Darius World

Pop Idol star nearly quit the music scene

Star Magazine 23 October 2004

Scottish singer Darius Danesh has revealed how he almost quit pop so he could look after his dying father,

Opening his heart for the first time about his grief, the former Pop Idol babe told Star how he was devastated when his father Booth danesh was diagnosed with terminal cancer last February.

Darius,24, has been helping to look after the 62 year old surgeon ever since, and says his family has now become his number-one priority.

"The news put everything in perspective," he told us. "I'd been trying to work on my second album in the States, living this fake life on the other side of the world. I was going to all these cool parties, but at the end of the day, I was Darius the son, I was Darius the brother.

So I came home and told my manager that it was all over. That I didn't want to release anything else any more."

Although Booth was originally diagnosed with lymphatic cancer, the condition soon spread to his spine and doctors have told the family he does not have long to live. Darius decided that he would move back to the UK permanently to keep a bedside vigil.

"How could I ever justify going on a tour or doing interviews while my dad was lying in a hospital bed?" he says. "I decided to put things on hold and spend more time with my family. I wanted to spend every day with my father."

However, when Booth found out about Darius' plans to give up music, he refused to accept it.

"I'd written Dad a song and played it to him in the hospital," he explains. "He said to me, 'Darius, you can't put your life on hold for me. Life goes on. I fight to live to see the achievements of my children. I fight to live to see your dreams come true. You can't stop. Life is too short'."

The result of that conversation saw Darius return to the studio where he completed the recording of his eagerly anticipated second album, Live Twice, which is released on 25 October,

While his record label hopes he can match the success of fellow ex- Popo Idol Will Young's second album, the towering Scot admits that he's not really bothered how well the new record does,

"I just feel so grateful to be given a second chance with my dad and my family that I don't care how well this album does." he has admitted.

"This experience has definitely had a profound effect on me. The parties and the lavish lifestyle I've enjoyed have all been amazing experiences, but, at the end of the day, they don't mean anything because they're not real."

Despite the seriousness of his father's condition, Darius also admits he's shared some fun times with his dad over the last few months.

"One day, I took dad up to the local stables where we fed horses and chatted up the stables' girls," he recalls. "It was hilarious. Dad looked so happy, as if he wasn't ill at all".

The singer has also been able to share a joke with his dad about the infamous photos of his manhood - under his kilt - which appeared on the internet earlier this year. "Dad just laughed and said to me, 'You have nothing to be ashamed of. I think that picture proves that!'."

Nine months on from hearing the devastating news about his dad, Darius - who's currently dating Species star Natasha Henstridge - admits that his outlook on life has changed completely.

"I've learnt not to take things for granted," he admits. "I feel inspired by the fact that my father is still with here with us. We were told he would not last this long. But he's still alive. He's still fighting.

"There's been a lot of tears shared between my family this year, but it strengthened us. And, whatever happens, the memory of my father will never be lost."

We wish every member of the Danesh clan well.