said: ‘Farewell sweet Paul, your star shines so bright, forever in our hearts, sleep well and goodnight.’
The band also said on Twitter in a joint statement: ‘We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul.
‘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. We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and of the band at this time.’
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