When Disney approached Christine Flack about making a documentary focusing on the final months of her daughter Caroline’s life before her suicide in 2020, she had to think carefully. Why bring Caroline back into the public eye when the tabloids, talk shows, and social media had already moved on?
“I knew there could be as many negative consequences as positive ones,” Christine explains. “Some details might be taken out of context, and false stories could resurface. But after four years of trying to understand what happened, I still had so many unanswered questions. I felt stuck, so I decided to go ahead.” She pauses briefly before adding, “No matter what comes next, I always tell myself that nothing can hurt me more than losing Caroline.”
Caroline Flack was one of Britain’s most prominent and talked-about TV presenters when she was arrested in December 2019 and charged with assaulting her partner, Lewis Burton. She stepped down from hosting Love Island to avoid drawing negative attention to the show. She also lost her home, as it was constantly surrounded by the press after her arrest, and she never returned. Caroline felt she had lost public support too, especially with the steady stream of damaging—and often inaccurate—details in the tabloids and on social media.
After she took her own life nine weeks later in February 2020, the public narrative shifted. Tributes to her talent and stories about her mental health struggles emerged, while the criminal case was awkwardly downplayed as evidence of her troubled state. The appropriateness of her prosecution was rarely questioned, with commentators emphasizing that celebrities shouldn’t expect special treatment. Even Nazir Afzal, a former prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), appeared on breakfast TV to stress that domestic abuse must be taken seriously and that the CPS could only “follow the evidence.”
In the documentary Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth, Christine Flack aims to do just that—follow the evidence. For years, she has wondered if Caroline was indeed treated differently, prosecuted because the police and CPS feared scrutiny over how they handled a high-profile case. They couldn’t be seen doing nothing. For Christine, understanding the decision to charge her daughter is key to understanding her death, as she believes it played a role in Caroline’s suicide. “Someone else might have gotten through it and been okay,” Christine says. “But not Caroline.”
As Caroline’s mother, Christine had always been prepared for crises. The family grew up in Norfolk, where Christine still lives. (Caroline’s father is not in the film; he and Christine divorced years ago, and he is now unwell.) Caroline had two older siblings and a twin, Jody. “Even as a little girl, she had extreme highs and lows,” Christine recalls. “She would either be laughing hysterically or crying uncontrollably. I had to pick her up from school a few times when they couldn’t calm her down—that was just how she was, and it continued.”
Although Caroline had planned a career in musical theatre, her success as a TV presenter took her in a different direction. As her career grew, so did her public profile. In her last decade, she was rarely out of the spotlight, hosting major shows like X Factor, I’m a Celebrity, and Love Island. She dated high-profile figures like Prince Harry and Harry Styles, won Strictly Come Dancing and a Bafta, and made her West End debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago just over a year before her death.In 2018, Caroline Flack collected a BAFTA award for Love Island. Despite her public successes, she privately struggled with difficult times. She was hospitalized on several occasions, sometimes checking herself in as a precaution. One doctor suspected she had bipolar disorder, though it was never officially diagnosed. According to her mother Christine, Caroline’s work was her main way of coping, serving as an escape and a reason to keep her personal life private. She avoided having a regular doctor out of fear that her medical information might be leaked to the press. Caroline felt deeply ashamed and didn’t want to be defined by her struggles.
Caroline always kept her phone close by when she slept. Her mother recalls that a call could either bring exciting news or signal an emergency requiring immediate help.
On December 13, 2019, Caroline’s twin sister Jody informed Christine that Caroline had been arrested and was in a police cell in central London. The previous evening, Caroline and her boyfriend Lewis Burton had been out separately and returned late to her flat. After drinking, they went to bed. Caroline discovered a message from another woman on Burton’s phone while he slept. Upset and intoxicated, she confronted him, later admitting to police that she hit him in the head with a phone, acknowledging there was no excuse for her actions but explaining she was hurt by his infidelity.
A heated argument followed, during which Caroline became hysterical. When Burton threatened to call the police, she pleaded with him not to, warning that it would ruin her. After he made the call, she harmed herself, and by the time officers arrived, she was seriously injured, agitated, and partially undressed. Burton returned home, as the blow to his head did not require medical attention. Caroline’s phone was seized as evidence, and she was hospitalized for 12 hours before being arrested.
While domestic violence is a serious issue that must be addressed, Christine believes this incident was not representative of that pattern.
Outside the police station, an officer assured Jody that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had dropped the case and that Caroline would be released shortly. The initial CPS assessment concluded that prosecution was not in the public interest, citing no history of domestic violence, Caroline’s clean record, and Burton’s lack of support for legal action. They recommended a caution, noting that the incident did not warrant deviation from standard guidelines. For perspective, out of 1.4 million domestic abuse incidents in England and Wales in the year ending March 2024, only about 3.5% led to charges.
However, a detective inspector later appealed the CPS decision, despite having no prior record of challenging such rulings. She argued that Caroline had not clearly admitted guilt (though the coroner found she had confessed) and that Burton had sustained significant injury. Consequently, Caroline was charged with assault by beating.
