Caroline Flack‘s boyfriend Lewis Burton will NOT press charges against the star following the spat that led to her arrest for assault.
A friend of Lewis’ revealed exclusively to MailOnline that the tennis player, 27, is insisting the argument the couple had on Thursday morning was merely a lovers’ tiff and ‘should never have ended up in the public domain.’
Fans were left stunned on Friday when it was claimed that the Love Island host, 40, had been arrested and charged with assault after an alleged fight with Lewis at her north London home.
Sweet: Caroline Flack ‘s boyfriend Lewis Burton will NOT press charges against the star following the spat that led to her arrest for assault
While Caroline and Lewis were locked in the blazing row earlier in the week, it has now been claimed that he is playing down the shock argument.
The insider revealed: ‘Lewis is very upset and embarrassed about how this situation has blown up. It was a tiff between a couple that love each other and should never have ended up in the public domain…
‘He has not – and is not pressing charges. He loves Caroline and wants things to be back to normal as soon as possible.’
Following the explosive news, Lewis took to Instagram on Saturday to share a sweet snap with the star just days after her arrest for assault.
Shock: It was reported that Lewis shouted ‘I was normal till I met her’ as she was arrested and charged with assault after an alleged fight at her home, it has been claimed (pictured in October)
Sharing a shot from their recent trip to Winter Wonderland, the tennis player placed a heart emoji over the top in a move which has thrown their relationship status under further scrutiny following the explosive row at her home.
It was reported that Lewis shouted ‘I was normal till I met her’ as she was arrested and charged with assault after an alleged fight at her home.
Love Island star Flack will appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on December 23 charged with assault by beating.
Eyewitnesses have described ‘total chaos’ outside Flack’s home as police arrived to diffuse the situation between her and her 27-year-old boyfriend.
The former professional tennis player is said to have shouted at police as he was led away, while Flack was reportedly left in need of hospital treatment after accidentally cutting herself on broken glass during the incident.
According to an eyewitness who spoke to The Daily Star, Mr Burton is said to have shouted at police as they escorted him to a waiting car: ‘Bruv, I was normal until I met her.’
The TV presenter’s arrest has thrown ITV’s first ever winter version of Love Island into doubt, with filming due to start in South Africa on January 8 (she is pictured on the latest series of Love Island)
While other neighbours described ‘police cars everywhere’ and shocking scenes despite the couple seeming like ‘they’ve been getting on well’.
Louise Silver, 36, told MailOnline: ‘It was total chaos. There were police cars everywhere. At first I thought it might have been a terrorist incident but then I looked out and saw police going into Flack’s home. They brought her out soon after.’
Anton Smith added: ‘There must have been around six police cars and a police van. We see Caroline and her boyfriend coming in and out of the house and around the area.
‘It must have been around 5am and it was total chaos. I was on my way to work and didn’t know what was going on. It was only when I got home that somebody in the block told me she’d been arrested.’
Eyewitnesses have described ‘total chaos’ outside Flack’s home as police arrived to diffuse the situation between her and her 27-year-old former professional tennis player boyfriend (pictured, police at the scene)
And speaking to The Sun, which learnt of Flack requiring hospital treatment, another neighbour said: ‘There were several police cars at Caroline’s house. I know Caroline and this new man. She’s very friendly and always speaks to us. I hope things sort themselves out.’
Silent: Caroline is yet to comment on the latest news and her spokesperson is unavailable for comment (pictured on December 11)
The TV presenter’s arrest has thrown ITV’s first ever winter version of Love Island into doubt, with filming due to start in South Africa on January 8.
And a source close to the show told The Sun the incident was an ‘absolute nightmare’ so near to the start of the new series.
Flack was due to jet off on location with a brand new batch of contestants in the first week of January but it is not clear whether she will still be able to go. ITV have not yet commented on her arrest.
An eyewitness told the Star: ‘There have been police outside since 5.30am and [Caroline’s] boyfriend Lewis Burton has been taken away.
‘There were six police cars including a van. I thought a criminal had escaped but then saw them running into her house. They were in there for over two hours.’
A member of the public who runs a business near Flack’s London property said CCTV had shown a number of police vehicles and ‘blue flashing lights’ in the early hours of Thursday.
Six police cars were pictured outside the house early on Thursday, with images obtained by MailOnline showing officers securing the house and carrying first response kits soon after.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘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.’
A representative for Flack confirmed she was involved in a ‘private domestic incident’ but refused to comment further.
They said 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.’
An ITV spokesman added: ‘We’re not commenting on this story.’