Paul Hardcastle, the musician best known for his 1985 number one single '19', has shared the heartbreaking details of his final conversation with his son, Paul Hardcastle Jnr, minutes before he died in a motorcycle accident. The 35-year-old was killed on Monday after a police chase in Ongar, Essex, when his motorbike collided with a van.
In an Instagram video on Friday, Hardcastle explained that his son had missed a flight to Greece for work gigs, and his car had been impounded with his saxophone inside. Denied permission to retrieve the instrument, Hardcastle offered to bring another saxophone to him. His son said he would call back in five minutes but never did.
Police had pursued the motorbike after it failed to stop. The collision with a van left Paul Jnr declared dead at the scene. Hardcastle recounted how police delivered the news, saying he felt sorry for the officers. He urged others not to make rash decisions, stating, 'Cancel the gig. Do something else.'
The post attracted hundreds of messages of support. Hardcastle had earlier shared the tragic news on Instagram, writing: '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.'
