A personal trainer who was about to become a reality TV star killed himself after fighting depression over his height when he was a child.

Jonathan McNally had signed up to appear on Birmingham’s version of the hit ITV show The Only Way is Essex before he was found hanged in June.

His family say the 27-year-old, who was 5ft 7ins and from Shard End, had suffered from depression since he became conscious of his height at 15-years-old.

The coroner ruled in his inquest that his death was caused by suicide.

He had issues with his height from a young age. All through school he was tiny and had tests which showed he was behind by about two years. He was depressed from a young age about it. But he eventually shot up and was around 5ft 7ins. Other things added to the way he felt. All this should have been picked up from when he was a child, but it never was.” Gina McNally, sister

The Only Way is Essex cast Credit: ITV

Jonathan was in line to appear in a new Midlands-based reality show called The Project after auditions were held in Birmingham in May.

Details revealed before the show was cast said it would offer a view of “city life for groups of ambitious friends in the Midlands with appearances from friends and celebrities throughout the UK”.