Graham Thorpe: Former England and Surrey cricketer 'took own life' due to depression & anxiety, wife reveals
Former England cricket star Graham Thorpe took his own life after battling depression and anxiety, his wife has revealed. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Thorpe's death on August 5 at the age of 55, prompting an outpouring of tributes for one of England’s most respected Test players.
Thorpe was a key figure in the England cricket setup for much of his life, first as a talented batter from 1993 to 2005, and later in various coaching roles. He became one of the most notable members of the English cricket team during his career, picking up 100 Test caps, and is widely considered to be one of the best batters of his generation. As well as performing for England, Thorpe also maintained a 17-year spell at county side Surrey.
However, his health began to decline, and he was hospitalised in May 2022, with his condition described as "seriously ill" at the time.
In a heartfelt and candid interview with The Times, Amanda Thorpe revealed that the former sportsman had attempted suicide two years ago and ultimately took his own life earlier this month. She said: "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. We are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life."
Amanda further explained that Graham had been suffering from major depression and anxiety over the past couple of years, which led to a serious suicide attempt in May 2022.
She said: "This resulted in a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit. Despite glimpses of hope and of the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe. We supported him as a family, and he tried many, many treatments, but unfortunately, none of them really seemed to work."
Reflecting on the disparity between his mental and physical health, Amanda said: "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."
Thorpe’s daughter, Kitty, spoke about the family’s decision to share the story of his mental health struggles publicly.
Kitty said: "We are not ashamed of talking about it. There is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma. We were trying to help him get better before and trying to protect him, which is why we said nothing. 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."