Amanda Thorpe, the widow of Graham Thorpe, expressed her belief that her husband might still be alive today if he had received more support from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after he departed from his coaching position with the organization. Graham Thorpe, a highly esteemed batsman and former England assistant coach, tragically took his own life in August last year following a prolonged struggle with anxiety and depression. An inquest in July 2025 revealed that Thorpe had descended into depression after losing his coaching role in 2022 and had attempted suicide on a previous occasion.
Coroner Jonathan Stevens highlighted deficiencies in the care provided to Thorpe by healthcare professionals in the months leading up to his death and ruled his death as a suicide. Thorpe had been undergoing therapy for his mental health for 18 months before leaving the ECB. Although the organization had financed his treatment, hospital stays, and extended his health insurance coverage post-departure in February 2022, Amanda Thorpe believed that more support should have been extended to help him transition more smoothly during that period.
Amanda Thorpe mentioned in an interview with talkSPORT that had her husband not experienced such a sudden and complete disruption in his cricketing career, he might still be alive today. She emphasized the importance of having a support system in place during times of transition. She criticized the remote support provided as inadequate and expressed that additional help was requested but not received.
The ECB has been approached for comments regarding the matter. If you or someone you know needs to talk, The Samaritans are available 24/7 for support. You can reach them by calling 116 123, emailing jo@samaritans.org, or visiting their website to locate the nearest branch. Remember, you are not alone.