Entertainment

Caroline Flack’s boyfriend Lewis Burton pays tribute one month after her death

The tennis player said he wished he could tell the former Love Island host that ‘everything is going to be ok’.
The tennis player said he wished he could tell the former Love Island host that ‘everything is going to be ok’. The tennis player said he wished he could tell the former Love Island host that ‘everything is going to be ok’.

Caroline Flack’s boyfriend Lewis Burton has said that her death still “just doesn’t seem real”, one month after she took her own life.

The former Love Island host, who died aged 40, was laid to rest on March 10 in a private ceremony attended by friends and relatives.

The tennis player said he had never imagined he would be unable to ever speak to her again.

Mr Burton said: “It’s already been a month I love and miss you so much, I never thought that one day I will never be able to see or speak to you again.

“I wake up and think you’re going to be laying next to me or you’re going to call me in a minute. It just doesn’t seem real.

“I wish I could give you a kiss and a cuddle and say everything is going to be ok. I am so grateful I met you I just want to make you proud.”

Flack stepped down from presenting the 2020 winter series of Love Island after an alleged assault on Mr Burton.

Caroline Flack
Caroline Flack Caroline Flack (Matt Crossick/PA)

She pleaded not guilty at a court hearing in December and was released on bail, but she was ordered to stop having any contact with Mr Burton ahead of a trial, which had been due to begin in March.

In an interview published on Monday, Flack’s mother Chris shared information about her daughter’s funeral with the Eastern Daily Press newspaper.

She said: “There were lots of memories, smiles but mostly tears as we all remembered Carrie and the joy she had brought to all of our lives.

“All the family would like to say thank you so much to all Carrie’s friends who travelled from all over the world to be there that day and who appreciated why we wanted to bring her back home to Norfolk.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland Flack’s mother has shared information about the star’s funeral (Jonathan Brady/PA)

“Friends included all the old pals she had either worked alongside or presented with on Fash FC, I’m A Celebrity, Xtra Factor, Love Island, friends old and new from the world of Strictly, the Bake Off and many many more.”

She added that Flack’s friends from school, college and the present day came to “exchange stories and pay tributes to my beautiful girl”.

“There were tributes from family members, her closest friends and two wonderful live performances by Lucie Jones singing She Used To Be Mine from the Waitress and a song written for Caroline The Sulking Room by her close friend Ciara.”

The inquest into Flack’s death heard she was found lying on her back after an apparent hanging.

The hearing at Poplar Coroner’s Court lasted four minutes, and was adjourned until summer.