TV’s Ruth Langsford struggled to hold back tears as she discussed Caroline Flack’s death on This Morning.
Former Love Island host Caroline was found dead at her London flat on February 15 after she took her own life at the age of 40.
The news was spoken about on Monday’s edition of the daytime programme and Ruth, 59, was left in tears.
Read more: Caroline Flack death: ITV says it was in ‘close contact’ with star
Ruth, whose sister Julia took her own life last June, and husband Eamonn Holmes remembered Caroline alongside Nicola Thorp and Matthew Wright.
Speaking about people suffering from mental health issues, former Coronation Street actress Nicola said: “A lot of people said she chose to end her life, suicide is not a choice.”
“Suicide is something that happens when you do not have a choice left,” Ruth added: “You believe you don’t have a choice, that’s the sad thing and that’s the sad thing for people left behind who say, ‘So many people loved you, you did have a choice, you could have called me, you could have called mum…'”
Nicola added: “I think it’s worth people knowing that is what is going on in someone’s head who suffers from mental health issues. They feel like they’re a burden,” as she teared up and reached out to hold Ruth’s hand.
Tributes are continuing to pour in following Caroline’s tragic death.
On Monday morning’s Good Morning Britain, stand-in hosts Richard Madeley and Ranvir Singh paid tribute to the “extraordinary” star.
Richard said: “It’s very hard to stop thinking about Caroline Flack, isn’t it? It’s constantly bubbling in the top of the mind, going over and over and over.”
I think it’s worth people knowing that is what is going on in someone’s head who suffers from mental health issues.
Ranvir continued: “I think it’s one of those things, for anybody watching this morning who, if not for 10 minutes, if not for half an hour, or whether it’s the whole weekend, you literally felt your heart actually sink.
“I didn’t know Caroline, she’s part of the ITV family. She was on these lovely heartwarming, happy programmes. She was kind of the whole narrative ‘good times.'”
Showbiz correspondent Richard Arnold admitted he was in “total disbelief” over the news.
‘Caroline, when you were in her orbit, she didn’t just fizzle – she absolutely fizzed.’
The @GMB presenters pay tribute to the ‘extraordinary’ Caroline Flack. ❤️@ranvir01 | @richardm56 | @SeanFletcherTV | @RichardAArnold | #GMB pic.twitter.com/JNhznQUt8h
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) February 17, 2020
He said: “I was in total disbelief when I got the message and my jaw just hit the floor. I couldn’t quite believe it. This is obviously a woman who clearly had her issues which she spoken very frankly about and is very well-documented.
“When you were in her orbit, she didn’t just sizzle, she absolutely fizzed. She had this extraordinary energy and this X factor that was so at odds obviously with the torment she had.”
At the weekend, Caroline’s family issued a statement confirming her death.
It read: “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.”
ITV called Caroline a “much-loved member of the Love Island team”, adding: “Everybody at Love Island and ITV is shocked and saddened by this desperately sad news.”
Read more: Caroline Flack death: GMB presenters pay emotional tribute to ‘extraordinary’ star
Before her death, Caroline was reportedly distraught over the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision to pursue her assault trial for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend, Lewis Burton, back in December 2019.
Caroline was arrested and charged with assault by beating following an alleged fight at her home in December.
She was due to stand trial on March 4 after pleading not guilty to the charges.
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