Another Love Island tragedy
Reality star’s boyfriend hanged himself three weeks after finding her body left him ‘hysterical’
THE distraught boyfriend of Love Island contestant Sophie Gradon hanged himself three weeks after discovering her body, an inquest heard.
Aaron Armstrong, 25, had been left ‘extremely distressed’ by the episode and had taken cocaine and alcohol before his death.
The hearing into the tragedy comes a week after former Love Island star Mike Thalassitis was also found hanged – raising questions over how much support reality TV contestants are being offered post-filming.
Mr Armstrong’s mother Donna told the inquest how her son had gone to Miss Gradon’s family home in Northumberland on June 20 with his brother Ryan after becoming concerned about his girlfriend of five weeks.
She said she got a call from Ryan saying they had found Miss Gradon, 32, hanged at the property.
She said: ‘Sophie seemed to have hung herself. You could hear Aaron screaming in the background. He was hysterical.’
In the following weeks the amateur boxer became ‘withdrawn and quiet’.
On July 10, five days after Miss Gradon’s funeral, he hanged himself in his bedroom at his parents’ home in Blyth after consuming alcohol and cocaine. Coroner Eric Armstrong said the mix of alcohol and drugs played a ‘significant’ part in his death.
He added: ‘There appears to be a link between the consumption of alcohol and cocaine which increases the likelihood of someone taking their own life. The figure I have seen is 16 times more likely.’
Delivering a narrative conclusion, the coroner said: ‘Mr Armstrong’s thinking was affected by distress he was feeling at Sophie’s her taking prevented with about alcohol his death his him brother, actions.’ and and thinking cocaine. having muddled rationally found This by
heard North how Shields Mr Coroner’s Armstrong Court had kicked a cocaine habit after his family bought him drug testing kits in 2015, and he regularly proved he was clean.
He had met Miss Gradon in May and they had a ‘very intense and emotional’ relationship.
Before her death, Miss Gradon, a former Miss Great Britain, said she had ‘sold her soul’ to battle Jackie urged back’ Suicide reality from the with Doyle-Price Prevention TV public watching depression. and to spoke take yesterday reality Minister a of ‘step her TV shows. want have five to She encourage minutes said: ‘Do of people fame we really and to then with all be the dropped mental and stresses then that deal come with that?’ And on Monday Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that reality TV shows which make contestants ‘famous overnight’ have a duty of care to look after their well- being afterwards. Speaking after the death of Mr Thalassitis, 26, who was found in a north London park on Saturday, he said: ‘I am very worried about the support for the mental health of contestants. The sudden exposure to massive fame... can have significant impacts on people.’ An inquest into Miss Gradon’s death was due to be heard tomorrow, but was postponed. nFor confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local branch. See samaritans.org for details.
‘His thinking was affected by distress’