Tributes have been paid to Julian Benson, a former judge on RTE’s Dancing with the Stars, who died yesterday at the age of 54.
Benson was a dancer, choreographer and talent agent born to Irish parents in Adelaide, Australia, where he lived until the age of ten, before the family returned to Ireland. He was known for his flamboyant style, creative flair and passion, as well as a keen sense of fun. He was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was two.
In a statement released yesterday, Benson’s family announced his death with “deep sadness”.
“Julian passed away 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,” they said.
Benson’s “lifelong passion for dance” sprang into life at the age of four when he took his first dancing classes, and he turned professional at 14. A fluent Irish speaker, Benson attended Colaiste Mhuire in Parnell Square and held a degree in psychology, English and Irish from University College Dublin.
He kept his diagnosis a secret for 40 years before revealing his illness during an appearance on The Late Late Show in 2018. Benson received a kidney transplant last October and was on dialysis following the procedure.
A staunch advocate for cystic fibrosis patients, Benson led the development of Tranquility House on Grosvenor Road in Dublin.
“I wanted a home with a hug,” he said of the project, which was designed as a “home away from home” for people with cystic fibrosis. Supported by 150 Irish companies, the project provides accommodation for families travelling to St Vincent’s Hospital for treatment.
Kevin Bakhurst, RTE’s director-general, said: “I’m deeply saddened to hear the news. Many people in Ireland will remember Julian as he burst on to our screens as a judge on Dancing with the Stars in 2017 and most recently joined forces with the Room to Improve team as he was the driving force to provide a house for the families of people with cystic fibrosis.”
He added that Benson had been a “stalwart” for others with the condition.
ShinAwiL the production company behind Dancing with the Stars, remembered Benson as a “wonderful friend” who would be “forever missed” and lamented that the world had “lost a bit of sparkle”.
