Caroline Flack’s boyfriend Lewis Burton has paid tribute to her, as her family and friends prepared to say goodbye today.
The presenter’s close friend Sam Campbell shared a message from him on her Instagram Stories this afternoon.
Alongside a picture of Lewis tenderly kissing Caroline’s head, he wrote: “My little angel. I will love you forever.”
Samantha messaged him: “Love you Lew.”
Tragic Caroline was reportedly laid to rest at a private funeral earlier.
The former Love Island presenter took her own life at her home in London on February 15.
Caroline, 40, was due to stand trial for the alleged assault of boyfriend Lewis Burton, 28, on March 4.
Read more: Joe Swash’s subtle tribute to Caroline Flack on the Dancing On Ice final
The day before her death, Caroline had allegedly been informed that the Crown Prosecution Service was pursuing the trial, which Lewis did not support.
Police were called to her home following an incident on December 21, after which Caroline was arrested and charged with assault. In a message to fans she had vowed to prove her innocence and tell her side of the story.
Following the popular star’s death, her management slammed the CPS for proceeding with the ‘show trial’.
Yesterday, Laura Whitmore, who replaced Caroline as host of Love Island this winter, admitted she initially didn’t believe that her friend was really dead.
Speaking to Kate Thornton on her podcast White Wine Question Time, the 34-year-old said she’d thought it was fake news circulating on social media.
Laura, who is in a relationship with Love Island voiceover man Iain Stirling, explained: “I found out about Caroline on the Saturday and I found out in a way I wish I didn’t.
“It was something on Twitter that someone had tweeted initially that I disregarded.
“Because there’s always so many things that would be said about Caroline that you wouldn’t take everything as truth. So I kind of ignored it.”
I found out about Caroline on the Saturday and I found out in a way I wish I didn’t.
When she got home, she learned the awful truth – and at that time Iain was away in South Africa, on a day off from filming the ITV dating show.
Laura added: “I just wanted him to get to a safe space, if that makes sense? Not to be exposed. Because everyone wants to see what your reaction is.”
Last week, ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall said we may never know the reason behind Caroline’s decision to kill herself.
Read more: Laura Whitmore ‘signs £1million deal to stay at Love Island’
She said: “The thing about Caroline Flack is that ITV are absolutely devastated by what happened to her.
“So many people at ITV knew Caroline, including me, and it was unbelievably tragic.
“I think that we can never know what is behind suicide. It is not in any way simple. It is a very, very complex thing.
“We take advice from (mental health charities) Samaritans and Mind and we will continue to do that.”
If you are struggling with your mental health call Samaritans free on 116 123.
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