Denise Van Outen has described the death of Jake Hall as 'heartbreaking' for the TOWIE family. The 51-year-old narrator of the reality show since its inception in 2010 shared her reflections on their interactions over the years following the tragic news of his passing in Spain at age 35.
Jake, who rose to fame on TOWIE in 2015 as a friend of Vas J Morgan and ex-boyfriend of Chloe Lewis, was a regular cast member from series 14 to 17. He was found dead with head wounds, and Spanish police are investigating the possibility that he accidentally hit his head on a door.
Speaking at the Women's Football Awards, Denise told the Daily Mail: 'I've worked on the show since it started and with any loss within our TOWIE family it is heartbreaking. But he was so lovely whenever I saw him out and he was so friendly and so talented. I really feel for his family, my thoughts go out to them, and it is just really sad and he was way too young to go.'
Denise added: 'I do wonder what TOWIE will do, I think they'll do a tribute as they've lost a few people recently. I was just really really shocked when I saw it.'
Police found the former reality star lying in a pool of blood with fatal head wounds, apparently caused by shards of glass. The Civil Guard is leading the investigation, and an autopsy will take place in Palma. No arrests have been made, and the Foreign Office is supporting the family.
Jake, a model and footballer who had his own fashion brand, leaves behind his daughter River and her mother Misse Beqiri. The couple had an on-off relationship from 2016, and their daughter was born in November 2017. Misse released a statement asking for privacy as they grieve.
Vas J Morgan paid tribute on Instagram, writing: '35 years old is far too young. Jake had so much more life to live. This is an incredible loss and my heart is breaking for his baby girl River, his parents, his brother Sonny and the rest of the family.'
Jake's death follows that of former TOWIE star Jordan Wright, who was found dead in a drainage canal in Phuket in March. An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned until September.
