Coleen Rooney has shared a poignant tribute to Caroline Flack hours after the Love Island host was found dead in her flat aged 40.
The former Love Island host, 40, was found dead at her London flat on Saturday, February 15, just weeks before she was due to go on trial for assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton, 27.
Coleen wrote: ‘Heartbreaking people really don’t know what others are going through or feel. Thoughts and prayers are with Caroline’s family and friends. Rest in PEACE Caroline.’
Heartbreak: Coleen Rooney has shared a poignant tribute to Caroline Flack hours after the Love Island host was found dead in her flat aged 40
Poignant: Coleen wrote: ‘Heartbreaking people really don’t know what others are going through or feel. Thoughts and prayers are with Caroline’s family and friends. Rest in PEACE Caroline’
Caroline took her own life after a worried friend who was staying with her went to the shops, leaving the ex-Love Island presenter alone at her London flat.
According to The Mail On Sunday, it came just hours after she was told she would face trial for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton.
Her management have slammed the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for pursuing the ‘show trial’ after Lewis said he did not want to press charges.
He had said she hit him with a lamp at her former home in Islington in December before asking the CPS not to press charges.
Tragedy: The former Love Island host, 40, was found dead at her London flat on Saturday, February 15, just weeks before she was due to go on trial for assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton, 27
Caroline had been described by friends as feeling ‘she was on her own’ and ‘couldn’t see a way out,’ according to The Mirror.
It was also understood she had been struggling with her mental health and using anti-depressants before her death.
The TV presenter’s death was confirmed by a lawyer for the family. The Flack family said in a statement: ‘We can confirm that our Caroline passed away today on the 15th February. We would ask that the press respect the privacy of the family at this difficult time.’
A worried producer friend had been staying with the star but found she couldn’t get back into her flat after returning from the shops, a source said. She called Caroline’s father Ian who gained entry to the flat where he found the star’s body.
Heartbreaking: Caroline had been described by friends as feeling ‘she was on her own’ and ‘couldn’t see a way out,’ according to The Mirror (pictured in 2018)
Love Island also released a statement, they said: ‘Everybody at Love Island and ITV is shocked and saddened by this desperately sad news.
‘Caroline was a much loved member of the Love Island team and our sincere thoughts and condolences are with her family and friends.’
Following Caroline’s death, many fans have taken to social media to demand that Love Island be axed, after she became the third person associated with the show to take their own life.
Former contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon, took their own lives in March 2019 and June 2018.
Embattled: It was also understood she had been struggling with her mental health and using anti-depressants before her death
CAROLINE FLACK: A CALL FOR HELP?
Caroline Flack spoke often about her struggles, both in interviews and on social media.
Caroline said, following her Strictly success: ‘Fame doesn’t make you happy’
STRICTLY CURSE?
The Strictly Come Dancing 2014 winner has said that she felt depressed following her victory on the BBC show.
After she won the series along with professional partner Pasha Kovalev, she admitted that she felt like she was ‘being held together by a piece of string which could snap at any time’.
In an unearthed interview cited by the Daily Star following her death, Caroline claimed that, ‘It all started the day after I won Strictly. I woke up and felt like somebody had covered my body in clingfilm. I couldn’t get up and just couldn’t pick myself up at all that next year.’
She went on: ‘People see the celebrity lifestyle and assume everything is perfect, but we’re just like everyone else. Everyone is battling something emotional behind closed doors – that’s life.
Ignored? ‘When I actually reached out to someone they said I was draining,’ Caroline admitted in October 2019
‘Fame doesn’t make you happy.’
‘BEING A BURDEN IS MY BIGGEST FEAR’
In an Instagram post she uploaded on 14 October 2019 – to mark World Mental Health Day – Caroline captioned a photo of herself: ‘Some days it’s hard to write your feelings of your not in the right place.
‘The last few weeks I’ve been in a really weird place… I find it hard to talk about it… I guess it’s anxiety and pressure of life… and when I actually reached out to someone they said I was draining.
‘I feel like this is why some people keep their emotions to themselves. I certainly hate talking about my feelings. And being a burden is my biggest fear…
‘I’m lucky to be able to pick myself up when things feel s**t. But what happens if someone can’t. Be nice to people. You never know what’s going on. Ever.’ [sic]
SOCIAL SILENCE
Signs of suicide? She liked tweets about calling The Samaritans over Christmas
Caroline was told to stay off social media following her assault charge in December 2019.
However, she notably liked a string of tweets in the days afterwards, before Christmas, encouraging those feeling lonely over the holidays to seek help.
The tweets – posted by the likes of actress Sheridan Smith, journalist Stacey Dooley and comedian Luke Kempner – included the telephone number for The Samaritans’ suicide hotline.
