Caroline Flack's cause of death heard at inquest

19 February 2020, 10:28

TV presenter Caroline Flack was found hanged at a flat in east London, an inquest into her death heard today.

The TV presenter was found dead at the property in Stoke Newington on Saturday February 15 after ‘informants’ took police there, the inquest at Poplar Coroner’s Court heard.

The London Ambulance Service arrived shortly afterwards and she was pronounced dead at 2.36pm. The inquest heard the provisional cause of death was given as suspension by ligature.

The inquest was opened and adjourned until August 5 2020.

Earlier, Caroline’s family released a powerful message the TV presenter wrote days before she died, but was advised not to share on social media.

The 40-year-old former Love Island host, who took her own life, described the domestic incident with boyfriend Lewis Burton as "an accident".

In the unpublished Instagram post, the star said her arrest for assaulting her boyfriend meant "within 24 hours my whole world and future was swept from under my feet and all the walls that I had taken so long to build around me, collapsed."

The former Love Island presenter said pictures from the scene of the incident featured her own blood and were sold to a newspaper, although she did not say who was responsible for leaking the images.

The message has been shared by her family and published in the Eastern Daily Press.

It said: "Within 24 hours my whole world and future was swept from under my feet and all the walls that I had taken so long to build around me, collapsed. I am suddenly on a different kind of stage and everyone is watching it happen.

"I have always taken responsibility for what happened that night. Even on the night. But the truth is .... It was an accident."

Flack said she had been having "some sort of emotional breakdown for a very long time".

She added: "But I am NOT a domestic abuser.

"We had an argument and an accident happened. An accident."

Her mum Chris told the EDP: "Carrie sent me this message at the end of January but was told not to post it by advisers but she so wanted to have her little voice heard.

"So many untruths were out there but this is how she felt and my family and I would like people to read her own words.

"Carrie was surrounded by love and friends but this was just too much for her.

"Her friends Molly, Lou, Sam, Liam and Simon need a very special mention and lots of thanks for trying so hard to keep her safe."

Mrs Flack added: "Jody her twin sister was there her whole life for her but this time nothing could take away the hurt of such injustice

"As Carrie would say: 'In a nasty world just be kind.'"

Caroline Flack's final Instagram post

"For a lot of people, being arrested for common assault is an extreme way to have some sort of spiritual awakening but for me it's become the normal.

I've been pressing the snooze button on many stresses in my life - for my whole life. I've accepted shame and toxic opinions on my life for over 10 years and yet told myself it's all part of my job. No complaining.

The problem with brushing things under the carpet is .... they are still there and one day someone is going to lift that carpet up and all you are going to feel is shame and embarrassment.

On December the 12th 2019 I was arrested for common assault on my boyfriend ...Within 24 hours my whole world and future was swept from under my feet and all the walls that I had taken so long to build around me, collapsed. I am suddenly on a different kind of stage and everyone is watching it happen.

I have always taken responsibility for what happened that night. Even on the night. But the truth is .... It was an accident.

I've been having some sort of emotional breakdown for a very long time.

But I am NOT a domestic abuser. We had an argument and an accident happened. An accident. The blood that someone SOLD to a newspaper was MY blood and that was something very sad and very personal.

The reason I am talking today is because my family can't take anymore. I've lost my job. My home. My ability to speak. And the truth has been taken out of my hands and used as entertainment.

I can't spend every day hidden away being told not to say or speak to anyone.

I'm so sorry to my family for what I have brought upon them and for what my friends have had to go through.

I'm not thinking about 'how I'm going to get my career back.' I'm thinking about how I'm going to get mine and my family's life back.

I can't say anymore than that."

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.