Well-loved reality TV presenter
FOR more than a decade, Caroline Flack was ubiquitous in the world of reality television.
By the time she first presented the ITV2 dating show Love Island in 2015, she was already a graduate of The X Factor, plus spin-offs for I’m a Celebrity... and Big Brother.
She had an infectious laugh, a quick wit and a genuine affection for TV contestants that made millions of viewers warm to her.
But unlike some of her counterparts, she was more than a bubbly personality, proving herself time and again as a safe pair of hands on live broadcasts.Then in 2014, she raised the glitterball trophy as winner of Strictly Come Dancing.
Off-screen she was known for a succession of rocky relationships, often with younger men and including the singer Harry Styles.
There was even a brief friendship with Prince Harry – until word got out.Things soured dramatically at the end of 2019 after she was arrested on allegations she had assaulted her boyfriend, the former tennis player Lewis Burton.
She stood down from Love Island and was due to stand trial on March 4, denying all charges.
Flack was born in Enfield, north London. She was a younger twin to sister Jody, with an older brother and sister.
Her father, Ian, was a Coca-Cola sales rep while her mother, Christine, helped at a nursery.
She gravitated towards performing at a young age, moving to the Bodyworks dance studio at 16 after leavingWayland High School in Watton. Her first break was an acting role in Channel 4 sketch show Bo’ Selecta.After winning Strictly, she rediscovered her joy of the stage, starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago.
Her autobiography, Storm in a C Cup, was published in 2015.
At an inquest this week the coroner confirmed the television star had taken her own life.