She also posted to Instagram around the same time: ‘This kind of scrutiny and speculation is a lot to take on for one person to take on their own… I’m a human being at the end of the day and I’m not going to be silenced when I have a story to tell and a life to keep going with…
‘I’m taking some time out to get feeling better and learn some lessons from situations I’ve got myself into to. I have nothing but love to give and best wishes for everyone.’
SELF-HELP?
It was reported that Caroline had decided to write a book, during her recent time off.
‘Caroline has found the process incredibly cathartic,’ one of her friends told the Mail. ‘She wants it to be more than just a story about her. She wants to talk about the problems she’s encountered and how she’s overcome them.
‘She hopes to be able to help others who may be going through similar difficulties. Part self-help, part memoir is the style that Caroline is looking for.’
Among fans calling the show out was This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes who paid tribute to Caroline while insisting there needs to be ‘repercussions.’
He wrote on Twitter: ‘Caroline Flack …. Dear God. Shocked beyond belief. May she have found peace. #Rip Has to be repercussions for Love Island now surely?’ which garnered more than 27K likes.
Eamonn later added: ‘Meaning out of respect, can the series continue?’ (sic)
A CPS spokesperson issued a statement, they said: ‘Our deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of Caroline Flack.
‘Given the tragic circumstances, we will not comment on the specifics of this case at this stage.’
Sad: Flack was best known for previously fronting the hugely popular ITV2 show Love Island, which has tonight been rocked by the third death of one of its former stars
Flack was best known for previously fronting the hugely popular ITV2 show Love Island, which has tonight been rocked by the third death of one of its former stars.
Contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon took their own lives following their appearances on the dating programme, throwing the show’s future into question.
The presenter’s final Instagram post one day before her death- her first on her grid in two months, saw her fawning over her French Bulldog.
Caroline’s collage of snaps, captioned simply with a love heart emoji, were posted two days before she was found dead at her London flat.
Final snap: The presenter’s final Instagram post one day before her death- her first on her grid in two months, saw her fawning over her French Bulldog
The star’s family has been informed and in a statement tonight said: ‘We can confirm that our Caroline passed away today on the 15th February.
‘We would ask that the press both respect the privacy of the family at this difficult time.’
Love Island also released a statement, they said: ‘Everybody at Love Island and ITV is shocked and saddened by this desperately sad news.
‘Caroline was a much loved member of the Love Island team and our sincere thoughts and condolences are with her family and friends.’
Last moments: Earlier this week, Caroline was seen wall climbing with a friend at The Castle Climbing Centre in London on Wednesday night
Tragic: The star’s family has been informed of her death and in a statement said: ‘We can confirm that our Caroline passed away today on the 15th February.’ (pictured in November)
Earlier this week, Caroline was seen wall climbing with a friend at The Castle Climbing Centre in London on Wednesday night.
In a video shared to Instagram by her TV producer pal, Mollie Grosberg, the giggling Love Island star could be seen attempting to the climb the wall but backtracking as she got too high.
Caroline, who jetted back to the UK last month after a Los Angeles break to ‘clear her head’ amid her assault charge, appeared in good spirits during the clip which was captioned: ‘We r professional climbers #healthiswealth.’
Caroline was best known for previously fronting the hugely popular ITV2 show Love Island, which has tonight been rocked by the third death of one of its former stars.
Contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon took their own lives following their appearances on the dating programme, throwing the show’s future into question.
Caroline’s death comes just weeks before she was due to go on trial for assaulting partner Lewis Burton, who in December accused her of hitting him with a lamp before backtracking on these claims.
Care-free: In a video shared to Instagram by her TV producer pal, Mollie Grosberg, the giggling Love Island star could be seen attempting to the climb the wall but backtracking as she got too high
Yesterday, the model and tennis player posted a picture of him and Flack on Instagram and wrote: ‘Happy Valentine’s… Love You.’
His heartfelt snap followed an announcement by Caroline that she was about to break her silence about her troubled personal life.
In January she wrote: ‘I’m going to speak today… mine and my family’s life is no longer up for entertainment or gossip,’
Court: Caroline’s death comes just weeks before she was due to go on trial for assaulting partner Lewis Burton, who in December accused her of hitting him with a lamp before backtracking on these claims (pictured together in October 2019)
But a source said she wrote the post ‘without thinking’ and changed her mind, vowing to keep quiet until the time was right.
The saga surrounding Caroline’s court case saw her step down from hosting Love Island – the winter series is currently on air and is being hosted by Laura Whitmore.
Yet it was understood that she would return to the ITV2 show in the summer if cleared in court for the assault allegations.
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
Sad: Caroline was best known for previously fronting the hugely popular ITV2 show Love Island, which has tonight been rocked by the third death of one of its former stars (pictured last year)