An inquest into the tragic death of former England cricket star Graham Thorpe has revealed that he struggled deeply with depression, even asking his wife for assistance to end his life at a Swiss clinic prior to his suicide. Thorpe, who was 55 when he died after being hit by a train in August 2022, spiralled into mental health issues following the loss of his role as England’s batting coach in 2022.
Testimonies at the inquest indicated that Thorpe had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and had previously attempted suicide after being dismissed from his position with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). His wife, Amanda, noted that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thorpe had shown no significant signs of mental health issues apart from a brief period of depression in 2018 that didn’t interfere with his work.
The couple’s life changed dramatically after a 2020 incident in which Thorpe was filmed by police during a gathering with other England players in Tasmania, violating local smoking laws. The incident garnered media attention and contributed to Thorpe losing his coaching job after a poor Ashes series where England was soundly defeated.
Amanda reported that the announcement of Thorpe’s dismissal shocked him and marked a decline in his mental well-being. Following this, he was hospitalised for eight weeks after another suicide attempt and expressed to Amanda his desire not to continue living. He confided in her about wanting to seek assisted suicide in Switzerland, leaving her feeling distressed.
The inquest details that Thorpe vanished from home on August 4 and was not seen again. Amanda soon received a phone call from Thorpe’s father informing her of his death. Amanda shared that Thorpe struggled to recover from his previous suicide attempt and returning from the Australian tour left him in a poor emotional state.
His father, Geoff Thorpe, described the video incident as having caused “catastrophic damage” to Graham. Speaking on behalf of the family, he indicated that there were missed opportunities for those responsible for Thorpe’s care to intervene more effectively regarding his mental health struggles.
Dr. Joan Munnelly, Thorpe’s GP, confirmed the cricketer’s diagnosis while adding that he had suffered a brain injury during the earlier suicide attempt. Thorpe’s impressive cricket career began in 1993, leading him to play in 100 Test matches and score 16 centuries, making his mark as a notable player in England’s cricket history.
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