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Presenter and former international cricketer Freddie Flintoff has revealed his feelings of guilt as boxing star Ricky Hatton died after being found hanged, aged just 46.
During an emotional interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, airing today on YouTube, Flintoff was asked about the boxer's recent death and said he felt 'guilt' that no-one knew how Hatton had been feeling.
A pre-inquest hearing today heard that the boxing champion was found 'unresponsive' at his home by his long-time manager and friend Paul Speak on September 14, having been last seen by family members two days previously.
According to them he had 'appeared well', but then Hatton, who lived alone, failed to attend an event he had been expected at the following day.
When Mr Speak arrived at his home in September 14 to take him to Manchester Airport for a scheduled flight, Hatton was found with a ligature round his neck.
The former world champion had revealed his suicidal thoughts and problems with addiction in the past, but his family have said he was in a 'good place' before his death.
Describing the last time he saw Hatton, Flintoff said he unexpectedly bumped into the boxer on a train and they had travelled up to Manchester together.
He continued: 'I think it's like all these things, when something like that happens and you speak and everyone says, 'He seemed fine', 'he seemed all right', 'he was looking forward to fighting in the next few weeks out in Dubai'.
During an emotional interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, airing today on YouTube , Flintoff was asked about the boxer's recent death and said he felt 'guilt' that no-one knew how Hatton was feeling prior to his death
British boxing icon Ricky Hatton (pictured) was found dead by his manager on September 14
A pre-inquest hearing today heard that the boxing champion (pictured) was found 'unresponsive' at his home by his long-time manager and friend Paul Speak
'There's almost a guilt… How people didn't know? And the one thing I found in recent years, over the past few years, it's happened to more and more people.
'With Graham Thorpe in cricket who [was an] absolute great man, someone who is thought of so dearly by everyone who played with and everyone he's coached. You just feel like, if only we would have known. But you know it's terrible.'
Recalling the first time he ever met Hatton, Flintoff admitted his death had hit 'quite close to home'.
'Ricky, one of the great men, I met him years ago. We did a thing for Sky Sports and I went on the pads and he started hitting me, and I was a fan as well,' he said.
'He's charming, he's funny, our careers ran parallel with each other at the height, at the same time. I went to his fights.
'We had nights out in the Press Club in Manchester and we've sung karaoke together and I never knew all these things that he was struggling with until we sat down.
'When we started talking, obviously, he was so honest about what he had been going through and what he felt. And then, as he was talking, I was relating to it. I've felt like that, that's what I've been like.
'Then it just turned into a chat about two blokes being really honest.'
Flintoff talked about how honest Hatton had been about his struggles and said his death had hit 'quite close to home'
He continued: '[Ricky's] this working class hero from Manchester who goes into the ring, he fights, all heart. He's funny. You see him like doing stand up routines at press conferences and he feels like this.
'And then obviously what's happened over the past two weeks, it's been devastating. For obviously his friends, his family but anyone who has been in contact with Ricky.'
Hatton was 'in a really good place' before his death, his manager Mr Speak has said, and had been preparing to take his daughters to see Oasis the following week, to go to Thailand for a boxing convention and for Christmas in Tenerife.
He was also busy with preparations for a fight in Dubai in December against Abu Dhabi's Eisa Al Dah.
His final post on Instagram showed him keeping fit in the gym ahead of a highly–anticipated return to the ring in December.
The Mancunian also filmed an uplifting video in his final week for a child who was the victim of bullying.
Earlier this morning, Mr Hatton's son Campbell, 24, paid tribute to his late father on Good Morning Britain.
Opening up about his grief, he said: 'It has been very up and down, really, but just as a family, we're trying to take each day at a time, really.'
Reflecting on the love shown for Ricky at his funeral, Campbell added: 'He always said he was more proud of his fanbase than all the belts and his titles.
'Surprised is probably the wrong word because it was obvious how much he was loved by the amount of people that followed him all over the world to watch him box.
'To actually see everyone in the streets, it was a very long route that we went down, and there was never a point where the streets weren't full. To actually see it in terms of the amount of people, it was surreal really.'
Stars such as Liam Gallagher, Wayne Rooney and Tyson Fury were among those in the congregation for a private memorial service at Manchester Cathedral.
In court today the case was opened and adjourned until March 20 by senior coroner for Manchester South Alison Mutch.
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