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POP IDOL loser Darius Danesh does not have a degree from Edinburgh University despite telling fans the opposite, Student can reveal. Dropout Darius has told numerous media outlets, including the BBC’s Top Of The Pops website, that the university awarded him an honorary degree earlier this year.
He said: “I feel like I’ve robbed the bank and got away with it...They sent me this honorary degree which has taken pride of place on my mum and dad’s mantelpiece.”
When asked what class of degree he had achieved, he told the Beeb: “I don't think that they give you that for an honorary.”
He sniggered: “You don’t even read it just in case it’s a misprint and it’s someone else’s!”
But a spokeswoman for the university said: “He hasn’t received an honorary degree from Edinburgh University.”
She continued: “He was awarded an Undergraduate Certificate in Higher Education, something given to all students who leave after second year without completing their degree. They’re not honorary degrees.”
However, the spokeswoman was unable to confirm or deny whether Darius had ever been considered for such an honour, saying only: “The deliberations of the honorary degrees committee are a confidential matter.”
But Dr Veena O’Halloran, the committee’s secretary, told Student: “Darius has never been considered for the award of an honorary degree, and never will be, as far as I’m aware. Perhaps he has misinterpreted his Exit Award.”
The star’s claims have caused a storm of protest in the academic community. Dr O’Halloran said: “The General Council were very upset. People were threatening to hand back their degrees.”
Darius has also spoken recently of his ‘graduation ball’.
Referring to his cameo appearance on C4 teen soap Hollyoaks, he told journalists: “I remember my own graduation ball - I loved being a student.”
A spokesperson for record label Mercury initially backed up Darius’ claims.
But when challenged, his PR agent refused to comment on Student’s revelations. She said: “Darius is in America at the moment, so I can’t comment.”
The Glasgow-born crooner quit his English Literature course in 2001 in pursuit of fame after becoming a laughing stock following his hopeless rendition of Britney Spears’ Hit Me Baby One More Time in ITV game show Popstars.
He was hounded by the tabloids and he has since told of how he turned to drink following his humiliating exit from Popstars.
But Danesh bounced back, and since cutting off his infamous ponytail and shaving his beard, he has enjoyed success with a number of top ten hits, including Colourblind.
* He couldn't resist alcohol when he got kicked out of Popstars
* He got drunk most nights while looking for a record deal
* He nearly hit rock-bottom but getting on Pop Idol made himclean up his act.
Darius has admitted that the stress in his life following rejection on Popstars was so hard to cope with that he hit the bottle, big time. The scot was humiliated by the Popstars judges thanks to his performance of Britney's ... Baby One More Time. After getting the boot from the show, Big D went back to university, only to be taunted by fellow students. Depressed, he moved to London to pursue a solo career, but he found it hard and, to try to numb his disappointment, he drank.
SELF-DESTRUCTION
"I drowned my sorrows in drink," he admitts. "I was running away - or trying to. There was a period when i was scarcely sober."
Darius had the support of his friends and family, but he still couldn't stop himself from drinking night after night. "I was heading down a slippery slope to self-destruction," he remembers, "and i wouldn't tell anyone how bad i felt. I was ashamed of myself."
Fortunately, once Darius decided to apply for Pop Idol, he stopped drinking.
Since his debut album was released earlier this year, Darius has been partying hard but he's learned from his mistakes and keeps his drinking in check.
Let's hope his story helps the current batch of Pop Idol finalists now facing the pressure.
Stars from the world of pop music will join together for a one-hour celebration of the hit musical Grease in the latest Mania offering from Granada for ITV1 this autumn.
Amanda Holden will present Greasemania, which will feature Gareth Gates, Girls Aloud, Westlife, Tony Hadley, Darius, The Cheeky Girls and the host of You've Been Framed, Jonathan Wilkes.
ITV controller of entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz ordered the programme, which is produced by Simon Marsh and executive produced by Granada's head of music programming, Jeff Thacker.
SINGER Darius Danesh has told how he turned to drink when he was kicked off TV's Popstars show.
He hit the bottle after his humiliating version of Britney Spears' 'Hit Me Baby One More Time'.
Chart-topping Darius, 23, revealed how he was in despair before he finally managed to pull himself together and bounce back to win Pop Idol.
"I was running away - or trying to," he said. "There was a period when I was scarcely sober. I was ashamed of myself and what I was doing."
Pop star Darius Danesh told today how he battled a drink problem in the wake of his humiliating exit from the reality TV show Popstars.
