Cricketer Graham Thorpe ‘spiralled into depression’ after job loss, inquest told

Warning: This interview covers themes of suicide and depression which some may find distressing. If you are affected by this story, please visit sky.com/viewersupport - former England and Surrey cricketer Graham Thorpe died at the age of 55

Graham Thorpe during his time as England's assistant coach in Sydney in January 2022

Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe "spiralled into depression" after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, an inquest has heard.

The 55-year-old died on the morning of August 4, 2024. His widow Amanda Thorpe later said he had taken his own life.

An inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking on Wednesday heard Thorpe was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and previously tried to take his own life in 2022.

An incident involving a leaked video in Australia that year had left him "distraught", the court was told.

Mrs Thorpe said that up until 2020 there were no psychological issues in particular, apart from "a bout of depression" in 2018 which did not affect his job.

In a statement to the court, she said her husband "found lockdown and Covid very difficult, very stressful".

While on tour in Australia, there was an "incident involving a video that was taken that had adverse publicity".

Thorpe shared a video with some friends which was leaked, and the incident was "blown out of all proportion", leaving Thorpe "distraught", Amanda Thorpe's statement added.

According to reports at the time, the video, filmed after a dismal Ashes series which England lost 4-0, showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia players.

Mrs Thorpe described it as a "horrible" time, and said the later termination of his employment with the England and Wales Cricket Board was a "real shock to Graham", which was the "start of the decline of his mental health".

Image: A mural at The Kia Oval, London, in memory of former Surrey and England cricketer, Graham Thorpe

Coroner Jonathan Stevens read a statement from Thorpe's GP, Dr Joan Munnelly, who said the cricketer was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018.

Dr Munnelly said an attempt to take his own life in 2022 resulted in a brain injury and he was in intensive care.

Thorpe spent time in a private hospital after he was discharged.

By 2023, Thorpe had suicidal thoughts, his widow said, and after Christmas he was "in a terrible way".

The last contact between Thorpe and those responsible for his psychiatric care was in June last year, and Amanda Thorpe felt that he should have been "assessed properly", the court heard.

In a statement, Graham Thorpe's father, Geoff, said the video incident had "caused catastrophic damage to him" and "ultimately he lost his job", then quickly "spiralled into depression".

Thorpe became "more and more desperate and helpless in the last year of his life", he added.

Reading Geoff Thorpe's statement, the coroner said: "You felt those who were responsible for Graham's safety and care could've done more to intervene."

Professor Nick Pierce, the ECB's chief medical officer, said in a statement that after Thorpe's employment ended in February 2022 his private health insurance cover was extended until the May.

In May the ECB was advised that Thorpe had attempted to take his own life, and he explained that "at no point during Graham's time at the ECB had there been any concern regarding a risk of self-harm or intent to end life".

He added that the ECB healthcare trust was approached about helping to cover the costs of treatment for Thorpe at a hospital and the trustees agreed.

Thorpe was a mainstay in the England set-up for many years, first as a batter between 1993 and 2005 before spending 12 years in coaching roles.

During a distinguished international career, he struck 16 Test hundreds for England, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, and represented his country 182 times in all formats.

The inquest continues.

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