Music legend and one-third of the iconic trio Dario G, Paul Spencer, has tragically passed away at the age of 53 after a brave battle with cancer. Just weeks before his untimely death, he shared a hopeful message on Instagram.
The renowned DJ had been positive about his health prospects following his discharge from The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester last month, having beaten an infection. Despite his optimism, it was confirmed today that Paul lost his fight to stage four rectal cancer, which he had been battling for a year.
The electronic music scene and fans have been flooding social media with tributes to the influential artist since the news of his passing broke.
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A heartfelt statement was released stating: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Paul Spencer earlier today. He was positive until the end but this was one battle he could not fight anymore. He leaves behind a wonderful musical legacy and many happy memories for many people. He will be sadly missed by everyone who loved him. Shine bright our big star - K, A and H xxx #dariog."
In what would be his last Instagram update, Paul looked upbeat as he lay in his hospital bed, captioning the post: "I'm Out Out! At last. Has Anything of interest happened in the outside world from the past month? I know you've ll been showing overwhelming support, love and strength for me.
"And countless others like me. I hope and pray everyone gets their best opportunity. Thank you. I'm infection free now but feel I already have the energy to defeat this fully with the next stages, even though a little rest and recoup time might BE appreciated."
Birmingham Live reported that, before this heartfelt statement, fans were treated to videos from a hospital foyer featuring some new solo work by the musician, who is part of Dario G - the group famed for their 1997 chart-topper 'Sunchyme' which narrowly missed out on the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart. The act's name pays homage to Dario Gradi, the ex-Crewe Alexandra manager.
The ensemble initially consisted of the DJ trifecta: Scott Rosser, Stephen Spencer and Paul, and they also garnered fame with 'Carnaval de Paris', a hit single released in celebration of the 1998 FIFA World Cup hosted by France.