Ben Saunders, the singer who made history as the first winner of The Voice of Holland, has died. He was 43.
Saunders was found dead on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Rijkerswoerdse Plassen, a popular recreational lake near Arnhem in the Netherlands, according to De Telegraaf.
Police recovered a body from the lake at around 1:20 p.m. local time, DutchNews.nl reported.
A cause of death has not been announced. However, police said there were no signs that a crime was involved.
The Police Unit East Netherlands confirmed the discovery in a statement to PEOPLE.
“We can confirm that a body was found yesterday at a recreational lake of Arnhem and that police have ruled out foul play,” police said. “We do not release or comment on personal details.”
Ben’s brother, Dean Saunders, was among those who shared heartfelt tributes to the late singer on social media. “My dear little brother passed away today… I have never experienced pain like what I am feeling right now…. what a terrible day for all of us.. We have to learn to live with this and I hope this will be handled respectfully… Ben had a beautiful beautiful family and a family that loves him very much and always will .. Ben is in my heart and he will stay there forever ❤️🙏”
Saunders’ brother, Dean Saunders, later shared an emotional tribute on the Instagram page for their Tattoo Saunders business.
“Rest in peace my little brother ❤️🙏 Ben Saunders will never be forgotten ❤️,” Dean wrote alongside a photo of the brothers.
Ben became a household name in the Netherlands after competing on the first season of The Voice of Holland. He won the competition in 2011.
The show was the original version of what would become the worldwide Voice franchise. It first premiered in the Netherlands in 2010 and eventually inspired more than 150 adaptations around the world.
Ben’s victory also came during an unusual period of success for the Saunders family. His brother Dean won the Dutch version of Popstars in 2011, just one day after Ben won The Voice of Holland, according to NOS.
Following news of Ben’s death, former The Voice of Holland coach Marco Borsato remembered the singer on Instagram. Borsato shared a video of Ben performing a cover of his song “Dochters,” which translates to “Daughters.”
Ben continued to appear on Dutch television after his historic Voice victory. In 2023, he competed on the SBS talent show Avastars.
According to NOS, the singer had recently moved to a trailer park in Arnhem.
His death comes more than 15 years after he became the first person to win The Voice of Holland, helping launch a television format that would later become a global phenomenon.
Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding his death.