The 23-year-old Scot headed for London in the hope of getting a record deal - but no one was willing to sign him.
Glasgow-born Danesh was ridiculed in the media for his rendition of the Britney Spears song ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ and became a nationwide figure of fun after being kicked off the show.
But he went on to achieve success in ITV’s follow-up show Pop Idol and has become a chart-topping star.
But in an interview with The Scotsman magazine he admitted he was in the depths of despair after his Popstars failure.
He said he was booed offstage and jeered at by his fellow students when he returned to university. And Danesh hit rock bottom when he travelled to London in search of fame and fortune.
He said: “I drowned my sorrows in drink.
“I was running away – or trying to. There was a period when I was scarcely sober.
“Even with the support I had from my family and good friends looking out for me, I was heading down the slippery slope to self-destruction.
“And I wouldn’t tell anyone how bad I felt. I was ashamed of myself and what I was doing.”
Danesh has written a book on his reality TV experience, Sink or Swim.
Darius Danesh has told how he battled a drink problem in the wake of his humiliating exit from the reality TV show Popstars.
The 23-year-old Scot headed for London in the hope of getting a record deal - but no one was willing to sign him.
Glasgow-born Danesh was ridiculed in the media for his rendition of the Britney Spears song 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' and became a nationwide figure of fun after being kicked off the show.
But he went on to achieve success in ITV's follow-up show Pop Idol and has become a chart-topping star.
But in an interview with The Scotsman magazine he admitted he was in the depths of despair after his Popstars failure.
He said he was booed offstage and jeered at by his fellow students when he returned to university.
And Danesh hit rock bottom when he travelled to London in search of fame and fortune.
He said: "I drowned my sorrows in drink. I was running away - or trying to. There was a period when I was scarcely sober.
"Even with the support I had from my family and good friends looking out for me, I was heading down the slippery slope to self-destruction.
"And I wouldn't tell anyone how bad I felt. I was ashamed of myself and what I was doing."
Danesh has written a book on his reality TV experience, Sink or Swim.
He was bullied at school, became a national laughing stock and, as depression took hold, found that drinking was sprialling out of control. But Darius Danesh isn't complaining. Whatever happened in the past, he's now very much on top. "People keep telling me that it's an amazing story," says the Glaswegian singer. "But I still don't think I've got perspective on it. Maybe one day."
Darius's story really took off when he gave an inimitable rendition of Britney Spears' Hit Me Baby One More Time on the original Popstars. He'd "hit the self-destruct button", he explains, and the song ended any chance he had of making the series' final band.
When he then promised the judging panel that he'd return with a hit album, it sounded like a hollow boast. However, the 23-year-old did reinvent himself, came third to Will and Gareth on Pop Idol and has since had three hit singles and a double platinum album.
Now, as is the way with young modern celebrities, Darius has written his first book.
Darius: Sink or Swim is full of moody photographs, but also tells the story of the singer's reality television journey. It skates over much of his early life, but if you ignore some of the more amusing lines ("I was famous without the money to cushion it," he despairs) there's still enough new information to make it a good read.
It's interesting, for instance to read that Darius was emotionally and physically bullied at his upmarket Scottish school, Glasgow Academy. The academic pupils "resented" him because he was good at sport, he claims, while he also studied hard and thus upset the sporty contingent. His size (he's 6ft 3 and wears size 13 shoes) didn't help, while he admits that race may have also played a part.
With a Scottish mother and a father who was born in Tehran, Darius says he was one of only a handful of mixed-race pupils at the school. "Not many people understand the difference between an Iranian and an Iraqi" he adds. "I started puberty earlier than the other kids and I was darker than them too. The older kids would pick on me because I had this really fine hair above my lip and they'd call me Saddam. That was really upsetting, because my dad's family had suffered at the hands of his regime."
The bullying must have affected Darius's self-esteem, but he says he was always a determined soul. He was also sure that music would be the key to his escape, so he played guitar and formed bands at school, and even sang with the Scottish Opera.
After school, he studied English at Edinburgh University (he left after his third year) and it was while he was studying that he auditioned for Popstars, the programme which created Here'say and also made stars out of its high profile rejects, Liberty X.
