Emotional Freddie Flintoff opens up on 'guilt' over Ricky Hatton death and their last chat

Freddie Flintoff has revealed the "guilt" he feels over the death of Ricky Hatton. The former England cricket team captain paid an emotional tribute to the boxing legend during a recent instalment of show.

He said: "I sat with him a while ago on a train. I got on a train and he'd been somewhere. We sat together all the way back up to Manchester, quite unexpected.

"I think it's like all these things, when something like that happens. 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.'

"There's almost a guilt...How people didn't know? The one thing I found cover the past few years, it's happened to more and more people.

"With Graham Thorpe in cricket...absolute great man, someone who is thought of so dearly by everyone who he played with and coached. You just feel like, if only we would have known. But you know, it's terrible."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that Hatton passed away on September 14, after he was found unresponsive at his home in Gee Cross, Hyde. As police ruled that there was no suspicious circumstances relating to the boxing legend's death, an inquest was opened.

And at a Coroner's Court hearing on Thursday morning, Alison Mutch issued a provisional cause of death of 'hanging'. A full inquest into Hatton's death will be held on March 20 next year.

Last weekend, thousands of mourners lined the streets of Manchester as Hatton's cortege made its way to Manchester Cathedral, where a service for the Englishman was held. Hatton's coffin stopped off at a number of places on the way to the service, including the Cheshire Cheese Pub, the Betta Bodies Gym and the AO Arena.

In attendance at the service were a number of Hatton's close friends - including Flintoff, Tyson Fury, Liam Gallagher, Tony Bellew, Frank Bruno, Wayne Rooney and Paddy McGuinness to name a few. Meanwhile, Sky Sports' Adam Smith delivered a touching eulogy from inside the cathedral.

Upon the completion of the service, Hatton's coffin then made its way to the Etihad Stadium before moving on to a private committal, attended only by Hatton's family and closest friends.

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