Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

A Wigan man who was making a name for himself on the local stand-up comedy circuit took his own life, an inquest heard.

Anthony Rodden, of Beech Hill, had been out on the town in Wigan with his girlfriend the night before the tragedy, where he had been seen singing karaoke in a pub and enjoying himself with friends.

The inquest heard that the 30-year-old University of Salford graduate was subject to sudden mood swings which could be triggered in unpredictable ways and changed his personality.

Wigan woman sentenced after failing to seek vet treatment for cat’s nose tumour ...

Anthony Rodden's partner described him as a comedy genius

This long-standing condition had been exacerbated by the suicide of Anthony’s mum in March 2020, and his own casual use of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol, the hearing was told.

On the evening of Saturday, February 18 this year, Anthony had visited several pubs in Wigan town centre with his girlfriend.

She told the inquest at Bolton Coroners’ Court they had been having a good time and she noticed nothing unusual about his behaviour. At one point, he had been singing karaoke at one of the pubs they visited.

However when a female friend of hers offered to give them a lift to his home in the early hours of the next morning (Sunday), Anthony had inexplicably picked an argument with the woman on the way to the car park.

Anthony Rodden, 30, was making a name for himself on the stand-up comedy circuit

This led to Anthony returning home, where his girlfriend said she would join him an hour or so later.

When she and the friend returned to Anthony’s address, they found him unresponsive inside the house. North West Ambulance Service were called who pronounced life extinct at the scene. Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances.

A post-mortem examination revealed Anthony had alcohol in his system which was 2.5 times over the drink-drive limit, along with low levels of cocaine and cannabis.

The coroner, Prof Dr Alan Walsh, said that the drink and drugs had been a significant contributory factor to Anthony’s actions in terms of the way they affected his judgement, although they played no role in the cause of his death, which had been by hanging.

He recorded a narrative conclusion and offered his sympathies to the family and friends who attended Anthony’s inquest.

If you need to talk to someone, call Samaritans for free at any time on 116 123.

Talented Wigan amateur stand-up comic was doing karaoke just hours before he took his own life