Darius was slated after his Popstars turn. He wasn't just criticised for his singing, but also for being too "cheesy" and insincere. That accusation of insincerity still upsets him. "Sometimes you say something that's sincere in a context and it can come across as being insincere, or too good to be true," he explains. "When I said 'Can you feel the love in the room?' I said it in a really emotionally fraught situation. People were crying and I was standing in the middle of a room full of people that were very upset. I said it to lighten the mood. "It's actually a line that Joey said from Friends," he adds. "He said it as a joke and I said it in an earnest way." "But the way it was edited and the way the cameras filmed it - Michelle form Liberty X was holding me and sobbing, and the guys were crying. And I said it, and it was edited as one of the main..." His voice trails off. "I don't know," he says softly.
After Popstars, Darius attempted to capitalise on his fame, but it backfired. During one gig, at London's G-A-Y club night, he was spat at and had coins and bottles thrown at him. It almost destroyed him. He hit "rock bottom" and began drinking heavily. He was already distraught at the effects his fame had on his family ("they were literally hounded" he says) and so tried to avoid them.
Much as he claims to have put the entire six-month episode behind him, Darius still doesn't drink and is reluctant to talk in too much detail about the whole experience. Telling his parents was one of the worst things he's ever had to do, he says. "I told them after Pop Idol and after the record deal," he says. "It was almost like I walked a tightrope without having a safety net and got to the other side. Then I said, 'Now I've done that, this is what happened when I was half way across'." So, was he an alcoholic? "I don't know," he says. "I really don't want to go there."
In between Popstars and Pop Idol, Darius re-invented himself. His younger brother, Cyrus, persuaded him to cut his hair and shave off his goatee beard, and he worked hard writing new songs. He also grew up. "In the public's perception, there wasn't a big gap between Popstars and Pop Idol, but for me, a year was a lifetime. So much happened in that gap. So many relationships were formed and even broken."
As he got further and further in Pop Idol, Darius's self-assurance grew. "I was so happy to be in the final five" he says. "It didn't matter how many people hated me, so many people were voting for me each week it was amazing."
Darius is currently promoting his book and writing and recording songs for his second album, which is due out in November. He is also happily ensconed in a relationship with Jacqui, a model whom he met when she appeared in the video for Colourblind.
He's watching the new series of Pop Idol and appears happy and confident. He even seems to have come to terms with much of the abuse he suffered after Popstars. "I can't really blame anyone for criticising or laughing at me," he says. "If it was anyone else I'd probably have done the same... I suppose."
Darius: Sink or Swim by Darius Danesh is published by Headline, at £14.99.
He was bullied at school, mocked on national TV and through a depression saw his drinking spiral out of control. But Darius Danesh isn't complaining. Whatever happened to him in the past, he's now very much on top.
"People tell me it's an amazing story" says the Glaswegian singer. "But I still don't think I have got perspective on it. Maybe one day."
Now Darius has written a book about his life so far called Sink or Swim.
Darius's story really took off when he gave an inimitable rendition of Britney Spears' Hit Me Baby One More Time on the original Popstars. It "hit the self destruct button" he admits but he promised the judges that he'd return with a hit album. It sounded like a hollow boast but the 23 year old did re-invent himself. He came third to Will and Gareth on Pop Idol and has since had three hit singles and a double platinum album.
Darius's Sink or Swim is full of moody photographs as well as telling the story of his tv ride to fame.
Though it skates over much of his early life, it's interesting to hear about how Darius found life tough at his upmarket school, the Glasgow Academy. The academic people "resented" him for being good at sport" while his keenness to study upset the sporty contingent. Darius also admits race may have played a part in him being bullied.
With a Scottish mother and an Iranian father Darius was one of the few mixed race pupils at his Glasgow school.
"Not many people knew the difference between an Iranian and an Iraqui" says Darius. "I had this hair above my lip and kids called me Saddam. That was really upsetting because my Dad's family had suffered at the hands of his regime."
Despite the bullying Darius saw music as the key to his escape.
Using Music as a counterblance to bullying at school, Darius played guitar, formed bands, and even sang with the Scottish Opera! It was while studying English at Edinburgh university that he auditioned for Popstars - and found himself mocked for being "Cheesy" and insecure. It's a charge that still upsets him.
"When I said 'Can you feel the love in the room?' it was a really emotional situation. People were crying." he says.
After Popstars Darius's attempt to capitalise on his fame backfired. At one gig he was spat at and had bottles thrown at him. It almost destroyed him. He hit "rock bottom" and began drinking heavily. He was also distraight at the affect that fame had on his family - who he says were "literally hounded". With hindsight Darius says he's "glad" he went through such a tough time. "It allows me to understand self-abuse and what people sometimes go through."
