A British music executive who was once a judge on Australian Idol has been found dead in an apartment in Sydney.
Jay Dee Springbett, who was originally from England and became a judge on the Australian version of Britain’s Pop Idol in 2009, was found dead by police yesterday after friends called emergency services with concerns for his welfare.
The head of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand, Dennis Handlin, said he became concerned yesterday when he could not get through on the phone to Mr Springbett, 36, who had worked for the record company for several years.
“We thought we better let the police know because it’s really not like him and you know they went to his residence and found him,’’ Mr Handlin said on Australian radio earlier today. “It’s just so difficult coming to terms with.”
It was reported that ambulance paramedics responded to reports of a cardiac arrest at the apartment, in Woolloomooloo in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. A spokesman for New South Wales Police said the death was not suspicious.
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The Briton moved to Australia in 2004 to work in artist and repertoire (A&R) at Sony Music and had extensive experience developing emerging talent, first in the UK and then in Australia.
On his MySpace page, Mr Springbett described music as the spirit of life and wrote: “Surprise me people!! Anyone need not apply, no one who wants to be a popstar or famous should even bother submitting material.”
While well-known in the music industry, Mr Springbett shot to fame in Australia in 2009 when he took over from shockjock Kyle Sandilands – who had been sacked over a controversial radio broadcast – on the final series of Australian Idol.
The English executive was an interesting addition to the judging panel, dividing fans and often being criticised for being too bland.
However after the end of Australian Idol he defended his tenure on the panel, saying he was there to offer advice to up-and-coming artists as his way of “giving back” to those trying to make it in the music industry.
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Mr Handlin described Mr Springbett as “very enthusiastic and passionate about his family, his music projects and his plans for the future”.
“Jay Dee was a great friend and larger than life, charismatic character who will be missed enormously,” Mr Handlin said.
Mr Springbett had two children with his former fiancée, fashion publicist Louisa McCole.
Ms McCole last night expressed her grief with a status update on her Facebook profile where she simply wrote: ‘‘heartbroken’’.