The son of 80s music icon Paul Hardcastle – Paul Jr, was killed in a motorcycle crash after failing to stop for the police.
Musician Paul Hardcastle, 68, announced his son, also named Paul, 35, had died in a heartbreaking Instagram post on Monday night.
Police have confirmed that officers pursued a motorbike on Monday in Ongar, Essex, after it failed to stop.
The bike was involved in crash with a van and police said the driver of the motorbike, a man in his 30s, tragically died at the scene.
The driver of the van was arrested in connection with the incident and released under investigation, according to The Sun.
Essex Police have said the incident had been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), who have confirmed that it will carry out an independent investigation into the tragedy.
80s icon Paul Hardcastle’s son, Paul Jr, 35, (pictured), was killed in a motorbike smash on Monday during a police chase after he failed to stop
Paul Sr, is perhaps best known known for his 1985 hit about soldiers in the Vietnam War, 19, which reached number one in the charts for five weeks, (father and son pictured together)
Daily Mail has contacted Essex police for comment.
Paul Sr first shared the tragic news about his son with a heartbreaking Instagram post alongside a childhood photo of him.
The singer, composer and producer wrote: ‘Just to let you know that my super talented son Paul Hardcastle Jnr was in a fatal motorcycle accident earlier and has sadly died. RIP son love Dad.’
Paul Jnr was also a musician and was known for playing the saxophone and DJing.
He starred on his father’s 2008 Hardcastle 5, which was released in 2008 and appeared on the final track from the record, Take 1. He also worked on the 2022 release, Hardcastle X.
Paul Sr, is perhaps best known known for his 1985 hit about soldiers in the Vietnam War, 19, which reached number one in the charts for five weeks.
He is a well respected electronic producer, keyboardist and composer and in 1986, he released a remix to One Wish by Hiroshima.
That same year, Paul’s The Wizard was adopted as the theme tune for BBC’s Top Of The Pops’ weekly chart show, which was used from 1986 – 1991.
Paul, 68, shared ths tragic news with a heartbreaking Instagram post on Monday night alongside a childhood photo of his son
Paul Jnr was a musician – just like his dad – and was known for playing the saxophone and DJing
His son’s first single, Touch and Go, released in 2010, was produced by his father and reached number one in the USA Billboard Jazz Chart.
TOWIE star James Argent was among those leading tributes.
He wrote: ‘I’m so sorry mate, thinking of you all. Heartbreaking,’ alongside a broken heart emoji.
Presenter Hayley Palmer added: ‘Paul, I don’t even have the words – I am so so sorry to hear this. Heartbreaking. Am thinking of you Paul xx.’
Speaking to Steve Denyer on My 80s Playlist, in May 2024, he said that he had initially wanted to be a motorbike racer, before he was left hospitalised for nearly four months after a nasty accident.
Paul Sr married Dolores Baker in 1985 and they had three children together, including Paul Jr and Maxine Hardcastle who contributed vocals to Paul’s 2011 offering, Transcontinental.
Music mogul Simon Fuller, responsible for the Spice Girls, was Paul’s best man when he got married and is also godfather to Maxine.
Paul Sr had been in a motorcycle accident himself when he was younger.
Speaking to Steve Denyer on My 80s Playlist, in May 2024, he said that he had initially wanted to be a motorbike racer, before he was left hospitalised for nearly four months after a nasty accident.
He said: ‘I came out, I had compound fractures on my femur, my tibia, and fibula. Half of it was my fault, because I was going too fast, but someone pulled out as well.
‘I was in [hospital] for four months, I had nothing to do. I was just listening to the radio.
‘I had done music with my dad, when I was about eight years old, I went around Berlin. We lived everywhere, anywhere that he was getting gigs.
‘I was sort of a novelty because I could play the drums and do a little bit of sort of singing and play a little bit of guitar.’
He joined a band before branching out on his own, and in 1984, he released Rain Forest, which peaked at number two on the dance chart.
