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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Cricket legend Graham Thorpe 'asked wife to help end his life' before being hit by a train
Graham Thorpe took his own life on August 4 after years of struggling with anxiety and depression and his wife Amanda was among those to speak at an inquest into his death Graham Thorpe asked his wife Amanda to help him end his suffering before he decided to take his own life, an inquest has heard. Thorpe was found dead on August 4 after being hit by a train. The England cricket legend had been struggling with anxiety and depression before his death. The 55-year-old had made an attempt on his life in May 2022 and spent a lengthy period of time in hospital recovering. That came after he had been sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board as a coach of the England Test team following an incident on an Ashes tour of Australia. Speaking at an inquest into his death on Wednesday, Thorpe's wife Amanda explained how his life spiralled out of control in his final months last summer. "The weeks leading up to his death, he told me he doesn't want to be here any more," she told the inquest. "He asked me to help him end his life. He said he wants to go to Switzerland. I was in turmoil." Thorpe scored 6,744 runs at an average of 44.66 in Test matches for England between 1993 and 2005. He also played 82 ODIs for his country, establishing himself was one of the most talented batters of his generation. He worked as a batting coach with the England Test team and then as a coach of the Afghanistan side. His father Geoff believes that the Covid-19 lockdown had a seriously negative impact on his life. "Everything was fine until Covid," he told the inquest. He said Thorpe was "not a fella who likes to be cooped up" and that the loss of his job with England contributed to his life "crashing down" around him. "What you've got to realise is sometimes us chaps are a little bit macho – we can cope," he added. "In fact, we can't." Thorpe was sacked by the ECB from his role as assistant coach in early 2022 after a video of him smoking a cigar and drinking inside the team hotel in the early hours of the morning, along with players from both England and Australia, went viral. The police were called to the hotel in Hobart, Tasmania, after a complaint was made. Thorpe struggled to cope after losing his job and spent eight weeks in hospital after making an attempt on his life in May 2022. His mental health never really recovered and by the summer of 2024 the court heard he had lost interest in food and "wanted to hide away, totally isolated, in real crisis and despair". On the day of his death, Amanda thought her husband had gone out to walk the dog. She said: "He never really recovered from (his first suicide) attempt. "He came back from the tour of Australia in a terrible state - lots of things, the video, the environment, the set-up. To be sacked after that I think it was foreseeable that it would be really really hard on him." Thorpe's family have been open in discussing his mental health struggles and have announced 'A Day For Thorpey' at the Oval during the upcoming fifth Test match in the England vs India series. The left-hander had a 17-year professional career with Surrey at that ground and August 1 would have been his 56th birthday. Announcing the initiative, which will raise money for mental health charity Mind, Amanda told BBC Breakfast: "That day will be very powerful. We want to celebrate him and his memory. His light was so bright. He'll go on." Thorpe's daughter Kitty added: "Death and grief in general isn't talked about enough, considering it happens to everyone. It surrounds us. When you add the layer of death by suicide, that makes it even more taboo. "I understand it's difficult to talk about - people don't want to say the wrong thing. That doesn't help tackle the stigma around it. We need to change the way we're addressing the topic. That's why we're working with Mind to do something to help that."
