Ben Saunders, original winner of The Voice franchise, dies at 43

Ben Saunders, the first winner of The Voice franchise, has been found dead at the age of 43. 

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Saunders was the first winner of "The Voice of Holland," the original version of the show, which aired on 2011. The success of the series inspired "The Voice" franchise, which has been picked up by numerous countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, Colombia, Spain, and more. 

He was found dead on Tuesday at a popular recreational lake, as reported by the local newspaper De Telegraaf.

Authorities were looking for a man who matched Saunders' description that morning, with him being reported missing. An official cause of death has not been released.

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His death was confirmed by his older brother, Dean Saunders, who shared a tribute and a photo of the two together when they were kids. "My dear little brother passed away today," he wrote on Instagram. 

"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."

Marco Borsato, one of the coaches on The Voice of Holland, also shared a tribute alongside a photo and a video of himself and Saunders singing onstage together. He shared a tribute and his thoughts for Saunders' fiancée, Janita. 

"Dear, special man, my heart is crying! I can't find words for the emptiness you leave behind. Dear Janita, friends and family, lots of strength in processing this enormous loss," he wrote. 

More about Saunders' career

Saunders was born in London, but lived most of his life in the Netherlands, where his parents moved when he was a child. He owned a tattoo parlor and was a singer, auditioning for The Voice with a cover of the Kings of Leon song "Use Somebody." 

He won the song with "Kill for a Broken Heart," which became a Dutch Top 40 single. He and his brother Dean represented the Netherlands in Eurovision 2003