Two days after she was found dead in her home after an alleged suicide, Caroline Flack's death continues to raise questions over the role of media and her impending trial. Flack, a former Love Island host was forced to step down from the show after her arrest for alleged assault on her 27-year-old boyfriend, Lewis Burton, in December last year.
She was part of the iconic reality show since its launch in 2015. Flack, who had pleaded not guilty to the charges against her, was currently out on bail and was to appear in the trial beginning on March 4.
Burton had denied being assaulted by Flack in court
Professional tennis player Burton, who hasn't shied away from professing his love for Flack ever since the alleged assault took place, had not agreed to the charges levied against Flack in the court by the prosecutor.
During the court appearance following Flack's arrest, Prosecutor Katie Weiss said that Burton "received a significant injury to his head after he was hit over the head by Caroline with a lamp, causing a visible cut to his head." Burton, who was seen previously seen leaving Flack's house after the early morning high-voltage drama with a bloodied head, had not agreed to the assault charges levied against Flack.
Burton had also raised objections over the bail restriction imposed on Flack against meeting or contacting him and did not want Britain's Crown Prosecution Service to pursue the trial. Just a day before her death, Burton had posted their picture on social media with a message: 'Happy Valentine's. Love You.'
Heartbroken Burton says he will be Flack's voice
Breaking his silence for the first time since Flack's death, Burton posted a tribute on his Instagram page: "My heart is broken we had something so special. I am so lost for words I am in so much pain I miss you so much I know you felt safe with me you always said I don'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 make you proud every day. I love you with all my heart," he went on to add.
Flack who was criticised at every step by the British media ever since the assault charges, was at her career-high when she was forced by ITV to step down as host for the upcoming season to be shot at Cape Town. Laura Whitmore replaced her on the show.
Call for 'Caroline's Law' against media's intrusion into celebrities' life
Since her death, social media is buzzing with celebrities slamming the media for too much intrusion into their private lives. In an emotional speech on her weekly BBC Radio 5 live show, Whitmore, spoke about the role of media towards Flack's suicide: "To the press, the newspapers, who create clickbait, who demonise and tear down success, we've had enough."
"I've seen journalists and Twitter warriors talk of this tragedy and they themselves twisted what the truth is ... Your words affect people. To paparazzi and tabloids looking for a cheap sell, to trolls hiding behind a keyboard, enough," she said.
Soon after the news of her death broke, a campaign called 'Caroline's Law' started trending on Twitter. The campaign demanding stricter safeguarding laws to protect celebrities stricter through more scrutiny on the legitimacy of sources, was started by Hollyoaks actress Steph Davis.
She launched an online petition, 'Exploiting People In The Public Eye'. At the time of writing, the petition had been signed over 197,400. Davis also recorded an emotional message and posted it on the website and her Instagram page.
She wrote: "I'll fight this all the way. All the way. We should be sticking together and be kind and helping each other with our struggles! Not pointing the finger and hanging people out to dry!!!!! What's wrong with the world! Love you Caroline, keep replaying your voice notes to hear your voice and it's breaking me how broken you were. Devastated. I NEED YOU TO ALL COME TOGETHER AND STAND BY ME WHILE WE FIGHT THIS. We WILL make a difference !!"
