Ben Saunders, First-Ever ‘The Voice’ Winner, Found Dead at 43
The Dutch singer's 2011 The Voice of Holland victory launched a historic career for the global singing competition franchise.
Ben Saunders, the first-ever winner of The Voice of Holland, has passed away at the age of 43. His body was discovered in Rijkerswoerdse Plassen, a recreational lake near Arnhem in the Netherlands on Tuesday afternoon. Dutch police confirmed that they had recovered a body from the lake around 1:20 p.m. local time, and have ruled out foul play.
The cause of death has not been announced. Saunders' brother, Dean, shared the news on Instagram, expressing his deep sorrow and paying tribute to his late brother. The Saunders family, including Ben's fiancée Janita, were left devastated by the loss. Saunders' career took off in 2011 when he became the inaugural winner of The Voice of Holland, a television singing competition that has since spawned numerous adaptations worldwide.
Despite his success, Saunders continued to make appearances on Dutch television, including the SBS talent show Avastars in 2023. Tributes poured in from colleagues and fans following the news, with former coach Marco Borsato expressing his grief and wishing strength to Ben's fiancée and friends.
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