An unpublished Instagram post has been released by the family of former Love Island star, Caroline Flack, as an inquest opens into her death.
In a statement, which Flack was advised not to publish by her team, stated that “being arrested for common assault is an extreme way to have some sort of spiritual awakening but for me it’s become the normal.”
“I’ve been pressing the snooze button on many stresses in my life — for my whole life. I’ve accepted shame and toxic opinions on my life for over 10 years and yet told myself it’s all part of my job. No complaining.
“The problem with brushing things under the carpet is…. they are still there and one day someone is going to lift that carpet up and all you are going to feel is shame and embarrassment.
Flack then went on to detail the night that she was “arrested for common assault” on her boyfriend Lewis Burton.
“Within 24 hours my whole world and future was swept from under my feet and all the walls that I had taken so long to build around me, collapsed.”
The TV personality then spoke about “being on a different kind of stage”, while “everyone is watching it happen”, before defending her actions by revealing it “was an accident”.
“I’ve been having some sort of emotional breakdown for a very long time. But I am NOT a domestic abuser. We had an argument and an accident happened. An accident.”
The statement also revealed that someone had “sold” the story to a newspaper — a story that was “very sad and very personal”.
“The reason I am talking today is because my family can’t take anymore. I’ve lost my job. My home. My ability to speak. And the truth has been taken out of my hands and used as entertainment.
“I can’t spend every day hidden away being told not to say or speak to anyone. I’m so sorry to my family for what I have brought upon them and for what my friends have had to go through.
“I’m not thinking about ‘how I’m going to get my career back’. I’m thinking about how I’m going to get mine and my family’s life back.”
Flack concluded the post by saying: “I can’t say any more than that.”
It is unclear exactly when the post was written, however, in an interview with the 40-year-old’s mum, Chris Flack, to the Norfolk newspaper, she said that “Carrie” had sent her the message at the end of January “but was told not to post it by advisers”
“But she so wanted to have her little voice heard,” she said. “So many untruths were out there, but this is how she felt, and my family and I would like people to read her own words.
“Carrie was surrounded by love and friends but this was just too much for her.”
The death of Flack sparked a petition to reform the British press, which is currently sitting over one million signatures.
The change.org petition, created by user Joshua Anthony and addressed to the UK’s culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, received upwards of 150,000 signatures in the first four hours after it was set up and now has over 205,000 at the time of publication.
The protest called for the British Government “to launch an inquiry into the British press and their practices following the maltreatment of those in the public eye including; Caroline Flack, [Prince] Harry and Meghan Markle, to name a few.”
“The headlines, harassment, and trial by media has to end and they must be held accountable,” a description on the site read.
“Almost a decade later and we are still seeing similar issues in the press. We are campaigning for an inquiry into the practices and policies of mainstream media organisations and social media platforms in their efforts to protect members of the public from harm.”
“If we, the public, show there is demand then our politicians and government will be compelled to act.”
In 2011, the British Government launched a public inquiry into the “culture, practices and ethics” of the press following the News International phone-hacking scandal.
Known as the Leveson inquiry, chaired by Lord Justice Leveson, a series of public hearings were held and in November 2012. The Leveson report made recommendations for a new, independent, body to replace the existing Press Complaints Commission — which would have to be recognised by the state through new laws.
On February 15, Flack was found dead. The BBC reports she died by apparent suicide in her London apartment.
“We can confirm that our Caroline passed away today, the 15th of February,” her family said in a statement.
“We would ask that the press respect the privacy of the family at this difficult time and we would ask they make no attempt to contact us and/or photograph us.”
The 40-year-old was set to appear in court on March 4 over a domestic dispute with her boyfriend Lewis Burton, after being arrested and charged with assault in December.
She denied all allegations when she appeared in court back in December.
Over the past few months, Flack had been the focus of several articles and according to CBS News, was trolled across social media for the assault charge.
Burton took to social media after Flack’s death had been announced, sharing a picture of the pair together alongside the caption:
“My heart is broken we had something so special,” he wrote. “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. [sic]”
“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 ?”
ITV, the producers behind Love Island released a statement saying that “everybody at ‘Love Island’ and ITV is shocked and saddened by this desperately sad news.”
A highlights episode titled “Unseen Bits” was scheduled to air, however, was pulled from broadcast and the production company also decided not to air the next new Love Island episode which was due to air on Sunday.
“After careful consultation between Caroline’s representatives and the ‘Love Island’ production team and given how close we still are to the news of Caroline’s tragic death we have decided not to broadcast [Sunday’s] ‘Love Island’ out of respect for Caroline’s family,” ITV said. “‘Love Island’ will return [Monday] night which will include a tribute to Caroline who will be forever in our hearts.”
In addition, the Monday night episode has since been pulled.
Flack’s final Instagram post just hours before her death, was of her and her dog and a single heart.
Prior to that, her last post had been on Christmas Eve — even though she’d “been advised not to go on social media”.
“I wanted to say happy Christmas to everyone who has been so incredibly kind to me this year…,” she wrote. “This kind of scrutiny and speculation is a lot to take on for one person to take on their own…
“I’m a human being at the end of the day and I’m not going to be silenced when I have a story to tell and a life to keep going with….
“I’m taking some time out to get feeling better and learn some lessons from situations I’ve got myself into to. I have nothing but love to give and best wishes for everyone.”
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