‘Just so incredibly sad’: Fans and celebrities react to Caroline Flack documentary
Channel 4 programme sees late Love Island presenter’s family pay tribute
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fans and celebrities have flocked to Twitter to urge people to watch the documentary about Caroline Flack that aired on Channel 4 last night (17 March).
Caroline Flack: Her Life and Death sees the former Love Island presenter’s friends and family pay tribute to her and talk about the events that led to her taking her own life in February last year.
Flack died by suicide just weeks before she was due to face trial over allegations that she had assaulted her boyfriend Lewis Burton at her flat, which she denied.
The documentary sees Flack’s mother Christine and twin sister Jody discuss her past mental health struggles as well as the abuse she received on social media and in the tabloid press.
BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker tweeted: “The #CarolineFlack documentary is just so incredibly sad. I know it’s easy to say this but it should be a reminder to us all to judge our words carefully. None of us truly know what others are going through.”
Radio 1’s Dean McCullough added: “Is it just me or does it still not feel real? Don’t know what it was about her passing but it floored me. I feel for her family so much.”
Read more:
“My god. That was tough,” posted comedian Russell Kane.
In a review of the documentary for The Independent, Ed Cumming wrote: “Between Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah and the Britney Spears documentary, the treatment of women in the public eye has been under renewed scrutiny recently. There was a horrible element of misogyny in how Flack was treated by the press. Social media is a swamp. Flack’s was the fourth suicide of people associated with Love Island.
“Everyone associated with this destructive circus, critics included, ought to think about their complicity. But at the heart of Flack’s short, sad life is a conundrum: how can you tell if you’re cut out for fame before it’s too late? The answer has to come from within, or from those who know you best. You can’t put it to the public.”
Flack had been collaborating with Channel 4 to make the documentary before she died, leaving her family to take up the mantle.
In the programme, Christine calls out paparazzi for following her and two other 70-year-olds across London the night she cleaned up the blood in Flack’s flat.
She also condemns Graham Norton and Lorraine Kelly for laughing about Flack’s career troubles over the years.
You can find helpful tips on how to start a conversation, or if you are worried about someone else, on Samaritans website. You can contact the Samaritans helpline by calling 116 123. The helpline is free and open 24 hours a day every day of the year. You can also contact Samaritans by emailing jo@samaritans.org. The average response time is 24 hours.