The brother of television presenter Caroline Flack took his own life while struggling to cope with his sister's death in 2020, an inquest has concluded. According to BBC News, Paul Flack, 55, was discovered unresponsive at his home on Sandringham Road in Norwich on 21 June and died later in hospital. Area Coroner Johanna Thompson delivered a narrative conclusion, determining that Paul Flack died while under the influence of alcohol, though his intent remained unclear.
His partner of 32 years, Joanna Millington, told Norfolk Coroner's Court that he had never moved past the trauma of his younger sister's death, compounded by their father's dementia diagnosis and the subsequent lockdown period. Millington stated:
"I do not think Paul ever recovered from this."Caroline Flack, the former Love Island and X Factor host, was found dead at her home in Stoke Newington, east London, on 15 February 2020, aged 40. An inquest later established that she had taken her own life after fearing press intrusion ahead of her trial on assault charges.
Paul Flack was born in Enfield in north London but spent much of his life in Norwich after his family relocated there. He had two children, aged 23 and 20, according to evidence presented at the inquest. Both he and Caroline grew up in Norfolk.
What pressures did Paul Flack face?
Paul Flack sought help from his general practitioner in August 2020 for low mood, but he did not attend follow-up appointments or counselling sessions. As a self-employed graphic designer, he struggled to secure work as the industry declined, a factor that Millington said contributed to his sadness. His father Ian developed dementia in his early 70s and died at the beginning of 2025, aged 77, adding further emotional strain.
Millington also disclosed that she herself had been diagnosed with cancer in 2025, placing additional pressure on the household. Despite these mounting difficulties, she described Paul as
"everyone's favourite person,"though she acknowledged that maintaining this role
"took its toll."She added:
"[Paul] was a lovely person, he took a lot on from everyone. There was no suggestion he would ever harm himself, he said he never would."
What happened on the day of his death?
Paul Flack died on Father's Day, 21 June. The inquest heard that he and Millington spent time together as a family that day. At 18:30 BST, his daughter offered him a cup of tea and a slice of cake she had made, which he declined. Instead, he went to a shop and purchased four beers, then spent the remainder of the evening in the garden listening to music while his partner and daughter watched a film indoors.
Before retiring to bed at approximately 22:20, his daughter discovered he was no longer in the hammock outside. She screamed upon finding him unresponsive. A neighbour attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, while another neighbour called an ambulance. According to the Independent, neighbour Olive Merrill heard a "shrieking" at about 10:30pm and called 999 after hearing Millington say she did not know what to do.
The coroner heard that Millington had told a neighbour Paul had been in a "bad mood all day," which she believed may have been connected to celebrating Father's Day so soon after his father's death. He was pronounced dead at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital at 23:45.
What did toxicology reveal?
A toxicology report found that Paul Flack had a blood alcohol level significantly above the legal limit for driving. According to the Independent, the toxicology results showed 296 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood—approximately four times England's drink-drive limit.
The inquest recorded Paul Flack's medical cause of death as an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The coroner's narrative conclusion stated that he took his own life while intoxicated, though his intent remained unknown, according to the Independent.
What was Caroline Flack's story?
Caroline Flack's death in February 2020 had a profound impact on her family. The television presenter faced significant media scrutiny and legal proceedings after being accused of assaulting her boyfriend. The combination of press intrusion and the stress of her trial led her to take her own life at the age of 40. Her death prompted widespread discussion about media responsibility and the pressures faced by public figures.
No family members were present at Paul Flack's inquest hearing.
