Jamie pays tribute to his “sweetheart” brother tomorrow as the Hollyoaks favorite’s celebrity pals gather for a charity game in his name.
Paul Danan’s brother has opened up about the huge void the star has left in his life – and how he plans to keep the actor’s name alive in his memory. Hollyoaks star Paul passed away in January aged 46 after struggling with addiction for decades. The opening of his inquest found he’d died from a cocktail of drugs.
A larger than life character, he left his mark on the telly world, on the Channel 4 soap as Sol Patrick as well ITV’s Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother in 2017. Jamie, Paul’s big brother, paid tribute to his “sweetheart” brother, as he gets ready to honour him at a charity football match this weekend organised by Fattys Bar in Essex. “He was a sweet, lovely guy,” said Jamie. “He drove me mad sometimes but I loved him so much.
He was merely a genuine sweetheart. Between us, less than two years passed. It’s kind of like losing my twin. It is still untreated. I won’t lie, I’m genuinely very broken by this. It’s just surreal. “
Paul died at his Bristol home after taking a mixture of drugs including cocaine and heroin. A full inquest into his death starts on Wednesday.
With his family and friends still coming to terms with his death, Jamie hopes the football match, renamed The Paul Danan Memorial Charity Cup, with give them the chance to share some heartwarming stories about the much-loved star. Pals like Loose Women favourite Linda Robson and Boyzone star Shane Lynch will be there to lend their support.
He was a funny person, according to music PR boss Jamie, 48, who told “we’ve got so many funny stories about him.” People will be sharing their anecdotes and all uniting over our love of Paul. “
Sharing one of his own favourite stories about his “charming” brother, Jamie recalled a hilarious encounter with the Oasis brothers on a flight from LA to the UK, which saw them have a “banter-off”.
“We’d been to Coachella and Paul being Paul managed to sort of get us upgraded to first class on the way back,” remembered Jamie. “Unbeknownst to us was the Oasis boys were in first class, and we’d seen them the night before headlining the festival.
“We were just chatting music. Liam pipes up, and Noel, and me and Paul… So it was like the Danans with the Gallaghers, getting into a little bit of a banter off. It was north meets south. We were being a bit loud and brash in first class. They knew Paul. It was good fun. Something mad like that would always happen with Paul.”
Jamie says he could always depend on Paul for a great time. Every year the pair would go to Wimbledon, with “King of the blag” Paul even trying his luck to play in the prestigious tennis tournament.
Jamie chuckled, “Paul being Paul, he used to go off and find the Lawn Tennis Association office.” He would go up and say, “I need to know my ranking, I’m semi-pro,” because he had joined a club. He be like ‘ What time am I playing on court one? ‘
He simply was insane. I can’t recall some of the blagging techniques used, including how most things were front row. He was the King of the blag. Simply put, being with him was always very exciting. It will be very disappointing not to travel with him this year because I’ll be doing it again.
Recalling one of the last night’s out they shared together, the brothers danced the night away to Paul’s favourite band, The Prodigy, just weeks before his death. In December they went to see them a Brixton Academy and Jamie said he was on top form.
“Recalls Jamie,” “I had probably my best night out with him.” He was totally clean. He and Prodigy’s Liam were very close. In some ways, he resembled an honorary member. They always used to let him go to like side the stage and just hang out. He adored that band forever.
Jamie holds on to the memories with a heavy heart”. He claims that it was amazing. But sadly, he was unable to keep up his usual routine.
Paul had openly discussed previous issues with drugs, including addictions to cocaine and codeine, which he said he used to” self-soothe “after losing acting parts in his 20s while in the US. He added that, over the years, he’s spent more than £1 million on rehab.
After years of sobriety and being clean, by Christmas, Paul was taking drugs again, much to Jamie’s dismay. “I had a little go at him, like a big brother would do,” admits Jamie. “It’s frustrating, but it is how it is. I thought that he’d bounce back again, as he always tended to. But it just wasn’t to be this time, unfortunately.”
Jamie recalls their early years together, and he feels both saddened by his brother’s inability to overcome his demons. He relied on drink and drugs because he was troubled and under the circumstances, he said. That pressure was just taken off him in the end. He was undoubtedly not dying. Sadly, it was just whatever that actually happened.
“His greatest feeling is nothing more than love and joy,” he said. However, some suffering and pain were felt. I think anyone with addiction in the family will comprehend that. There was always a chance that he would succeed in it and to recover. He undoubtedly wanted to. You know, that illness is very powerful. And ultimately, it ultimately came to be worse for him.
Jamie has been blown away by the love and support that Paul has received since his passing and the amazing tales that people have of Paul’s kindness. One in particular struck him, the impact Paul had on a former addict who attended his drama class.
He launched a drama workshop called Morning After Drama in 2020, which expanded from online classes during the pandemic to workshops for adults who have issues with mental health or addiction, as well as those who have experienced trauma or been imprisoned or who have gone through trauma.
Someone who had attended Paul’s funeral approached Jamie and expressed gratitude to him for his assistance. He explained how he was really at death’s door, his illness and addiction was horrific, “recounted Jamie”. No one could save him from the funk he was in. until he ended up attending Paul’s class. Somehow Paul connected with him. Through these improvisational methods that Paul was employing, this man has been able to gain confidence.
Jamie says he’s now leading Paul’s classes in Weston-Super-Mare”. He “went on,” “he’s been determined to keep it alive and moving.” He basically maintains Paul’s memory alive, using Paul’s unique method of studying and training, which combines a form of recovery and rehabilitation with acting and drama. There’s still a little flame of it going. “
Jamie is in discussions for a project to carry on the actor’s legacy in addition to raising vital funds with The Paul Danan Memorial Charity Cup for the Little Havens Children’s Hospice. He also had a really, really strong “teased Jamie” idea for a TV show that he had. We might be able to do something with that eventually. Some famous people said, “If you get that off the ground, I’d be part of that. For Paul. We loved him’. It would be very cool because it’s sort of a semi-autobiographical.
There are “a few things in the pipeline” to carry on his legacy.
Saturday’s Paul Danan Memorial Charity Cup takes place at Bowers &, Pitsea FC Crown Avenue in Basildon. Kick off at 3 p.m. (Gates are open at 1:30 p.m.). After Party is at Fattys Bar 20 High Street Essex from 6pm. Tickets are available here.
Source: Mirror
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