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
England cricket star Graham Thorpe ‘asked wife to help him end life in Swiss clinic' before he was hit by train
TRAGIC END England cricket star Graham Thorpe 'asked wife to help him end life in Swiss clinic' before he was hit by train Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ENGLAND cricket star Graham Thorpe asked his wife to help him end his life in a Swiss clinic before he was hit by a train, an inquest heard. The dad, 55, was found dead on August 4 after a heartbreaking battle with anxiety and depression for several years. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Graham Thorpe died after being hit by a train Credit: PA 3 His wife told how the cricketer begged her to help end his life His wife Amanda today told an inquest how Thorpe had begged her to help him die when his mental health "spiralled". She said: "The weeks leading up to his death, he told me he doesn't want to be here any more. "He asked me to help him end his life. "He said he wants to go to Switzerland. I was in turmoil." The Surrey lefthander had previously tried to take his own life in 2022 after losing his coaching job with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Amanda told the court Thorpe had found Covid lockdown "very difficult" and "stressful". His dad Geoff agreed with the statement, saying: "Everything was fine until Covid." He said Thorpe was "not a fella who likes to be cooped up" and also told how his son's life had come "crashing down" when he lost his job with the ECB. Geoff continued: "What you've got to realise is sometimes us chaps are a little bit macho – we can cope. "In fact, we can't." The inquest was told Thorpe was dismissed from his role following an "incident" surrounding a viral video. This led to a suicide attempt in 2022 where the cricketer spent eight weeks in hospital. Assistant coroner Jonathan Stevens said: "Things continued to go downhill, he was really struggling, had anxiety and insomnia and it was all really dark." Thorpe made repeated threats to kill himself and by June 2024, he lost interest in food and "wanted to hide away, totally isolated, in real crisis and despair", the court heard. On August 4 that year, he left home and was never seen alive again. Amanda believed he had gone out to walk the dog but saw the pet at home still so tried to call her husband. The court heard she then received a call from Thorpe's dad telling her: "He's gone". Amanda added: "He never really recovered from (his first suicide) attempt. "He came back from the tour of Australia in a terrible state - lots of things, the video, the environment, the set-up. "To be sacked after that I think it was foreseeable that it would be really really hard on him." How to get help EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, 116 123 Thorpe made his international debut in 1993 and scored a century on his first Ashes appearance, becoming the first England player to do so in 20 years. He was an England regular and went on to play 100 Tests, scoring 16 centuries and featuring 82 times for the ODI side, as well as enjoying a 17-year career with Surrey. His final Test appearance came in June 2005 before he was omitted from that summer's victorious Ashes series and called time on his international career. The inquest continues. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
Pink Villa
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
The Young and the Restless Spoilers, July 23 Episode: Will Amanda Catch Cane Deleting Security Footage?
The Young and the Restless spoilers for Wednesday, July 23, reveal several tense confrontations and unexpected truths. Amanda finds something troubling, Kyle decides to speak up, and Lily clashes with Phyllis over Cane. The episode includes heated arguments, suspicious activity, and shocking revelations that could shift loyalties and expose secrets. Amanda finds Cane acting suspicious Amanda walks in on Cane as he's looking at security footage. She suspects he might be trying to delete it and warns him against taking such a risky action. Cane then questions Amanda about the missing first copy of the footage, which was already erased. The two get into an argument, throwing accusations at each other. Amanda insists she didn't delete it, but Cane isn't convinced. Meanwhile, they're both aware that a backup copy might still exist after 24 hours. This raises the stakes, as Cane may soon discover if that's been tampered with, too. Lily and Phyllis argue over Cane's guilt Elsewhere, Lily and Phyllis get into a heated conversation about Cane. Lily believes Cane is guilty and isn't willing to budge. But Phyllis defends him, saying there's more to the story. She refuses to believe Cane could have killed Damian like that. The disagreement turns personal, with Lily accusing Cane of recklessness while Phyllis insists that his actions are being misunderstood. Kyle tells Nikki about Victor's interference Kyle drops a bombshell on Nikki when he tells her that Victor hired Audra to break up his relationship with Claire. Nikki isn't surprised. She admits it sounds exactly like something Victor would do. Kyle is frustrated and ready to confront Victor, but he knows he has to wait until Victor deals with Sharon and Nick's house arrest. Nikki, meanwhile, grows concerned about what Victor might do next. Phyllis may continue to support Cane, but the hostage crisis involving Nick and Sharon could challenge her loyalty. At the same time, Amanda and Cane's mistrust may lead to more drama if the backup footage goes missing.
