Caroline Flack STANDS DOWN as host of Love Island

Caroline Flack has decided to stand down as Love Island host four days after she was charged with assault following a row with boyfriend Lewis Burton at her home.  

The presenter is said to be ‘devastated’ by the decision, but she will only be standing down from the sixth series of the show for the moment.  

The presenter, 40, broke her silence on Instagram and wrote: ‘There have been a significant number of media reports and allegations in regard to my personal life. 

News: Caroline Flack has STOOD DOWN as host of Love Island’s season six to avoid ‘detracting attention from the upcoming series’ after being charged with assault

Over: Caroline shared this post on Instagram on Tuesday as she broke her silence on the matter – the decision will no doubt prove to be a logistical nightmare for ITV 

‘While matters were not as have been reported I am committed to co-operating with the appropriate authorities and I can’t comment further on these matters until the legal process is over.

‘However Love Island has been my world for the last five years, it’s the best show on telly. In order not to detract attention from the upcoming series I feel the best thing I can do is stand down from Series 6. 

‘I want to wish the incredible team working on the show a fantastic series in Cape Town.’ 

‘I’ve been offered help and understanding’: Caroline also thanked fans for their kindness and asserted her love for her boyfriend at the same time 

Caroline continued: ‘And on a really personal level. I have never experienced such kindness and love in my whole life. 

‘Not just from friends and family who are always the greatest but also from total strangers who send messages to me offering help and understanding… Please know that I see them and my boyfriend Lewis. I love you x.’

As well as losing this show, a six-figure advertising deal with Polaroid sunglasses is said to be ‘on hold’ after the ‘private domestic incident’ took place.  

The Love Island host was due to fly out to South Africa in just a few weeks’ time to start filming the debut winter series of the ITV2 dating show.

It’s unclear if she will still host new Channel 4, The Surjury.  

The fall-out: TV star’s six-figure advertising deal has also been ‘put on hold after she was charged with assault

A source told MailOnline that the TV personality also had been lining up a ‘six-figure advertising deal with Polaroid’ which is now ‘on hold’ following her arrest. 

On the last series of Love Island, Polaroid collaborated with the show and a range of sunglasses was designed for the contestants which were then available to buy on the Love Island website.  

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for the brand and for Caroline Flack for comment. 

Caroline’s tennis-player/model boyfriend Lewis, 27, had defended her on Instagram Stories on Monday, writing that she’s ‘loyal and kind’ and saying she ‘doesn’t deserve this.’

Shock: Caroline and Lewis have maintained that things are OK between them and she asserted on Tuesday that she loves him  (pictured in October)

However, the incident has raised questions about her future in TV at all.

Also on her busy hosting roster is the upcoming controversial Channel 4 show The Surjury. 

It will see young people pitch ideas for their ‘dream’ surgeries to convince a jury of peers and experts to approve their life-changing operations. 

Calls were already being made for her to be sacked permanently ahead of the announcement, particularly in light of the #MeToo era. 

Carrying on: Caroline was pictured for the first time since she was charged on Friday – she and her PR Nathan Charles were pictured outside the Soho hotel on Monday

Caroline’s announcement follows reports ITV were working on contingency plans in case she wouldn’t be returning to the show. 

She has been released on bail and is due to appear at Highbury Corner magistrates’ court on December 23.

A source previously said: ‘This is an absolute nightmare so close to the start of the series. Nobody knows exactly what has gone on, or how the court process will pan out. 

‘But it’s obviously too much of a risk not to have a back-up plan in place so those conversations have started straight away.

Joining up: On the last series of Love Island, Polaroid collaborated with the show and a range was designed specifically for the contestants

‘Laura Whitmore is among those reportedly being considered as a potential replacement.’

Caroline was pictured out in London’s Soho with her PR Nathan Charles on Monday, with a smile on her face. 

Her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Brady offered his support to Lewis and messaged the model’s phone, saying: ‘I’m sure this is just the tip of the iceberg.’

But Lewis responded to Andrew’s text telling him to ‘stay out of his business’.

A source close to Andrew told MailOnline: ‘Andrew wanted to be there for Lewis.

‘He text him saying if he wanted to chat then he’d be open to talking as he “knows what it’s like”… but he was also keen to quiz Lewis on whether he’d signed a non-disclosure agreement.

‘Lewis replied telling him to stay out of their business and made clear he’d not been asked to sign any documents.’

On Sunday, Andrew uploaded pictures of a confidentiality agreement, thought to be from when he and Caroline were engaged, with the caption: ‘Abuse has no agenda.’

MailOnline can reveal that Andrew was not paid to sign the document and seemed happy enough to do so at the time.    

A spokesman for Flack told PA news agency in a statement: ‘We confirm that police attended Caroline’s home following a private domestic incident.

‘She is co-operating with the appropriate people to resolve matters. We will not be making any further comment for legal reasons.’

Six police cars were seen outside the TV presenter’s London home in the early hours of Thursday morning.

A man, believed to be Flack’s boyfriend, Lewis Burton, was treated for injuries, but his condition is not thought to be serious.

Supportive: Caroline’s ex-fiancé Andrew Brady (pictured in 2018) reached out to her boyfriend Lewis by text in the wake of her arrest, MailOnline can reveal

A Met Police spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Caroline Flack, 40, of Islington was charged on Friday, 13 December with assault by beating. She will appear on bail at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 23 December.

‘This follows an incident at approximately 05:25hrs on Thursday, 12 December after reports of a man being assaulted. He was not seriously injured.’

The man was treated by paramedics and a London Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘We were called yesterday (Thursday 12 December) at 5.28am to reports of a person unwell in Islington.

‘We sent an ambulance to the scene and took a person to hospital.’ 

‘Abuse has no agenda’: On Sunday, Andrew uploaded pictures of a confidentiality agreement, thought to be from when he and Caroline were engaged

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk