Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson’s estranged wife Paddy Bowden found dead at their home months after split
Iron Maiden legend Bruce Dickinson's estranged wife Paddy Bowden was reportedly found dead on Monday, May 18, following a "tragic accident" at their marital home. Bowden's body was discovered at the duo's former home in Chiswick, West London, on Monday morning before 10 am.
The 61-year-old star, confirmed his wife's death in a statement, saying: "This is a terrible tragedy which appears to be a tragic accident. Our children Austin, Griffin and Kia and I are devastated. Out of respect for Paddy we won’t be making any further comment at this hugely difficult and painful time for our family."
London Ambulance Service, on Monday, confirmed that they had attended to Bowden's body and that the patient was pronounced dead on arrival. A spokesperson of the service said: "We were called at 9.42 am today to reports of a person unwell in Barrowgate Road, Chiswick. We sent two ambulance crews to the scene – the first one arriving within two minutes. Sadly, the patient had already died."
The Iron Maiden frontman currently lives with fitness instructor Liana Dolci in Paris. The news of Dickinson's separation from Paddy emerged last year in November after nearly 29 years of their marriage. The shocking divorce of the duo estimated to be more than $90 million.
The announcement of his divorce from Bowden came nearly four years after he beat stage three throat cancer. He was reportedly informed by doctors that he had two tumors on his tongue. Dickinson, at the time, was supported by Bowden and their three children: Austin, 29, Griffin, 27, and daughter Kia, 28. He was later given health clearance by doctors after undergoing six months of intense chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Dickinson and Bowden married in 1990 after two years of dating each other. However, the star was left facing a £45 million ($55 million) divorce bill after he began a relationship with the fitness instructor who is 15 years his junior. It is understood that the 'Run to the Hills' singer and Iron Maiden superfan Leana are now living together in France, according to the Sun.
Dickinson had revealed his health struggle and battle in his autobiography 'What Does This Button Do?' which was released in 2017. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he revealed that surviving cancer had given him a new appreciation of life.
A source told the paper last year in November: "Leana has always been a huge Iron Maiden fan, following them around for nearly 10 years. She and Bruce have got really close over the past year and she has even met his children. Paddy is in South America having some space from it all."
Dickinson has remained adamant about keeping his family life out of public view. While promoting his autobiography, he had told BBC Radio 2: "I think there's a belief that that nastiness somehow sells books. And I'm not sure one, that it does, and two, that it's particularly the sort of book that I want to be a part of. So I made the decision that, in amongst not being horrid to people, 'cause there's no point, at the same time, I thought, well, I also don't want to tell confidences about other people's lives."
"Living is living now, every minute, every second, for right now," he had told the outlet. Iron Maiden, which were formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975, went on to sell 80 million albums worldwide, becoming one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time.