Graziadaily
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Why Lucy Punch Decided To Face Her Fears On Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters
Lucy Punch's acting career has taken her from the school corridors of St Trinian's to her maisonette in SoHa (south Harlesden) in Amandaland to 'the shark capital of the world' with ITV. Despite often being cast as snooty, posh characters who think getting the bus is below them, the real life Lucy was brave enough to submerge herself in shark infested waters in the name of entertainment on Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters. With an impressive list of credits up her sleeve, here's everything you need to know about Lucy, including the noughties films you may have seen her in before. Lucy Punch is an English actress from Hammersmith in London. She performed with the National Youth Theatre between 1993 and 1997 and then enrolled at University College London before dropping out to pursue acting. She is perhaps best known for her role as Amanda in Sharon Horgan's hit series Motherland , which earned her a spin-off show called Amandaland which launched in February this year. Lucy is 47 years old. She was born on 30 December 1977. Lucy has starred in everything from the Woody Allen film Into the Woods to A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix, Bad Teacher and the How to Build a Girl series where she played Sylvia Plath. Speaking about her triumphant role as Amanda in Motherland and Amandaland, Lucy said, 'I've always thought of Amanda as an arrested teenager. She's a mean girl. Now it's almost like she's coming of age, growing up a bit, having to make friends, having to try.' Of course, Lucy's most recent project took her to the Bahamas to conquer her fear of sharks. 'We really are right in the middle of nowhere in the sea on our own with a load of sharks but I'm hoping when Tristin comes he's going to reassure us about what we are doing and that it's safer than it looks,' she said in the first episode. She is joined on the new show by Helen George, Ade Adepitan, Rachel Riley, Dougie Poynter, Lenny Henry and Ross Noble. Lucy has reportedly been with her partner Dinos Chapman since 2014 and they live together in LA. Dinos is one half of the visual art duo The Chapman Brothers. He has two daughters from his previous marriage to Tiphaine de Lussy. While Lucy has two sons aged nine and three. No, Lucy is notoriously private about her personal life and does not have social media. Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters is on Mondays on ITV1 at 9pm or you can stream the entire series on ITVX. Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).
United News of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- United News of India
Eng to honour Thorpe in final Test against India
London, July 21 (UNI) The life and legacy of former England and Surrey cricketer Graham Thorpe will be commemorated on August 1, the second day of the final men's Test match between England and India at the Kia Oval, in an event titled 'A Day for Thorpey.' The tribute will mark what would have been Thorpe's 56th birthday. The legendary left-hander committed suicide on August 4 last year at the age of 55 after a prolonged struggle with anxiety and depression. The event aims not only to celebrate his cricketing achievements but also to raise awareness and funds for mental health, in partnership with the charity 'Mind.' Thorpe, who featured in 100 Test matches for England and enjoyed a distinguished career with Surrey County Cricket Club, later served in various coaching roles with both the national and county teams. Widely respected for his technical skill and grit, he remains one of the most admired figures in English cricket. To honour his memory, special edition headbands — designed to resemble those worn by Thorpe while batting — will be sold to raise funds for Mind. Co-designed by his wife Amanda and daughters Kitty and Emma, the headbands will be available for pre-order starting July 21 through and Mind's eBay store. They will also be sold at the Kia Oval on August 1 for £5 each. In addition, a JustGiving page and a text-to-donate facility have been launched to support the cause. Supporters can text THORPEY5, THORPEY10 or THORPEY20 to 70255 to donate £5, £10 or £20 respectively. Funds raised will go toward expanding the "Thorpey's Bat and Chat" programme, a 12-week initiative combining cricket with psychoeducational mental health support, originally piloted by Burton and District Mind. The project will now be extended across England and Wales through local Mind branches and county cricket foundations. Kitty Thorpe reflected on the stigma around suicide: "Death and grief aren't talked about enough. When you add the layer of suicide, it becomes even more taboo. We're working with Mind to change that.' Emma Thorpe added: "My dad was a private person, but sharing his and our experiences is important to help others and reduce the shame and stigma around mental health." Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind, praised the family's courage: "The loss of Graham deeply saddened us. Amanda, Kitty and Emma have spoken with immense strength. Their openness helps others going through similar struggles. It is an honour to work with them on 'A Day for Thorpey'." Oli Slipper, Chair of Surrey CCC, said: "Graham was a true legend. Celebrating him at his home ground feels fitting. We hope this day raises crucial awareness and support for mental wellbeing." The tribute at the Oval is expected to unite the cricketing world in remembrance of Thorpe, not just as a formidable batsman, but as a symbol of the pressing need to address mental health in sport and beyond. UNI BDN SSP
