Paul Flack, 55, had experienced ‘low mood in recent years after various life events’, including the death of his father and sister Caroline Flack, an inquest heard
Paul Flack pictured with his sister Caroline Flack (Image: Instagram)
Caroline Flack’s brother did not “really recover” from his sister’s death in 2020 and took his own life while under the influence of alcohol, an inquest has heard.
Paul Flack experienced “low mood in recent years after various life events” including the death of his father last year, Norfolk area coroner Johanna Thompson said. The 55-year-old was found unresponsive in the garden of his home in Norwich on Father’s Day, June 21.
Joanna Millington, Mr Flack’s partner of 32 years, told the inquest she didn’t think he “really recovered from” his sister taking her own life. Former Love Island and X Factor host Caroline, 40, was found unresponsive at her home in Stoke Newington, north-east London, on February 15, 2020.
Paul Flack was found unresponsive at his home in Norwich on June 21(Image: paulyflack/Instagram)
A coroner concluded at an inquest in 2020 she died by suicide, and that she took her own life after discovering she was to be prosecuted for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend and feared press intrusion.
Ms Millington, who had two children aged 23 and 20 with Mr Flack, said he had been a self-employed graphic designer but the industry had declined. She added: “I believe this may have contributed to his sadness as this was all he had done.”
Mr Flack’s father Ian died in November 2025 aged 77 after a dementia diagnosis in his early 70s. Ms Millington said she “tried to encourage Paul to seek counselling” after this.
Mr Flack appeared in a recent documentary about his sister’s death(Image: Disney )
In the week leading up to his death, he “did drink more than usual, however this was a lovely week we had spent together,” she said.
Ms Millington said on the day of Mr Flack’s death, they had spent time together and she had watched a film indoors with one of her children while he stayed in the garden and drank beer. She said Mr Flack was “incredibly loved and I’m going to miss him”.
In a statement, neighbour Olive Merrill said she remembered hearing Mr Flack, his daughter and one of their children in the garden on the afternoon of June 21.
She said at around 10.30pm she heard a “shrieking” and “thought it sounded like Jo”. She said: “I called out ‘do you need help’.
“I heard a female voice saying ‘it’s Paul, I don’t know what to do’.”
Ms Merrill said she dialled 999. She added: “Jo kept saying ‘his sister did his, his sister did this’.”
Caroline Flack died in 2020(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Police and paramedics attended and Mr Flack was found unresponsive. Mr Flack was taken to hospital at 11.28pm and handed over to accident and emergency staff, but was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Dr Tarek Ahmed, a consultant in emergency medicine, said Mr Flack’s bloods were taken and it was recorded that he had 296 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres – around four times the drink-drive limit of 80 milligrammes in England.
No family members were present at Thursday’s inquest hearing.
The coroner said Mr Flack’s family were “aware of the evidence that’s being read and are content for this to be read in their absence”. She gave Mr Flack’s medical cause of death as out of hospital cardiac arrest, with hanging as a contributory cause.
The coroner said: “The court heard there was no significant medical history recorded for Paul. It was noted he had low mood in recent years after various life events.”
In a narrative conclusion, she said Mr Flack took his own life “while under the influence of alcohol – his intention in doing so is unknown”.
