Rock School star Lil’ Chris – best known for 2006 hit Checking It Out – dies aged just 24
Singer-songwriter Lil’ Chris – who found fame on the Channel 4 series Rock School before going on to achieve top ten success – has died aged just 24.
According to the Mirror the news of his death broke on Tuesday morning, with fans flocking to social media to pay their respects to the singer, best remembered for the 2006 top three hit Checking It Out.
The cause of his death remains unclear, although a report in The Sun suggested police investigating in his home town of Lowestoft were not treating it as suspicious.
Chris – real name Christopher James Hardman – first sprang to fame aged 15 after being featured in the second series of Rock School, in which Kiss rocker Gene Simmons attempted to form a band from students at Kirkley High School in Lowestoft.
MORE: Lil’ Chris dead: Singer shared final video of new song Ecoute Nes Pas Parler just a few weeks ago
His musical abilities saw him chosen to be frontman of the group, named Hoax UK, who later went on to perform alongside Judas Priest, Anthrax and Rob Zombie at a concert in California.
He went on to sign a deal with RCA Records, with Checking It Out soaring to number three in the charts in September 2006.
He went on to release his debut self-titled album in December that year.
Chris also notched up several TV appearances during his career, including fronting the T4 show Everybody Loves Lil’ Chris – which saw him interviewing a string of pop stars including P!nk, The Saturdays and McFly.
His other appearances included The Weakest Link, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and reality show Celebrity Scissorhands.
More recently Chris starred in the West End musical Loserville, with director Elliot Davis among those paying tribute to him.
‘He was a super talented guy, so naturally gifted,’ Davis told websitewhatsonstage.com – adding that the 24-year-old had battled depression.
‘He just had something that the nation saw and it catapulted him to early fame, which perhaps caused problems.’
Chris – who had also revealed to his followers he was planning a return to music – had also hinted about problems with depression in the past