In between Popstars and Pop Idol Darius re-invented himself. His brother Cyrus persuaded him to cut his hair and shave off his goatee. He worked hard writing new songs and he also grew up. "I was insecure" admits Darius. "The fact that I turned round one day and realised that people liked me was a huge confidence boost. It was nicer believe or not than having a number 1 single" he says.
Darius is currently promoting his book Sink or Swim and writing and recording his second album due out in November. He's also happy in his relationship with Jacqui Ainsley a model who appeared in the video for Colourblind.
Darius is enjoying the new Pop Idol and even seems to have come to terms with the abuse he suffered after Popstars.
"I cannot blame anyone for critisizing me" he says. "If it was anyone else, I'd have probably done the same.
Screaming teenagers and middle-aged women do not scare Darius Danesh.
The tall, dark and handsome prince of pop is not only undaunted - he has turned meeting and greeting clamouring fans into an art form.
Brent Cross shopping centre was the last stop in a two-week nationwide book-signing tour promoting his autobiography Sink or Swim: My Story, and Darius - who turned 23 last month - spent his Saturday evening (September 6) writing personal messages and posing for photos.
Before going out to greet the hundreds of people waiting for him, Darius appeared to be relaxed and enjoying himself.
After hearing that one female fan had flown in early from the United States to be sure she would meet him, he said: "I'm going to make sure she is not jet-lagged and then go and give her a big hug."
While the singer-songwriter gives equal time to each of his fans, girls never seem to be far from his mind.
He said: "I am a romantic, yes. And girls are my inspiration - girls I have been lucky enough to have a relationship with and one girl I never even spoke to but saw on the bus. They inspire the songs I write."
But he said he also takes inspiration for his work from elsewhere.
"Close to home," he said, "it would have to be my dad and my brother, Cyrus.
"Other than that, anyone from Muhammad Ali to James Dean - because of their fighting spirit."
And as he has managed to wrestle his way to music stardom via television pop competitions, a fighting spirit is something he must have in abundance.
But he shied away from talking about his transformation from the greasy look he sported on Popstars to his comeback as a clean-shaven hearthrob for Pop Idol last year. He said: "I just learnt a lot about myself and about growing up. It's not such a big deal. A year ago I minded if people commented on it, but not now."
But this is all part of the Darius story. And despite his youth, he obviously feels it is a story worth telling.
DARIUS, WHO looks like Justin Timberlake’s taller, better-looking big brother at the moment, came into the studio to talk about his latest venture — a book of his story so far.
He was his usual charming self and stayed behind to sign autographs for all the staff.
I must say his mum and dad have done a wonderful job of bringing him up. He is the most polite and well-mannered guest we have had on the show for many a long day.
The book is stuffed full of smouldering photographs, but it’s also a real insight into the goings on behind the scenes of Pop Idol and Popstars and what goes on in the music business.
Cover
Darius was told to bring out a cover version of the Tom Jones song It’s Not Unusual as his first single by the Pop Idol judges. He could have had a guaranteed No. 1 — but he wanted to write and record his own music. He also wanted to wait until the Pop Idol fuss died down and he waited months before releasing Colourblind — which reached No. 1 anyway. That kind of gumption is rare.
I reckon Darius has longevity, there’s talk of movies and more TV roles as well as his music.
Cheering
He was also quoted as wanting to be the next James Bond, although he says Ewan McGregor would probably do a better job.
I’m not sure. I’ve seen Darius in a kilt and it is something to make grown women burst out cheering.
He certainly has the height, the looks, the charisma and the sheer brass neck to be Bond — he could even write and perform the theme tune.
The Scottish hearthrob appeared at Safeways in Westcroft to plug his autobiography Sink or Swim.
Darius is pictured with ten-year-old Olivia Keenan of Leighton Buzzard, who had more than a lucky break when she met up with him.
Olivia, who broke her ankle this summer, was having her cast signed when the kindhearted star offered Olivia and her mum, Ann, backstage passes to an upcoming Darius gig.
KISS AND SELL: A kiss for pop star Darius as he signs copies of his autobiography at Tesco in Castle Lane
star Darius captivated hundreds of shoppers at the Tesco store in Castle Lane East, Bournemouth, on Saturday.
In town to sign copies of his autobiography Sink or Swim, which lifts the lid on his rise to stardom, Darius drew crowds of all ages for the signing session, which ran from 12 noon.
"There was a great response and we had a long queue out through the front entrance," said Barry Evans, non food trading manager. "Youngsters and pensioners came to see Darius. He's been a great hit with every age of shopper."