Special tribute
Love Island tragedy
TEARS FOR BELOVED CAROLINE
The troubled presenter’s sad final days
millions of people around the world tuning in to watch the reality dating show. Now in its sixth season, it became a ratings juggernaut and fans couldn’t get enough of her. Said one of her fans last week, “When I watched her, I felt like she was one of my mates.” Behind the scenes, Caroline was just as popular, dating a string of A-listers, including Prince Harry and Harry Styles. But on December 12 last year, her world came crashing down when police were called to her home by her boyfriend, 27-yearold former tennis player Lewis
Boyfriend Lewis
Caroline at her last hearing on December 23.
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Woman’s Day
Her last post with pup Ruby.
Good pal Lou Teasdale
Burton, who reportedly told the operator, “She tried to kill me.” The following day Caroline was charged with assault, with the court hearing she had hit Lewis over the head with a lamp while he slept. It was reported that she had looked through Lewis’ phone and seen texts that made her jump to the conclusion he was cheating. At the next court hearing 10 days later, the star pleaded not guilty to assault. In her bail conditions was a temporary ban on having any contact with Lewis, despite the fact he had by then stated he did not want to press charges. He wrote on social media after the hearing, “It’s heartbreaking I can’t see my girlfriend over Christmas. She did not hit me with a lamp! Arguments happen every day in every relationship.” With Lewis refusing to cooperate with the prosecution, friends say a stressed-out Caroline – who had by then stepped down from her $8 million role in order not to detract from the upcoming series – clung to the hope that the charges would be dropped. Desperate for some relief from her constant anxiety, she travelled to Los Angeles for somatic therapy, a holistic practice used to treat PTSD, and
when she returned home she went to the gym every day as she worked on her mental health. “She was calm and hopeful, but so weak,” tells a friend. Despite being on antidepressants, another pal says she was falling deeper into depression and was tormented by not being able to contact Lewis. “In the last few weeks she was with a lot of her friends and rarely alone.” On February 14, she received the news she was dreading – the Crown Prosecution Service had decided to press on with her court case, scheduled for March 4. That same day Lewis shared a picture of them both on social media with the message “Happy Valentine’s … Love You.” The message broke bail conditions and was soon taken down. Caroline, however, managed to respond by posting snaps of herself with her dog Ruby. At 10.30pm that evening paramedics were called to Caroline’s apartment over concerns for her welfare. She was assessed but not taken to hospital and one of her friends stayed with her overnight. At 2.30pm the following afternoon, however, a second ambulance was called and the TV star was pronounced dead at
PICTURES: IKON.
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he night before she died, Love Island host Carolin Flack spent hours chillin with two close friends, enjoying milk and cookies and desperately trying to remain upbeat despite her impending court case. Less than 24 hours later the vivacious star was found lifeles in her London apartment, leaving devastated family and friends to mourn a life which they felt could quite easily have been saved. Caroline’s death by suicide was a heartbreaking outcome for the 40-year-old, who had one of the most envied careers on UK TV. Growing up in England with her Coca-Cola sales rep dad Ian, mum Christine and three siblings including her twin Jody, the bubbly blonde sought out the limelight from a young age, acting in village pantomimes. At 23, she began landing small TV presenting gigs and soon after making her name on I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out Of Here! she leap-frogged into her “dream job” hosting Love Island. It was Caroline’s warm personality, kindness and infectious laugh that had
