There have been more tributes, with TV presenter Lorraine Kelly remembering Cattermole as "gentle" and "shy".

"This is so sad," she wrote on Twitter, adding that the singer was a "lovely man" who was "so looking forward to the S Club 7 reunion".

Meanwhile Dan Wootton, formerly of the Sun newspaper and now at GB News, called the S Club 7 star a "pop legend", adding: "Reach for the stars now, sir. Just heartbreaking."

More from music journalist Matt Charlton, who's been filling us in on what Cattermole did after leaving S Club 7 in 2002 - the first band member to depart.

He first formed a rock band called Skua, performing lead vocals.

When that band didn't work out, Cattermole was one of three members (alongside Jo O'Meara and Bradley McIntosh) to form S Club 3 in 2008 - a reduced version of the band as everyone knew it - before they briefly reunited as a seven-piece in 2014 for Children In Need and a UK arena tour the following year.

Then, to mark the band's 25th anniversary, they announced at the beginning of this year their plans to reunite once more.

"They never quite got the seven back together until [February]," Charlton says, adding that the news was met with "great joy" at the time.

We've just been hearing from music journalist Matt Charlton, who was talking to our TV colleagues about the love people had - and have - for S Club 7.

"It's always strange when someone from youth culture dies - especially at such a young age," Charlton says about Paul Cattermole, adding it doesn't seem real that "only a month or so ago, we were all excited about the reunion - and now we're talking about this".

Describing the band as one of the "biggest" of the Noughties, Charlton - who has written for the likes of GQ and Rolling Stone - says it shouldn't be understated that they were "a very big deal".

Antoinette Radford
BBC News

S Club 7’s fame wasn't just limited to the UK.

The tunes made their way across the globe and to my home country, Australia. Specifically: into Australian primary schools.

A 2000s Australian school disco wouldn’t have been complete without Bring It All Back, S Club Party was reinvented into a cheer for my school sports team and my friends and I used to invent dances to Reach as kids.

That’s their appeal. S Club 7’s songs bring us back – as it were – to happy times. School discos, sports teams, laughs with friends.

During lockdown, I found myself inexplicably drawn back to their songs. And as I drove up the highway to get home after four months of lockdown, Don’t Stop Movin' suddenly took on a whole new meaning.

Image source, Getty Images

1998 - The Brit-Award-winning septet was created this year by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller.

1999 - S Club 7 rose to fame by starring in the own BBC TV series, Miami 7 - a children's sitcom based on the lives of the group who had moved to Miami in search of fame.

2000 - The second series was titled LA 7 after they moved to - you guessed it - Los Angeles.

S Club 7 went on to have four UK number one singles, including the show's theme Bring It All Back, and a chart-topping debut album.

2003 - They disbanded but came back together in 2014 for the BBC's Children in Need charity appeal. They went on to release new music and tour the following year.

2023 - S Club 7 were set to reunite for a UK and Ireland tour later this year.

We're seeing more tributes appear on social media.

TV presenter Rylan Clark writes under S Club 7’s Twitter post, external announcing the death of Paul: “Sending all the love to you all”.

“This is unbelievably sad. S Club 7 loomed large over millennials’ childhoods, and Paul was clearly a really sweet guy. RIP," writes, external Guardian columnist and author Owen Jones.

Benjamin Butterworth, a journalist for the i newspaper says, external: “This is a tragedy. A whole generation of us loved S Club 7, and all seven of them. RIP Paul Cattermole.”

TV host and BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay has paid tribute to Cattermole, describing his death as "so very sad".

Posting on Twitter, he says: "From when I first started in TV all the way through CBBC, T4, Top Of The Pops, Smash Hits Poll Winners, Paul and S Club were always there.

"He always had time for a chat. RIP.”

The joint statement released by Cattermole's family and bandmates says that the star was found at his home in Dorset on Thursday and pronounced dead later that afternoon.

"While the cause of death is currently unknown, Dorset Police has confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances," the statement says, as quoted by the PA news agency.

"Paul's family, friends and fellow members of S Club request privacy at this time".

Image source, PA Media

Cattermole’s death comes less than two months after S Club 7 announced they would reunite for a UK and Ireland tour this year to mark their 25th anniversary.

It would have been the first time all seven members were on the road together since 2015.

Appearing on the BBC’s The One Show, the band said: "After eight years it feels amazing to announce that we're reuniting and performing together again.

"We can't even believe it's been so long.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 2’s Scott Mills, Paul said: "I was the master of the dance moves.

“There's definitely a few there that I won't be able to do… remember that caterpillar?"

Their 11-date new tour was announced to begin in Liverpool on 13 October, before performances in Dublin, Glasgow and Newcastle, and then ending at London's O2 Arena on 28 October.

More from that statement posted on social media in the last few moments by S Club 7.

The band write: “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.”

James FitzGerald
Live reporter

Thanks for joining our live coverage following the news that S Club 7 singer Paul Cattermole has died at the age of 46.

In a post on social media, the band, who recently announced a comeback tour, described Cattermole as their "brother" and said they were "truly devastated" by his death.

I'm joined by my colleagues Jamie Whitehead, Andre Rhoden-Paul, Jack Burgess, Sam Hancock and Antoinette Radford. Stay with us as we bring you updates, tributes and the latest reaction.