Julian Benson, a dancer and choreographer who became known as a judge on RTÉ‘s Dancing with the Stars, has died aged 54.
In a statement, his family said he died “peacefully, surrounded by his loving family and closest friends, after a courageous battle with cystic fibrosis”.
“His strength, warmth, and sparkle remained with him until the very end,” the family said.
Benson was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of two. His mother was told he was unlikely to live beyond the age of 12. However, he began dancing when he was four and embarked on a professional career at just 14.
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Benson was best known to TV audiences for his time on the judging panel on RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars where he was affectionately known as “Captain Sparkle” for his trademark custom made jackets.
He kept his cystic fibrosis diagnosis private until appearing on The Late Late Show in 2018, when he announced he was beginning the Julian Benson Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Earlier this year, RTÉ’s Room to Improve documented Benson’s 2½-year journey renovating a property in Dublin he named Tranquility House.
He described it as a “home away from home” for children, teenagers, adults and their families living with cystic fibrosis.
Tranquility House on Grosvenor Road in Dublin 6 assists families who otherwise would have to make round trips from across the country to St Vincent’s hospital in Dublin, which is the national referral hospital for cystic fibrosis.
The statement circulated on behalf of his family said Benson always wanted to provide a place where families could “find comfort and peace during difficult times”.
Extending his condolences, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said many people in Ireland will fondly remember Benson for his role on Dancing with the Stars. He “burst on to our screens” as a judge on the show in 2017, Bakhurst said.
He brought a “contagious passion for life and for improving the lives of other people”, Mr Bakhurst said, adding that Benson has been a “stalwart” for people with cystic fibrosis.
In a statement, Larry Bass and his TV production company ShinAwil, which is behind Dancing with the Stars, said Benson was “one of a kind” and “will be forever missed”.
“The world lost a bit of sparkle today,” Bass and ShinAwil said in a statement, adding “Captain Sparkle” brought “so much joy, brilliance and talent to the world”.
“His attitude and outlook on life was ever inspiring and will continue to be thanks to his constant effort to better the lives of people around him,” the statement said, specifically noting the Julian Benson CF Foundation, which will enable his legacy to “live on forever”.
Benson is survived by his brother Adrian, sister-in-law Rachel, and his beloved nieces and nephew. He was born in Adelaide in Australia to Irish parents and lived there until he was 10. The family moved back to Ireland and settled in Dublin.
