To millions of cricket fans, Graham Thorpe was a batting legend—a gritty, talented player who lit up Test matches with flair and determination.
But behind the scenes, his life took a devastating turn after his retirement, and now, heartbreaking details have emerged at his inquest.
From Lockdowns to Job Loss, a Sudden Mental Health Decline
According to his widow Amanda, Thorpe’s mental health took a nosedive after the COVID lockdowns and losing his coaching role with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The isolation, the sudden halt in his routine, and the pressures of life after cricket started to wear him down.
Amanda bravely spoke at his inquest in Woking, revealing just how severe things became.
“He asked me to help him die,” she said. “He wanted to go to Switzerland. I was torn apart.”
The Ashes Tour That Changed Everything
In 2022, Thorpe found himself at the center of controversy.
He filmed a late-night drinking session involving England and Australia players after a disastrous Ashes series.
When the video leaked—showing Tasmanian police breaking it up—Thorpe’s job was on the line.
And ultimately, it was the last straw. He was dismissed.
Amanda now believes sending him on that tour, especially under strict COVID restrictions, was a mistake.
“If he hadn’t gone, he wouldn’t have lost his job,” she told the court.
First Suicide Attempt and Health Deterioration
Just months after the ECB dismissal, Thorpe tried to end his life in a hotel.
He survived but was left with lasting trauma.
He spent three weeks unconscious in the hospital, suffered a stroke, and was in intensive care for over a month.
Although he received some support—like a stint in a private hospital paid for by the ECB—his mental health never fully recovered.
Even a coaching offer from Afghanistan’s national team had to be turned down, as Amanda explained, because “he was spiraling.”
Lost in the System
Despite seeking different treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, nothing seemed to help.
Amanda and Thorpe’s family repeatedly raised concerns about the level of care he was receiving.
At one point, Amanda said, “I just wish he could have been kept safe.”
His NHS mental health team knew he was on private medication but didn’t follow up.
He wasn’t referred to addiction services either, out of concern he might not relate to others there.
In the end, he felt increasingly isolated.
The Final Days
By June 2024, Thorpe had completely withdrawn.
He stopped eating, avoided people, and told Amanda he no longer wanted to live.
The last time he had contact with his psychiatric team was in that same month.
One morning, on August 4, he left the house. Amanda thought he was walking the dog—until she saw the dog still at home.
Soon after, her father-in-law Geoff called with the news: “He’s gone.”
Thorpe had been hit by a train near their home. He was just 55.
A Life That Touched Millions, But Couldn’t Escape Darkness
Born in Farnham, Surrey, Thorpe was a prodigy from the start—talented in both football and cricket.
By age 11, he was already being groomed by Surrey.
Over a decade-long international career, he played 100 Tests for England and scored nearly 7,000 runs, averaging 44.66.
Fans loved his aggressive batting style, his signature headband, and his quiet confidence.
Yet behind the success, demons lingered. His first marriage ended badly after an affair, and the fallout led to a year-long break from cricket.
He openly struggled with depression and alcoholism, once saying: “I would have given back all my Test runs and caps just to be happy again.”
A Family Left Behind
Amanda and their daughters Kitty and Emma, along with his children from a previous marriage, Henry and Amelia, are still processing the loss.
Amanda shared that despite his deep love for them, he had convinced himself they’d be “better off without him.”
“He really believed that,” she said. “And we are devastated he acted on it.”
Cricket World to Honour Thorpe’s Memory
Next month, during the final Test against India at The Oval, Thorpe will be remembered in a powerful way.
August 1, which would have been his 56th birthday, has been named “A Day for Thorpey” in support of mental health charity Mind.
It’s a fitting tribute to a man whose talent inspired so many—but whose personal pain remained largely invisible until it was too late.
The Inquest Continues
Thorpe’s inquest is expected to last until Friday.
It’s a somber reminder of how even the strongest among us can break—and how vital proper mental health care and compassion are.