"Caroline Flack played the game," says showbiz photographer

17 February 2020, 14:29 | Updated: 17 February 2020, 14:42

A showbiz photographer told LBC that "Caroline Flack played the game" amid news of her death.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari, a snapper called Jay told the presenter that he was saddened to hear the former Love Island presenter died by suicide after describing her as "cheerful" and easy to work with.

Jay said: "I've actually photographed Caroline myself in the past. And the experiences I've had with her, firstly, she's very cheerful.

"She's accommodating to photographers. She always asked to get her best side like, you know, and she'd say 'make sure you use the right picture'.

Jay explained that Caroline and her publicist would let photographers know when she would be arriving at an industry party.

Nick asked: "You'll know what I mean by this and and I don't wish to be in any way critical of a young woman who's lost her life, but she played the game then, Jay?"

Jay replied: "Exactly. Like anyone in the industry does ."

The photographer added that at these organised parties snappers were not "hounding" her as they were invited by her publicist.

Jay also added: "My condolences to the family and to everyone involved."

Referring to Hollyoaks actress Stephanie Davies, who is pushing for "Carolines Law", Jay said she has been involved in paparazzi "set ups".

Jay said: "But the other thing I would say is that the lady Stephanie Davies, who is fronting this whole thing at moment, she actively has also been involved in, in what people call in the inside 'setups'.

"So at the time where she had a story coming up in the press she actively worked with a specific, like a picture agency."

Caroline, 40, was found dead in her east London home on Saturday, after taking her own life.

The star had been embroiled in a court case and had pleaded not guilty to assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton at her former flat in north London in a magistrates court hearing in December.

The court was also told that when Flack was being questioned by the police “she said, ‘I did it’ and said under caution that she will kill herself”.

During her first appearance just before Christmas, Mr Burton informed prosecution lawyers he did not support the case and did not consider himself a victim.

The Crown Prosecution Service continued to pursue the case and imposed strict bail conditions forbidding her from contacting her boyfriend were imposed.

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