Take Me Out contestant killed himself after he lost museum job
A GRADUATE who lost his museum job after vanishing following his appearance on Take Me Out hanged himself four months later, an inquest heard.
Charlie Watkins, 22, said he had been unlucky in love at university and hoped to find ‘the one’ on the dating show.
After completing his degree he spent five weeks working at York’s Chocolate Story – a museum about the city’s chocolate heritage.
The inquest heard Mr Watkins travelled to the TV show’s studios in Maidstone, Kent, for four days of filming in November 2016.
His bosses knew he was taking part in the show but he lost his job after he failed to return to work the following week. He won a date with contestant Jo-Tara, 22, on the ITV show, in which a single man tries to impress a line-up of 30 women.
Like all winners, they went on a break to Tenerife and the date was said to have gone ‘really well’. But the inquest heard Mr Watkins, from Essex, was masking an inner turmoil.
His mother died when he was nine and he had self-harmed and taken anti- depressants in the past, York Coroners’ Court heard.
His housemate, Swabir Abdulrehman, 24, told the inquest: ‘He was happy. But when he went to go film for the Take Me Out TV programme, he lost his job. He then had nothing to do apart from stay around the house and play on the Xbox and PlayStation.’ Mr Watkins, who graduated from York University with a degree in criminology in June 2016, was found dead in his bedroom on March 13.
Recording a conclusion of suicide, Coroner Rob Turnbull said: ‘Charlie was witty, charming and a considerate young man – that is what people thought of him.’
Mr Watkins’ twin brother Harry, 23, said: ‘I didn’t know he was still struggling with our mother’s death. I also noticed some laceration marks on his arm about a year ago when we went to the gym, but he told me to mind my own business. We thought he had got better.’
Mr Watkins longed to find a lasting relationship. After graduating, he posted the poignant message online: ‘My one regret is not finding that one woman for me to spend the rest of my life with.’
Show host Paddy McGuinness paid tribute to Mr Watkins when the episode was screened in April with the permission of his family.
He tweeted at the time: ‘Tonight’s Take Me Out is in memory of Charlie. A fantastic lad who I’m sure will be greatly missed by his wonderful friends and family. RIP.’
A spokesman for York’s Chocolate Story said Mr Watkins was expected back at work on the Monday after filming but was uncontactable for a week.
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