A COME Dine With Me contestant was found dead in his bedroom by his brother next to two suicide notes, an inquest has heard.
Nicholas Blything, 36, died on June 15 last year at his home in Chester.
The Channel 4 programme paid tribute to the former contestant in November, leaving viewers "devastated".
Now an inquest has revealed that the star took his own life and that his body was discovered by his brother.
Detective Sergeant Paul Davies said: "It was [his brother] Richard who found him and provided police with the formal identification."
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He told how two suicide notes were found at the scene and that Nicholas had been suffering from mental health problems for a while.
Nicholas was sectioned under the Mental Health Act two months before his death, report The Mirror.
He had told a friend that he "might as well throw himself off a cliff".
But after receiving treatment his family said he was "improving" and was no longer a danger to himself.
A statement from his brother Richard was read at the inquest.
It read: "In the days before he passed away, he was very buoyant.
"He collected the dog from his parents, collected plants for his garden, had been mowing his lawn, cleaning his home, sorting out his food shop, said he had a good weekend and that he was going to catch up with him [Richard] in the week."
Coroner Claire Welch said of his death: "The statement from his brother confirms that he was making plans for the future.
“However, he apologised to his family and friends that everything had become ‘too much for him to bear’.
“From the notes he left, it is evident that he did intend to take his own life.”
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