The 40-year-old Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has been arrested by the police and charged for assaulting Lewis Burton, her 27-year-old boyfriend, at her home in North London. Burton, a tennis player, made his relationship official with Flack on his Instagram account in August 2019. He had posted the couple's picture and captioned it 'Self-confessed Caroline Flack.'
A statement issued by a spokesperson for London's Metropolitan Police said, "Caroline Flack -- 40 (09.11.79) of Islington was charged on Friday, 13 December with assault by beating. She will appear on bail at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Monday, 23 December. This follows an incident at approximately 05:25hrs on Thursday, 12 December after reports of a man assaulted."
Burton called up 999 after Flack attacked him
In the incident which took place in Flack's Islington-based home, the couple engaged in a fight which ended with Flack assaulting the tennis player. Following a 999-call made by an injured Burton, police reached the spot and arrested Flack following a high-end drama.
During the fight, Flack accidentally cut herself with a broken glass. Following the arrest, she was taken to the hospital for treatment. Burton, on the other hand, did not receive any grievous injury and was given first-aid treatment by the paramedics.
Witnesses at the scene heard Burton shouting 'I was normal till I met her' as the police led him to a car parked outside Flack's house.
Burton, who started playing tennis at the age of seven, played the final of the boys' doubles with George Morgan at Wimbledon in 2010. Before turning a model, the hunky lad played his last game in professional tennis in January 2015.
Neighbours thought it was a terrorist attack
Describing the chaotic turn of events, Louise Silver, a 36-year resident in the area, said, "It was total chaos. There were police cars everywhere. At first, I thought it might have been a terrorist incident but then I looked out and saw police going into Flack's home. They brought her out soon after."
"There must have been around six police cars and a police van. We see Caroline and her boyfriend coming in and out of the house and around the area. It must have been around 5 am and it was total chaos. I was on my way to work and didn't know what was going on. It was only when I got home that somebody in the block told me she'd been arrested," said another resident.
While ITV maintained silence over the incident, Flack's spokesman issued a statement saying, "We confirm that police attended Caroline's home following a private domestic incident. She is cooperating with the appropriate people to resolve matters. We will not be making any further comment for legal reasons."
Flack's ex had called their relationship toxic
It is not for the first time that "The X Factor" and "The Xtra Factor", host has come in the thick of a controversy involving her love life. Burton and Flack who met through mutual friends, had a glitch in their love life after they were spotted arguing furiously on board a luxury vessel their holiday in Ibiza in October.
Last week Flack's former boyfriend Andrew Brady (27) had called their relationship toxic. He wrote about their relationship on Instagram: "It's exactly a year tomorrow since I left a very toxic relationship and got away. Leaving probably saved my life."
The Apprentice star then posted a video of getting his 'CF' tattoo covered with a drawing of Australia. He went on to write: "I mark it one year on by doing something I probably should have done a while ago." The duo were engaged for a year.
Flack shared a romantic past with Prince Harry whom she met through mutual friend Natalie Pinkham, a Formula One correspondent for Sky Sports, in 2009. She claimed that they got close following the night out. According to the celebrity host, they had to break up 'Once the story got out, that was it. We had to stop seeing each other.'
The presenter, who is known for her string of boyfriends much younger to her, also had flings with rugby player Danny Cipriani (31), X Factor co-star Olly Murs (35), musician Harry Styles ( 25), and music manager Jack Street (31).
Fans demand Flack's sacking
As soon as the news of the arrest broke, hashtag #SackTheFlack started trending on social media. "CarolineFlack arrested and charged with assault. She shouldn't have a job with #LoveIsland after this. If it was a male presenter, he'd lose every job he had lined up," wrote a twitter user. "Well at least one good thing has come from today.
Caroline Flack will SURELY be cancelled and we can enjoy a Flack-Free love island next year?" wrote another. Flack is scheduled to start shooting for Winter Love Island in South Africa in January.
