Tributes have been paid to talented musician and television personality Chris Hardman – Lil' Chris – who has died aged 24.

https://storify.com/capturarmi/tributes-paid-to-chris-hardman-aka-lil-chris

The singer-songwriter, actor and TV star, was found dead at an address in Lowestoft yesterday morning (Monday).

A police spokesman said: 'Police investigating the sudden death of a man in Lowestoft can confirm they are not treating it as suspicious.

'Officers received a call from the ambulance service on Monday, March 23 at around 11.45am and attended an address in Union Road following a sudden death of a 24-year-old man.

'A post mortem examination is due to take place to establish the cause of death and a file will be passed to the coroner in due course and an inquest opened.'

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service confirmed that they 'received a call at 11.19am to a report of a man in his 20s who was unconscious and not breathing'.

'A paramedic in a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance officer attended the scene. However, despite their best efforts, the patient was declared dead at the scene.'

Lil' Chris wrote on Twitter last year that he was suffering from depression.

His last tweet, on Wednesday March 18, read: 'Good morning everybody! Lovely day! Love you all x.'

The former Kirkley High School – now East Point Academy – student found fame as a 15-year-old when he appeared in Channel 4's Rock School. He went on to sign a record deal with major label RCA and released his debut single Checkin' It Out in September 2006, which reached number three in the UK Singles Chart.

Chris then released his debut album, Lil' Chris, in January 2006 and performed as a supporting act for McFly before going onto appear in numerous television shows and host his own programme – Everybody Loves Lil' Chris – on the T4 strand of Channel 4.

Celebrity appearances as a DJ and on other television shows following before he embarked on a theatre career in 2012, as Lil' Chris starred in Loserville: The Musical at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds in the role of Francis Weir. The musical moved to the West End from October 2012 to January 2013.

Among the tributes paid are McBusted band members Harry Judd and Danny Jones, On Twitter, Harry Judd said: 'Shocked and saddened to hear the news about Lil' Chris. He supported us a while back and was a little star and an awesome guy. #RIPChris'

Danny Jones ‏added: 'Devastated to hear about @CJHardman My thoughts are with his family. We lost a talented dude! #RIPChris'

Television presenter, Caroline Flack, added: 'Oh my god. Lil Chris. He was a regular guest on TMI. Always always such a polite lovely guy. That's so sad.'

Professional boxer Anthony Ogogo, who hails from Lowestoft and went to Kirkley High School like Lil' Chris, added: 'Thoughts go out to his family. Such a shame, really nice guy and positive role model for our area.'