'Love Island' star Sophie Gradon took her own life, inquest confirms

Love Island contestant Sophie Gradon hanged herself after drinking alcohol and taking cocaine, an inquest has now revealed.

The 32-year-old passed away at her parents’ home in Medburn, Ponteland on 20 June 2018. At the time, Northumbria Police stated that there did not seem to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding her death with officials stating shortly after that it was likely suicide.

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She was found by her boyfriend, Aaron Armstrong, who travelled to his partner’s home with his brother when she stopped responding to his messages and he noticed she hadn’t posted on social media for a while. Armstrong took his own life 20 days later.

During the confirmation, coroner Eric Armstrong spoke out about how combining alcohol with drugs can significantly increase the chance of people harming themselves. He also claimed that the substances may have impeded her ability to think rationally.

“If Sophie’s death is to serve any purpose at all, that message should go out far and wide,” he said.

North Shields Coroners Court had heard that, prior to her death, Gradon had stated that she was “struggling with the world” and that she “cannot do this any more.”

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According to the BBC, Det Sgt Neill Jobling of Northumbria Police also revealed that during a text message exchange with a male friend, the former Miss Great Britain detailed how she was finding it difficult to cope with her ADHD everyday and that “if [she] could escape [she] would.”

Mike Thalassitis, who also appeared in the popular ITV2 dating competition, was found dead earlier this year.

While the cause of his death is yet to be confirmed, the news led to many recognisable names within reality television – such as Love Island‘s Montana Brown and Made in Chelsea‘s Olivia Bentley – to call for more in-depth aftercare.

If you’ve been affected by this story and want to talk to someone, you can call the Samaritans free on 116 123 or at jo@samaritans.org