Caroline Flack was the Love Island presenter who had a meteoric rise to fame, but lost her dream job just months before she was found dead aged 40.
The star first rose to prominence as a CBBC presenter in the mid 2000s, before landing a job as the host of The Xtra Factor in 2011.
After being crowned Strictly Come Dancing champion in 2014, Caroline landed the ultimate job as Love Island’s host in 2015, but stepped down late last year after she was arrested for assault.
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Career: Caroline Flack was the Love Island presenter who had a meteoric rise to fame, but lost her dream job just months before she was found dead aged 40
Caroline grew up in Great Hockham near Norwich with her twin sister Jody, and gained a place at a Cambridge stage school aged just 16.
She first rose to fame in the mid 2000s when she appeared on the CBBC series TMI with Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes, and in 2008 took over from Kirsty Gallacher as the host of Gladiators.
In 2009 the star landed the job as the host of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Now! and in 2011 she joined forces with Olly Murs as the host of The Xtra Factor in replacement of Konnie Huq.
The pair took over as The X Factor’s main hosts in 2015, but were replaced by the returning Dermot O’ Leary following a mixed reaction from viewers.
The following year Caroline said she had learnt to ignore her detractors, telling The Sun: ‘Not everyone is going to like you so you have to filter it.’
Family: Caroline grew up in Great Hockham near Norwich with her twin sister Jody, and gained a place at a Cambridge stage school aged just 16 (pictured in a snap the star posted)
TV star: She first rose to fame in the mid 2000s when she hosted the CBBC series TMI, and in 2008 (pictured) took over from Kirsty Gallacher as the host of Gladiators
Dynamic duo: In 2011 she took over as host of The Xtra Factor alongside Olly Murs (above in 2012) and they went onto present the main show in 2015
Caroline went onto earn a whole new army of fans when she was crowned the winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 alongside professional partner Pasha Kovalev.
Four years later, she talked about the difficulties she faced after lifting the Glitterball Trophy, telling The Sun that she felt as though her body was ‘covered’ in ‘clingfilm’ the morning after her dancefloor triumph, adding that she felt ‘ridiculous’ feeling so low.
She added: ‘I couldn’t get up and just couldn’t pick myself up at all that next year.’
In March 2019, Caroline took part in an episode of Channel 4’s charity show The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer alongside other celebrities including journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy, actor Greg Wise and boxer Nicola Adams.
Out: Caroline and Olly only hosted The X Factor for one series, but they were replaced by Dermot O’Leary after earning a mixed reaction from viewers
Caroline made her West End stage debut playing Roxie Hart in Chicago in 2018 having previously appeared on stage in a touring version of Crazy For You.
In 2015, she released an autobiography called Storm In A C Cup.
Aside from her career, Caroline’s love life has made headlines over the years thanks to romances with the likes of Harry Styles and Prince Harry.
In 2011, she was linked to One Direction star Harry, who had been on The X Factor the previous year, when he was 17 and she was 31.
In her autobiography, Caroline went into detail about how she met Prince Harry on a night out in 2009 through mutual friend Natalie Pinkham after she had split with a boyfriend.
She said they ‘spent the evening chatting and laughing’, but ‘once the story got out, that was it. We had to stop seeing each other.
‘I was no longer Caroline Flack, TV presenter, I was Caroline Flack, Prince Harry’s bit of rough.’
Riding high: Caroline earned a new army of fans when she was crowned the winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 alongside professional partner Pasha Kovalev
Caroline became engaged to former Apprentice and Celebrity Big Brother star Andrew Brady in April 2018, but the pair split a few months later.
Most recently Caroline had been in a relationship with former tennis player Lewis Burton, and in December last year, Flack denied assaulting him in an incident that left them both covered in blood.
The incident also led Caroline to step down as host of the winter series of Love Island, and she was replaced by close friend Laura Whitmore.
Caeriljuneas accused of hitting Burton, 27, over the head with a lamp, causing a head injury.
But former professional tennis player and model Burton said he did not support the prosecution and insisted he was not a victim.
He spoke out in defence of Flack, saying she has become the subject of a ‘witch hunt’ following her arrest.
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.
Tragedy: 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
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.
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.
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.’
Controversy: Her management have slammed the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for pursuing the ‘show trial’ after Lewis said he did not want to press charges
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.
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.’
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org