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
Entertainment
MasterChef presenter John Torode says allegation he used racist language upheld in report
Entertainment
Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter substantiated, including one of unwanted physical contact
An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found that more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.
The report also said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.
The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants.
There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were substantiated. All were related to MasterChef.
While the majority of the substantiated allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.
One allegation of unwanted physical contact was substantiated.
Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place post-2018.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014
Ahead of the publication of the summary, Wallace had said he had been “cleared of the most serious and sensational accusations” made against him.
Additionally, the report summary found that there were also 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. Those people were not named in the summary.
The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.
Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures prior to 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.
While the investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.
Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace for contact today.
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