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Love Island remembers Caroline Flack on the first anniversary of her death

Editorial Use Only. No Merchandising. No Commercial Use. Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/REX/Shutterstock (10266915p) Caroline Flack 'Love Island' TV Show, Series 5, Episode 1, Majorca, Spain - 03 Jun 2019
Caroline hosted five series of Love Island (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Love Island has remembered Caroline Flack on the first anniversary of her death.

The TV star died on February 15, 2020, aged 40, after taking her own life.

The official Love Island Twitter account, as well as the ITV2 account, shared a tribute to the late presenter on the morning of her anniversary.

Sharing a picture of Caroline, the post read: ‘Remembering Caroline 1979-2020 Always in our hearts.’

Fans shared their own tributes to Caroline in the replies and quotes, while Rylan Clark-Neal was among those to retweet.

Caroline had hosted Love Island for five series since its return to ITV2 in 2015.

She did not host the 2020 winter series, after standing down to focus on her impending trial for assault.

Laura Whitmore replaced Caroline as host for the January series in South Africa; Caroline died midway during filming.

This comes after Flack’s then-boyfriend Lewis Burton also remembered her a year on from her passing.

The model, who is now in a relationship with Lottie Tomlinson, shared a picture of himself and Caroline and wrote: ‘1 year’, followed by a broken heart emoji.

The 28-year-old added: ‘I will never forget you.’

Caroline’s former fiance Andrew Brady also shared a tribute to the star yesterday, writing: ‘Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of Caroline’s death, the person I loved more than anyone I ever thought possible. 

Caroline Flack
Caroline died by suicide (Picture: Rex)

‘Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her, I have some truly incredible memories of her etched on to my mind for eternity.’ 

The former Celebrity Big Brother star continued: ‘Caroline had a beautiful soul, a perfect smile, a contagious laugh, an interesting story and she had an incredibly complex mind. She had such a unique energy and presence, like nothing I have felt.’

An inquest held in August heard that Caroline died by suicide, with her father finding her body at her home in Stoke Newington.

A statement from her mother Chris was read out in court, which claimed that the assault allegations against her daughter became a ‘show trial’.

She said: ‘I believe Caroline was seriously let down by the authorities and in particular the CPS for pursuing the case. I believe this was a show trial. I feel the prosecutor was unkind to Caroline and my family. I was threatened with arrest when I tried to speak.

Lewis Burton tribute to Caroline Flack
Lewis shared a tribute on the anniversary (Picture: Instagram)

‘There was disputed evidence in court. The result of the media attention of this hearing forced Caroline to leave her home which she loved.

‘Being well known should not allow special treatment, but should not allow making an example of someone.

‘Through all of this Caroline was told not to speak, not to tell her side of the story. ‘The only person who was hurt that night was Caroline.

‘An awful picture was sold to the press, Caroline was told not to speak while all the time her heart was breaking. She lost the job she worked so hard at.

‘I was with her the weekend before her death, in her new flat. When I said goodbye to her that day I never thought it would be for the last time. I kissed her and she said: “bye mum”. She asked if all the family would go with her to court and we said of course.

‘I was called on Saturday lunchtime to say Carrie (Caroline) had died. I believe she was heartbroken.

‘I know nothing will bring her back, but I do want people to know what a lovely, kind, generous person she was. She never spoke badly of anyone and was totally loyal, that’s why she was always devastated when people close to her were happy to let her personal life appear in print.’

As well as hosting Love Island, Caroline was known for hosting The Xtra Factor and one series of The X Factor with Olly Murs, and for winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.



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