Graham Thorpe’s wife reveals former England cricketer took his own life

Graham Thorpe, the former England cricketer, took his own life earlier this month after a long battle with depression and anxiety, his wife Amanda Thorpe revealed in an interview with The Times. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Thorpe's death on 5 August, and tributes poured in for the 55-year-old, who was widely regarded as one of England’s finest Test players.

Amanda disclosed that Thorpe had attempted to take his own life in May 2022, which led to a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit. "Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better. He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him," she said. "For the past couple of years, Graham had been suffering from major depression and anxiety."

Thorpe had a long and successful career in cricket, both as a player from 1993 to 2005 and later in various coaching roles. However, Amanda noted that despite his mental strength on the field, Thorpe struggled with his mental health off the field. "Graham was renowned as someone who was very mentally strong on the field and he was in good physical health. But mental illness is a real disease and can affect anyone," she added.

Thorpe's daughter Kitty also spoke out, explaining why the family decided to share the news of his mental health struggles. "We are not ashamed of talking about it. There is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma," she said. "This is the time now to share the news, however horrible it is. We’ve wanted to be able to talk and share and we’d now like to raise awareness, too."

The family’s decision to speak out is aimed at raising awareness about mental health and the impact it can have, even on those who appear strong on the outside.