Darius Campbell Danesh's secret girlfriend pays heart-touching tribute after singer’s death

Darius Campbell Danesh's heartbroken girlfriend shared a heartfelt tribute to the late star following the tragic death of her boyfriend.

Lauren Cheek, whose identity was previously unknown until now, had been dating the star in the final months of his life before his shock death.

The Pop Idol alum, who rose to fame on the 2002 version of the show, was found dead aged 41 in his Minnesota apartment near the Mayo Clinic on August 11.

Lauren took to Instagram to share loved-up photos of the couple together and penned as she honoured her 'soulmate and best friend' in a tender message.

American Lauren is a businesswoman who runs creative agency for women, she wrote alongside the images: 'My best friend, my love, my soulmate – and now my angel.'

She said: 'Nothing can put into words the pain and shock I'm feeling without you. It still just doesn't feel real. I love you forever & ever.'

It was claimed by Darius' close friend Chris Cochran that he had been in a loving relationship prior to his death.

Chris said: 'He was enjoying a relationship with an old friend that he started dating again. He wasn't depressed. He was happy. Everything was going well.'

He claimed that in a message Darius sent in July, he described Lauren as: 'the angel in my life… my love, the woman I listen to and trust'.

A post-mortem declared that Darius' cause of death was due to inhalation of the anesthetic chloroethane, which can be used as a recreational drug.

Chris insisted: 'I feel like he's being misrepresented. He wasn't a drug abuser. He was a wonderful human being who wanted to change the world.'

The family previously said he was 'suffering from chronic neck pain' after a car accident in 2010.