Laura Whitmore shares final message from Caroline Flack on anniversary of her death
Laura Whitmore has shared the last text messages between her and Caroline Flack on the five-year anniversary of her death.
Flack, who was best known for presenting ITV’s Love Island, took her own life on 15 February 2020, aged 40.
The Irish TV presenter shared a photo of the pair together, along with a series of screenshots of their WhatsApp conversation, in which she told Flack she had been offered the Love Island presenting role.
In the messages, Flack said it was “perfect” that Whitmore would be doing the show alongside her husband Iain Stirling, who narrates the series, and followed up the message with a series of love hearts.
Flack hosted the reality dating show between 2015 and 2019. Whitmore took over in 2020. Maya Jama stepped into the role in 2023.
In her Instagram post, Whitmore, 39, said: “I got a new phone this month and as I was trying to download WhatsApp messages from my cloud loads of old messages came up.
“Ones I thought I lost a few years ago and no longer had. It really hit me hard.
“Looking at messages I’ve never publicly shared as they were private messages. Media outlets wrote a lot far from the actual truth.
“I think they show a side to Caroline which is nice to remember. Hence I’m sharing now.”
Pic: PA
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Whitmore said she had met Flack when she took over hosting duties for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! NOW!.
“She was as supportive of me doing that role back then as she was when she supported me doing Love Island in 2020,” she said.
“Both were great shows with hundreds of people working on them and relying on the show going ahead.
“I will always be so thankful of the last messages between me and Caroline.”
She continued: “Every time I’ve been asked to speak about the situation or be part of a documentary I decline.
“I’ve already said all I can say on the tragedy and don’t want words to be misconstrued and need to look after my own mental health.
“This was the last correspondence I ever had with her.”
“The last message from her to me were love hearts,” she said.
“I’d like to think wherever she is now, she’s at peace and somewhere lovely like I hoped.
“I’m sad when I see the press and social media be so divisive and that we still haven’t learned from Caroline’s treatment before her death when it comes to women in the spotlight.
“Today I choose to remember these messages and thank the cloud for giving them back to me.”
Caroline Flack pictured on Valentine’s Day 2020. Pic: @molliegroz
Flack’s family previously released an unpublished Instagram post she had written describing the stress of her arrest for common assault, while her former boyfriend Danny Cipriani also shared their final messages.
A friend also shared her “final photo” taken just hours before her death.
After Flack’s death a coroner ruled she took her own life after learning prosecutors were going to press ahead with an assault charge over an incident involving her boyfriend, Lewis Burton.
Born in Enfield, Flack got her first TV break playing Bubbles on comedy sketch show Bo Selecta alongside Leigh Francis, before fronting the International Pepsi Chart Show and moving on to Channel 4’s E4 Music.
She later hosted Big Brother’s Little Brother, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here and X Factor, going on to win Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.
An upcoming Disney+ documentary follows Flack’s mother as she tries to understand events in the final months of her daughter’s life, while also celebrating her career.
Christine Flack unveiled a suicide prevention bench in north London last September in honour of her daughter.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
British drama Adolescence has seen its lead stars all nominated for Golden Globe awards.
The drama, starring Stephen Graham, depicts the aftermath of the stabbing of a teenage girl, as a 13-year-old boy from her school is arrested for her murder. It was one of the most talked-about shows of the year.
Young Owen Cooper is up for best supporting actor. Pic:Netflix
Graham, along with Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty are all up for gongs. It follows a host of wins at the Emmys in September.
Receiving five nominations in total, the Netflix limited series was only beaten by HBO’s White Lotus, which got six nods, coming top in the TV category.
Cynthia Erivo was nominated for her role in the Wicked sequel, Wicked For Good, while British stars Gary Oldman, Helen Mirren and Aimee Lou Wood also got recognition for their roles in Slow Horses, Mobland and The White Lotus, respectively.
Mirren will also be awarded one of the Globe’s two lifetime achievement awards, the Cecil B DeMille Award, announced a few days before the ceremony in the New Year.
Emily Blunt picked up a surprise nomination for her role in The Smashing Machine, opposite Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – who also got a nod for the sports biopic.
Tessa Thompson was recognised for her role in Hedda, a modern re-telling of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play.
Irish stars Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley were both nominated for Hamnet, the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s book about William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes. The movie isn’t out in the UK until January.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo at the London premiere for Wicked: For Good
Ryan Coogler (L) and Michael B Jordan at the Sinners premiere. Pic: AP
Films, TV – and podcasts
Unlike other awards, the Globes cover both TV and film and are split by genre, falling into either the drama or comedy and musical category – meaning a wealth of nominees are in the running.
This year, there are 28 categories.
In the film category, One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, led the nominations with nine, followed by Norwegian comedy-drama Sentimental Value with eight, and vampire horror Sinners with seven.
Leonardo DiCaprio in a scene from One Battle After Another.
Pic: Warner Bros/AP
KPop Demon Hunters continued its world domination with three nominations – best animated film, cinematic and box office achievement and original song – making an Oscar nod further down the line look more and more likely.
New to this year’s nominations is a category for podcasts. Selected from a long list of the 25 most-listened to shows, Good Hang With Amy Poehler, Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard and Call Her Daddy were among the casts that made the cut.
Sarah Jessica Parker will be honoured with the Carol Burnett Award.
Now in comeback mode, the Globes had previously faced criticism over a lack of diversity in the organisation, which led to the event being held behind closed doors in 2022.
The 83rd Golden Globes ceremony will take place in LA on 11 January, and will be hosted by US comedian Nikki Glaser for the second year running.
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