UPDATE: To kick off the 2020 BRIT Awards, host, Jack Whitehall, led a special tribute to Caroline. “Our friend Caroline Flack tragically passed away. She was a kind and vibrant person with an infectious sense of fun,” he said, as the audience was silent. “I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I say our thoughts are with her friends and family.” The statement was followed by a brief moment of silence before the show continued.
Just three days before the 2020 BRIT Awards, Caroline Flack tragically died of a suspected suicide in her home. She was just 40 years old. With the BRIT Awards taking place in London, where Caroline was from, it was clear that her presence was felt during the awards ceremony. Harry Styles, who briefly dated Caroline in 2011, was in attendance at the show, and he paid tribute to Caroline by wearing a black ribbon on his suit jacket as he walked the red carpet. A black ribbon is a “symbol of remembrance or mourning.” Harry and Caroline’s relationship received a lot of criticism, as he was just 17 and she was 31 when they were together, but it appears that the former One Direction singer looks back on their time together fondly.
Caroline was best known as the host of popular ITV series, Love Island. However, she stepped down from the position in Dec. 2019 after being accused of assaulting her boyfriend, Lewis Burton. She pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was awaiting a trial at the time of her death. Caroline was out on bail while she waited for her trial, but her release was under the condition that she did not contact Lewis. However, Lewis took to Instagram after Caroline’s death to mourn her with a touching post.
“I am so lost for words,” he wrote. “I am in so much pain. I miss you so much. I know you felt safe with me. You always said you didn’t think about anything else when I am with you and I was not allowed to be there this time. I kept asking and asking. I will be your voice baby. I promise I will ask all the questions you wanted and I will get all the answers. Nothing will bring you back but I will try to make you proud every day. I love you with all my heart.”
In addition to hosting Love Island, Caroline also won season 12 of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014. She also worked as a presenter on The X-Factor, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, and more. Caroline has been romantically linked to Prince Harry, as well.
