A TAKE Me Out contestant who lost his job because he took a week off to film the show hanged himself a month later, an inquest heard.

Charlie Watkins, 22, went on the dating show in a bid to find ‘the one’ after saying he was disappointed he had been unlucky in love during his three years at York University.

Yesterday, York Coroners’ Court heard the criminology graduate, from Colchester, took a job at the chocolate museum and shop ‘York Chocolate Story’ for “a few months” after completing his degree.

But due to four-day filming commitments for the dating show at Maidstone Studios, Kent, and being in his probationary period of employment he was lost his job.

Halstead Gazette:

PICTURE: SWNS

His twin brother Harry Watkins said Charlie did not tell work about his whereabouts because couldn’t have his phone with him during the Take Me Out filming.

He missed calls from work and had his employment terminated when he returned.

Charlie’s lacrosse team mate and housemate Swabir Abdulrehman, 24, told the inquest: “He really loved his job at the chocolate factory - he was happy.

“But when he went to go film for the Take Me Out TV programme, he lost his job - they terminated his contract.

“He then had nothing to do apart from stay around the house and play on the Xbox and Playstation.”

He added: “He would have spent that time at work.”

The inquest heard his family and friends confirm Charlie had self-harmed previously and taken anti-depressant medication in the past.

But Mr Abdulrehman said those days were behind him and at the time “he was cheerful and happy”.

Charlie’s psychiatrist Vivienne Sabre described him as “the life and soul of every party, but would suddenly retreat into the back of his mind moments later”.

The former York University student tragically posted after graduating in June 2016: ‘My one regret is not finding that one woman for me to spend the rest of my life with.’

Charlie, known on Take Me Out as ‘Chaz Man’, even posted a picture on his Facebook account of the show’s application form as he filled it in.

He was then called up to join match-making host Paddy McGuinness and shot scenes in February - and won a date with stunning brunette Jo-Tara.

Phoenix Nights star McGuinness had tweeted saying the episode which Charlie appeared on the show would be dedicated to his memory.

It was broadcast on April 23 after ITV were granted the go-ahead from his family.

Charlie’s date with Jo-Tara was also broadcast a week later as the pair jetted off to the show’s fictional Isle of Fernando’s - and the date “went really well”.

The inquest heard Charlie had spent the day before his death drinking with his brother in Leeds, before enjoying a charity dinner with friends in York.

He was found hanged in his bedroom the following evening as his flat mates tried to break down his bedroom door on March 13.

Mr Abdulrehman, who was the first to find Charlie, used a credit card to slide open the latch and attempt to open the door.

He told the inquest: “I then felt his body and it was cold, I pulled down on what felt like a rope and his body was wedged behind the door.

“I knew Charlie was dead - panic then set in and I called for an ambulance.”

Paramedics arrived at the address around 9pm and reports confirmed rigamortis had already set in after it took 45 minutes to gain entry to his room.

The inquest heard Charlie suffered after his mother died when he was nine.

Her death was followed by that of his grandmother, grandfather and auntie within a five-year period.

North Yorkshire Coroner Rob Turnbull said he “unable to answer questions put in front of him” as Charlie left no suicide note and his mother had died “some years ago”.

Returning a conclusion of suicide, Mr Turnbull said: “Charlie was witty, charming and a considerate young man - that is what people thought of him.

“He was all but a popular young man and it was in a sad set of circumstances his life was to end the way it did.”

After the hearing, Charlie’s twin brother Harry Watkins, 23, said: “I didn’t know he was still struggling with our mother’s death.

“I also noticed some laceration marks on his arm about a year ago when we went to the gym, but he just told me to mind my own business.

“We thought he had got better.”

The family have now set up a foundation in Charlie’s name to help others battling mental health.

To donate to The Charlie Watkins Foundation, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/charlie-watkins-foundation.

'He had gone AWOL'

A spokesperson for the York Chocolate Story said Charlie filmed pre-show segments at the premises for his showreel for the programme on Thursday (Nov 17 2016).

The following day he travelled back to Kent with the film crew to shoot scenes for the programme, which his employer was aware of.

However, he was supposed to return to work on the Monday but was un-contactable for the following week.

A spokesperson for York’s Chocolate Story said: “Charlie worked at York’s Chocolate Story as a full time tour guide at the museum and we knew about his Take Me Out commitments because some were filmed here in York.

“He filmed the pre-show snippets with the Take Me Out crew in our premises on the Thursday [17 Nov 2016].

“He then went to the studios with the team the next day [Fri Nov 18 2016] and, as you can see from the programme, he won a trip to the Isle of Fernando’s.

“He was supposed to be in work on the following Monday [Nov 21], but he didn’t show up for work.

“Charlie was missing for a full week - he didn’t let us know he might be potentially having the week off.

“He was reported as AWOL (Absence Without Leave) and he didn’t get in touch with his Line Manager to say he would be taking the time off or return our calls.

“We weren’t aware of any of Charlie’s mental health issues at the time.”