The brother of TV presenter Caroline Flack did not "really recover" from her death in 2020 and took his own life while under the influence of alcohol, an inquest has heard.
Paul Flack, aged 55, was found unresponsive in the garden of his home in Norwich on Father's Day this year. Paramedics took him to hospital, but he was pronounced dead that same evening, June 21, Thursday's hearing in Norwich was told.
Inquest hears of low mood and family losses
Norfolk area coroner Johanna Thompson stated that Mr Flack had been struggling with "low mood in recent years after various life events", including the passing of his father last year.
In testimony read by the coroner's officer, Mr Flack's partner Joanna Millington said they had been together for 32 years and had two children, now aged 23 and 20. She explained that Mr Flack had worked as a self-employed graphic designer but that the sector had diminished, adding: "I believe this may have contributed to his sadness as this was all he had done."
Ms Millington noted that Mr Flack's sister had taken her own life and said: "I don't think Paul really recovered from this."
Background of Caroline Flack's death
Caroline Flack, aged 40, was found unresponsive at her home in Stoke Newington, north-east London, on February 15, 2020. A coroner determined at a 2020 inquest that she died by suicide after learning she would face prosecution for assaulting her boyfriend.
In her statement, Ms Millington said Mr Flack's father Ian died in November 2025 at the age of 77, following a dementia diagnosis in his early seventies. She said she had "tried to encourage Paul to seek counselling" and told the hearing that during the week before his death, he "did drink more than usual, however this was a lovely week we had spent together".
Events on the day of death
On the day he died, Ms Millington said they had spent time together, and in the evening she watched a film inside with one of her children while Mr Flack remained in the garden drinking beer. She described Mr Flack as "incredibly loved and I'm going to miss him".
Neighbour Olive Merrill said she heard Mr Flack, his daughter and one of their children in the garden on the afternoon of June 21. At about 10.30pm, she heard "shrieking" and "thought it sounded like Jo". She called out "do you need help" and heard a female voice saying "it's Paul, I don't know what to do". Ms Merrill immediately rang 999 and recalled Ms Millington saying "his sister did this, his sister did this".
Ms Merrill added that Ms Millington explained they "went inside to watch a film and he stayed in the garden having a beer". She also said Ms Millington told her "he's been in a bad mood all day, he's been off all day", noting that his father had died and it had been Father's Day.
Medical details and conclusion
The coroner confirmed that police and paramedics found Mr Flack unresponsive. The ambulance service logged his arrival at hospital at 11.28pm, and he was transferred to A&E personnel but declared deceased moments later.
In a written statement, Dr Tarek Ahmed, a consultant in emergency medicine, noted that blood samples showed Mr Flack had 296 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, approximately four times England's drink-drive threshold of 80 milligrammes. No relatives attended the inquest.
The coroner recorded the medical cause of death as out of hospital cardiac arrest, with hanging as a contributory cause. In a narrative conclusion, she determined that Mr Flack took his own life "while under the influence of alcohol – his intention in doing so is unknown".
