My daughter Caroline Flack died without a voice – and this is my biggest regret about her difficult final days

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We recently found a note Caroline had written, discovered by her twin sister, Jody, while sorting through her belongings. Caroline often left notes for me, but this one was special – it was a list of all the things that brought her joy, a collection of what made her happy.

I noticed she highlighted the things that really mattered to her – hosting Love Island, which she’d totally become known for, her family, who are clearly incredibly important, and the gorgeous London house she’d put so much effort into getting. It felt really personal and showed what she valued.

Caroline built a wonderful life and was generally very happy. I especially remember how much she loved musicals – we saw Hamilton and Waitress together. She was always laughing, dancing, and singing, and those joyful moments are what I hold onto five years after she passed away.

Caroline struggled with emotional ups and downs throughout her life, even as a child. After a difficult breakup in her late teens, she was hospitalized and hesitant to discuss her mental health. I always tried to shield her when she was young, and now I feel I need to support her in a new way.

Caroline tragically passed away at age 40, silenced and wrongly labeled as an abuser. I created the two-part Disney+ documentary, Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth, to share the real Caroline, the person the media didn’t show in the weeks leading up to her death.

I deeply regret not speaking out sooner about the unfairness of the situation before Caroline Flack tragically took her own life on Valentine’s Day in 2020. At the time, she was being prosecuted for an alleged assault on her boyfriend, Lewis Burton. Now, I have nothing left to lose – the worst possible thing has already happened – and I need to share what really happened.

Let me be clear: I don’t condone domestic violence. Caroline reacted by hitting Lewis with her phone because she suspected he was being unfaithful. However, the Crown Prosecution Service actually suggested she receive a warning instead of facing charges. She had no prior criminal record, Lewis didn’t want to press charges, and prosecutors decided pursuing the case wasn’t in the public’s best interest.

A high-ranking officer with the Metropolitan Police challenged the initial decision, leading to Caroline being charged with assault. She found out she would be facing prosecution just one day before her death.

I keep replaying Caroline’s death in my mind, and imagining how terrible that day must have been for her. It leads me to so many questions. Why was she kept in a police cell for a full 24 hours after receiving hospital treatment for self-harm? Why did prosecutors pursue charges while the media was so intensely focused on her case? And how could the newspapers publish such deeply personal details?

In 2023, the police force admitted they hadn’t properly documented the reasons for charging Caroline. I kept hitting dead ends trying to find out more, which is why I decided to make this film. I hoped that filming would help me get answers and access information that had been previously unavailable.

I’m convinced this trial wasn’t fair, and Caroline was singled out because of her fame. A key person involved in my documentary backs up my view, after reviewing the evidence my team and I gathered.

I’ll always remember my last time speaking with Caroline. She’d moved to a new place to escape the constant attention from the media, and she seemed genuinely happy. We all thought she wouldn’t face any legal trouble. I remember looking at her – her hair messily piled on top of her head, and her small shoes – and thinking to my partner, “It’s incredible that someone so fragile could be causing so much trouble.” That was my honest thought at the time. But then she found out she would be charged, and combined with the relentless tabloid coverage, I think she just felt trapped and didn’t see any way forward.

Since Caroline passed away, I haven’t found peace. I’m hoping that after people watch this documentary – which I want to be a tribute to her life – and understand how she wasn’t supported, I can finally stop questioning what happened and begin to heal.

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2025-11-04 04:22