Actor Paul Danan died from a lethal combination of prescription and illicit drugs while sitting alone on his sofa watching television at his home, a coroner’s inquest has concluded. The 46-year-old Hollyoaks star was found unresponsive on January 15 at his residence in Brislington, Bristol, UK, and was pronounced dead at 5:20 p.m. local time.
Assistant Coroner Deborah Rookes ruled Danan’s death as misadventure following the inquest at Avon Coroner’s Court in Flax Bourton. A post-mortem examination revealed his death resulted from the combined toxicity of heroin, methadone, codeine, pregabalin, cocaine and zopiclone, with contributing factors from benzodiazepine use. The coroner determined that while none of the drugs were found in high levels individually, their combined effect caused fatal respiratory depression.
Danan’s partner, Melissa Crooks, discovered his body after becoming concerned when she could not contact him following a night out drinking together on January 14. Emergency responders used a ladder to gain entry to his first-floor flat, where they found him slumped on the sofa with the television still on. Crooks identified the body at the scene.
The actor, who played Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 soap opera from 1997 to 2001, had battled addiction since his early twenties and reportedly spent more than £1 million on rehabilitation and recovery over the years. He had suffered a previous accidental overdose in May 2024, but said he had no intention of ending his life. Rookes noted there was no evidence Danan intended to take his own life at the time of his death.
Danan’s mother, Beverley Danan, provided a written statement to the court expressing that her son helped many people from all walks of life, but could not help himself in the same way. She indicated his smiling face and love of life would always be remembered. The coroner acknowledged that Danan was clearly much loved and very much missed, while recognizing his long history of drug misuse and mental health struggles.
The actor had been scheduled to appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on January 16, one day after his death, for a plea hearing regarding charges of cocaine and cannabis possession. He also faced accusations of driving under the influence of drugs on October 2, 2024, in Warrington, Cheshire.
Beyond his soap opera work, Danan gained recognition through reality television appearances on “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2017 and “Celebrity Love Island” in 2005 and 2006. He also participated in various other reality programs, including “Celebrity Coach Trip” and traveled across the United States with Calum Best and Fran Cosgrave for the ITV2 show “Calum, Fran and Dangerous Danan” in 2006.
In 2020, Danan launched drama classes in Bristol specifically designed for former convicts and adults struggling with mental health issues, addiction or trauma. His management company, Independent Creative Management, described him as a beacon of light to many people and noted his exceptional talent and unwavering kindness.
In recent years, Danan had been open about his substance abuse struggles, discussing his addiction and recovery efforts on “The Jeremy Kyle Show” in 2019. He acknowledged that his problems began as a teenager and described having to work hard every day to maintain his recovery. The actor had experienced a serious health scare in 2024 when he was hospitalized for respiratory failure, which doctors attributed to excessive vaping.
During his hospitalization, Danan described collapsing while vaping and requiring CPR from family members before paramedics transported him to intensive care, where he developed pneumonia. Medical staff warned his family he might not survive the night. Following this incident, he expressed determination to lead a healthier lifestyle and indicated he felt mentally prepared to advance his career.
Calum Best, who participated in reality shows alongside Danan, characterized him as one of the funniest, kindest and most authentic people he had known. Best acknowledged that life was not always easy for Danan but praised his heart and courage in facing challenges, which inspired many others.
The actor is survived by his nine-year-old son, DeNiro.