It’s been five years since the tragic death of Caroline Flack.
The TV presenter was found dead at her home in North East London, on February 15 2020, after taking her own life. She was 40 years old.
Here, we take a look back at her final days.
Caroline Flack ‘terrified’ in final phone call before death
Caroline Flack’s death came less than two months after being charged with assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton – something she denied. She was due to stand trial in March 2020.
Just weeks before her death, Caroline reportedly made a desperate last call to her lawyer, to try and find a way to stop the forthcoming trial.
Speaking to MailOnline, Nick Green said: “I took the call, and instantly recognised the fear and pain in her voice. She was close to tears. I broke the ice by interrupting her. ‘Caroline, I must warn you, if you start to cry, I’ll put the phone down.'”
Despite Caroline sounding “terrified and vulnerable”, Nick said the old Caroline was still there. He revealed: “I then heard the cackle Caroline displayed on our television screens. Her strength of character was returning.”
Caroline refused hospital stay
An inquest into Caroline’s death took place in August 2020 at Poplar Coroner’s Court in London before Senior Coroner Mary Hassell.
The court heard that before her death, she had been treated by paramedics the night before.
According to Caroline’s friend Mollie Grosberg, she called an ambulance after finding Caroline surrounded by tablets and “unconscious on the sofa” on February 14.
Paramedic Tony Rumore also gave a testimony via videolink. He told the court he was dispatched to Caroline’s flat that night.
Tony claimed that Caroline was “sat up, alert, slightly lethargic, but she wasn’t slurring her words and was able to answer questions”.
When he asked Caroline if she had intended to harm or kill herself, she replied: “No.”
He said: “She said it was merely an attempt to sleep and escape from the stresses she was under.”
The paramedic told the court that Caroline was “refusing to fully engage” and “did not want us there” – but she was able to answer questions when asked.
He also claimed that he wanted Caroline to be assessed by a psychiatrist. However, she reportedly insisted she was not going to hospital and wanted to stay at home.
The two friends stayed overnight but the following morning they left, after Caroline was said to be angry with them for calling the paramedics.
She was found dead later that day.
Caroline Flack visited cemetery the day before death
Shortly after Caroline died, her friend revealed that they spent the day before her death walking around a cemetery.
In an emotional post on Instagram in February 2020, Simon Carroll also recalled how Caroline urged him to “speak on her behalf”.
He uploaded a photo of Caroline smiling for the camera in Stoke Newington Cemetery.
Alongside the snap, Simon wrote: “Valentine’s Day: Today we are finding the loss just so hard, the shock is turning into pain. Thank you for finding the strength to meet me on Friday morning, we walked around Stoke Newington Cemetery (she bloody loved that cemetery) we held hands and we spoke about your future.”
He continued: “You asked me if I would speak on your behalf about the last few months and we talked about the road that led you to here. You were so tired toward the end, but still had more energy than most. You were so scared of having to go back to court and the circus that would have come with it.
“But you laughed baby… you laughed. In the end there were just too many hours in a day for you, I don’t know how we move forward, but we will and we will all make you proud. You never slept well, so to know you are at peace gives us comfort, but what I would do for a hug right now…”
Caroline’s heartbreaking note
The inquest into Caroline’s death also heard that Caroline left a note saying she wanted to “find harmony” with her boyfriend Lewis.
The hearing was told that Caroline’s sister, Jody Flack, raised the alarm that she couldn’t get in touch with Caroline on February 15. She called her friend Louise Teasdale who came with her father Stephen to help.
After trying to get into the property, Stephen managed to get a spare key from the landlady. He told the court that after entering, he found Caroline unconscious in the home.
“Jody started CPR and then we switched. I did chest compressions and Jody did mouth-to-mouth,” he said.
Stephen went on to say they attempted the live-saving efforts for 10 minutes before the police arrived and took over.
Paramedic David O’Toole then went into the property and one of the crew noticed a handwritten note. It was placed on an open magazine on the coffee table.
The note read: “I hope me and Lewis can one day find harmony,” appearing to reference her boyfriend Lewis Burton.
Caroline Flack made love confession
In her final interview, Caroline opened up about people needing “more love in the winter”, in a heartbreaking admission.
Talking to Demand Entertainment in November 2019, Caroline spoke about the first winter series of Love Island.
When asked who her favourite Islander is, she replied: “You can’t judge relationships. They’re all different.”
The presenter went on to share her excitement about the series. She said: “I think everybody needs a little more love in the winter.”
Read more: Rylan Clark shares never seen before message from Caroline Flack in emotional clip
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