When Caroline Flack tragically took her own life almost five years ago, little did she know the extent of the fall-out.
To the outside world, the former Love Island host, who had just turned 40, appeared to be showered with love.
She had a huge group of friends and a loving family who had faithfully stood by her as she faced a humiliating day in court following her arrest in December 2019 after allegedly hitting boyfriend Lewis Burton with a lamp.
The trial, set for March 2020, was likely to feature police bodycam footage of a distressed Caroline, almost naked and covered in her own blood, which, some feared, would be too much for her to take.
Their fears were sadly borne out. Within hours of learning that she was definitely going to be prosecuted, Caroline was found dead at her flat in North London on February 15, 2020.
The repercussions continue – most recently with a controversial television documentary which, before it has even finished filming, has caused a rift between Caroline’s heartbroken mother Christine and her closest friends.
Former Love Island host Caroline Flack was found dead in her flat almost five years ago
Caroline pictured with her heartbroken mother Christine, who is central to a new documentary about her daughter on Disney+ which will coincide with the fifth anniversary of her death
Last week, the Mail revealed how Christine is central to the new documentary about Caroline on Disney+, which will coincide with the fifth anniversary of her death. It will forensically detail her last 24 hours and try to give some answers as to why she died – and whether her life could have been saved.
At the heart of it is the question of why Caroline’s most loyal friends, Louise Teasdale and Mollie Grosberg, who had been so concerned for Caroline’s welfare following a suicide attempt the previous day that they rushed to her side, left her alone in her flat on the day when she finally took her own life.
And while it’s understandable for any mother to want to know the truth about the events leading up to their daughter’s death, Christine’s decision to take part in the documentary – and seemingly question her friends’ actions on that ill-fated day – has prompted anger.
‘Why was it down to Caroline’s friends to look after her?’ a close pal of Louise, a stylist, asked me this week. ‘Where was her family? Louise had to get back to her young daughter, she couldn’t stay any longer. They had been with Caroline for hours and hours and they tried to get her to go to hospital but she wouldn’t. They remained at her flat to make sure she was OK but they couldn’t stay there indefinitely, so they went.
‘It is devastating that they now have Caroline’s mother blaming them. Christine was once so close to Lou but not any more.
‘Caroline’s death has haunted her friends and changed their lives, and there is a view that she should be left to rest in peace. But this documentary is going to drag everything up and, whether it intends to or not, runs the risk of laying blame in certain places.’
Caroline with her close friend Louise Teasdale, right, who left her alone in her flat on the day she took her own life
Caroline’s other close friend Mollie Grosberg has openly said she will never get over her death
Mollie, a production manager, who also stayed with Caroline that night, has openly said she will never get over her death. ‘She was a good friend to Caroline,’ said a friend of hers. ‘She would have done anything for her.’
Curious Films, the production company that made the 2021 documentary Caroline Flack: Her Life & Death, is behind the new programme. I’ve learned it approached several people who were in the star’s life – many of whom declined to be included, taking the view that it will ‘drag up’ elements of the past best left undisturbed.
It was indeed a tragic end for Norfolk-born Caroline, who had battled mental health issues as far back as her teenage years.
Despite this, she managed to carve out an illustrious showbusiness career which saw her win Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, then go on to host ITV2’s dating reality show Love Island – a role she adored – before she was forced to step down in 2019 after her arrest.
At the same time Caroline was addicted to social media – and not in a good way. She was said to scrutinise fans’ comments and had a fascination with the Press, making friends with a number of showbiz journalists to whom she would often brief personal details. These ties are thought to be another area of examination in the film.
Also up for scrutiny is ITV, the network which screened Love Island but fired Caroline as soon as she was arrested and charged. Network bosses didn’t see how they could keep her as the host of a dating show after she allegedly assaulted her own boyfriend.
Right or not, Christine has criticised them in the past. At the time the network put out a statement which said Caroline had quit, though well-placed people assure me that she was forced to stand down, which left her ‘absolutely distraught’.
The photograph believed to be the last taken of Caroline on Valentine’s Day, hours before she committed suicide. Her friend Mollie posted the photo on her Instagram story
‘She was in bits,’ said a pal. ‘She couldn’t understand why they would get rid of her but keep Ant McPartlin, who injured a child when he was drink-driving.’
Friends of Caroline are clear there were a number of factors in her heartache – men included. It is no secret that when it came to matters of the heart she wasn’t always successful.
There were several famous suitors – Harry Styles and (briefly) Prince Harry chief among them. But when she met tennis player Burton, who at 27 was 13 years her junior, she fell for him instantly and they began dating in August 2019.
Yet he was also the catalyst for Caroline’s life spiralling into devastation. Four months later, police attended her flat in Islington, North London, after Burton called them to say she’d hit him with a lamp while he was sleeping.
At the time, she had also slashed her wrists, leaving blood all over her bedroom.
Those close to her say she ‘went ballistic’ when police arrived – all of which was recorded on their bodycams.
After a visit to hospital, she attended a North London police station where she was told she wouldn’t be charged. Three months later, however, the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision was overturned after an appeal by the Metropolitan Police and Caroline called a friend in floods of tears to say she would face a criminal charge after all. And it is that decision Christine has vowed to fight to the end.
Earlier this year, Christine revealed the Independent Office of Police Conduct had urged the Met to reopen its investigation into the case.
‘We won’t stop until we get the truth,’ Christine has said. ‘Something very unusual happened to Carrie at the police station that night, but no one kept a proper record explaining why. I have now made a complaint to compel the officer to give the statement we think he should have given four years ago.
‘As a family, we have been left with important unanswered questions.’
The watchdog has recommended that the force’s Directorate of Professional Standards interviews an officer who was present at the time of Caroline’s arrest. He was said to have been involved in the move to appeal the CPS’s decision to issue her with a caution.
After the incident, Burton refused to make a statement in the hope this would lead to police dropping the charges, but they pressed ahead anyway.
Friends of Caroline’s have told me that they are ‘dreading’ this documentary. It takes them back to the ‘hell’ of the day when she took her own life.
‘We all have such fond memories of Caroline,’ said one. ‘Yes, she was hard work, but she was kind, she was beautiful and we loved her so much.’