Jo O’Meara has broken her silence over the death of her S Club 7 bandmate Paul Cattermole in a heartbreaking tribute.
The singer died last Thursday afternoon at his home in Dorset at the age of 46, his family announced on Friday.
Shortly afterwards, S Club 7 issued a joint statement sharing their heartbreak at Paul’s passing, with Jo now dedicating a post to him on Instagram.
Sharing a picture of Paul from their 00s pop heyday, Jo said his death had been “utterly devastating”.
“I just wanted to reach out and thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for the love and kindness you have shown over the tragic passing of our sweetest soul Paul,” she wrote.
“This has been utterly devastating, and I am totally shocked and heartbroken. We have lost someone so incredibly special to us all, and there is a huge sense of sadness that will never go.”
She continued: “Paul will forever be a huge part of our lives, and I will forever treasure the memories we made!
“I will love you always Paul, God bless you my darling, Rest in forever Peace
Love JoJo.”
The band – who are also made up of Tina Barrett, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, Hannah Spearitt and Rachel Stevens – previously said in a statement: “We are truly devastated by the passing of our brother Paul. There are no words to describe the deep sadness and loss we all feel.
“We were so lucky to have had him in our lives and are thankful for the amazing memories we have.
“He will be so deeply missed by each and every one of us. We ask that you respect the privacy of his family and of the band at this time.”
The pop group’s manager, Simon Fuller, described Paul as a “beacon of light” and said that he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the news of his death.
The seven-piece pop group was created by the former Spice Girls manager in 1998, and were known for hits including Reach, Don’t Stop Movin’ and their debut single Bring It All Back.
Paul left S Club in 2002 to pursue other music ventures in a nu metal band, before the remaining six members disbanded a year later.
In February this year, the band announced a reunion on BBC’s The One Show, revealing they would be embarking on an 11-date arena tour in the autumn to celebrate their 25th anniversary.