THE First Minister has said he considered resigning following the death of Carl Sargeant, a documentary has revealed.

Carwyn Jones described the events following the death of his cabinet colleague in a BBC One Wales documentary, broadcast last night.

In an interview with BBC Wales he summarised the aftermath of Mr Sargeant’s death and how he went into ‘First Minister mode’.

He said: “I had people around me who were upset, and my first instinct was to try and help them. It was so intense I thought – well – the only way this is going to stop is if I go.

“If I’d resigned a few days afterwards, it would have looked as if I was accepting blame. I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t do that.”

Later in the film he elaborated on the impact the death of Carl Sargeant had on him, adding: “There’s not been a day since Carl died that I haven’t thought of it.

“It does chip away at you. And you do then find yourself going down in terms of your mood. It’s inevitable.

“It does affect the way you see the world – you wouldn’t be human otherwise.”

BBC Wales was given unprecedented access to the First Minister and his family in his final months in the job, including meetings with Prime Minister, Theresa May and Chief EU Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier.

Interviewed in their home, his wife Lisa Jones also gave an insight into some of the pressures being in office have had on his family.

She said: “Carl has been the biggest challenge for him. I’ve seen what it’s done to Carwyn and it’s been horrible. It’s put him in a terrible, terrible place. I’ve never seen him as low as that.”

The First Minister was called to give evidence at Mr Sargeant’s inquest in Ruthin last month and the hearing was adjourned until early next year.