Bail conditions barred Caroline from contacting Burton, increasing her isolation in the following weeks. Burton expressed on social media that being kept apart from her was heartbreaking. While no-contact bail conditions are crucial in cases with a history of coercive behavior to protect victims, in this instance, it was an isolated event.The incident began with an accusation of infidelity, involving a victim who was 6ft 3in tall. Christine finds it hard to comprehend.
Christine Flack is aware she’s walking a delicate line. She firmly states that she doesn’t intend to downplay the seriousness of domestic abuse. “Domestic violence must be taken seriously,” she emphasizes. “I understand its severity. I know individuals who’ve been afraid to return home, endured terrible ordeals, and felt trapped in controlling, abusive relationships with no assistance. Some of my own family members have gone through it. But this situation was different.”
In the documentary, Nazir Afzal also expresses confusion, saying it “makes no sense.” Initially, after Caroline’s death, he had publicly supported the prosecution without knowing the specifics. After reviewing the evidence for the film, he now believes he would have come to a different decision. He describes it as an isolated event with no prior history, lacking any pattern of coercive control, and notes that Burton consistently insisted Caroline shouldn’t be prosecuted, repeatedly expressing regret for involving the police. “At most, a caution should have been given,” he tells Christine in the film. Afzal attributes the charge solely to Caroline’s fame, suggesting the CPS may have acted out of fear of public criticism.
In reply, a CPS spokesperson affirmed that a person’s celebrity status never influences case decisions and maintained that the prosecution was justified. A Metropolitan police spokesperson mentioned that their handling of the case had been reviewed independently, leading to procedural improvements but no findings of misconduct.
For Christine, hearing Afzal’s views is bittersweet. “It’s a double-edged sword,” she says. “I resent it because he’s confirming it didn’t have to happen. But I hope his words resonate. For years, I’ve sought insights from public figures, and their perspectives have given this film its value.”
Caroline’s life fell apart rapidly. Her home was besieged, forcing her to move to a hotel where she rarely left her room. The next day, headlines like “Caroline whack!” and “Flack attack!” appeared. Within days, she had stepped down from Love Island, and soon after, she watched someone else take over. Her messages to friends and family from that period are heartbreaking: “I’ve lost everything, and so publicly,” and “I’m at the lowest point in my life.”
The first court hearing just before Christmas 2019 hinted at the challenges ahead. “The CPS assigned a top prosecutor,” Christine notes, questioning the necessity. During the charges, the CPS barrister claimed Caroline had hit Burton with a lamp, causing significant injury, and described the scene as “like a horror movie.” “All the blood was Caroline’s,” Christine clarifies, “but that wasn’t understood.” Both Caroline and Burton denied the lamp allegation, and no lamp was ever collected as evidence. Nonetheless, headlines like “Mad Flack beat lover with lamp” circulated. By New Year’s Day, theThe Sun published a leaked photo of Caroline’s bedroom from the night of the incident, with the front page headline reading, “Photo shows attack carnage.” Christine remarked, “To Caroline, it felt like there was no way out.” The suggestion that this “carnage” was blood from Burton, caused by injuries Caroline inflicted while he slept, would have ruined her career. However, correcting the record with the truth meant exposing her most private self—something she had fiercely protected throughout her life and considered her deepest shame. She feared that if the trial went ahead, police body camera footage would be released, showing her barely dressed, intoxicated, hysterical, and hurt. In one of her texts, she wrote, “I don’t think I can cope with the shame of it all.”
Occasionally, in clearer moments, Caroline could envision a way forward. Christine shared, “We talked every day, and if she didn’t see me, she saw Jody. She had trusted friends. On Christmas Day, she came home, eager to play games and enjoy the day—it was truly lovely.” Caroline had also started making plans, including discussions with a documentary team about sharing her story and explaining her side. “At one point, she said, ‘I think I’m just going to live in Ibiza,’ a place she adored,” Christine recalled. “I wish she had! One day she felt capable of handling things, but the next, something else would happen. There is always a way forward. I want everyone to know that.”
On February 14, Caroline learned that her legal team’s efforts to dismiss the case had been unsuccessful. The next day, she ended her life.
Jody was the one who found her. “By the time I got there, the police were present, and Caroline was on the floor,” Christine said. “They wouldn’t let me touch her. I’ll never forget that.” She has little memory of the time that followed, adding, “COVID hit a month later, and I remember being grateful for the lockdown. When you lose someone, the world keeps moving, and you see all the things Caroline should be doing. I loved lockdown because everything came to a halt.”
As time passed, questions began to surface: Was Caroline treated fairly by the police and CPS, or was she singled out? Did media coverage drive her to suicide? “I believe I have as many answers as I can now,” Christine stated. “I hope this program can set the record straight. I wish I had done it before Caroline died. But back then, we were advised to stay silent, assured that everything would be okay and the charges dropped. Caroline kept telling me, ‘Mum, don’t say anything.'”
At times, Christine has blamed herself. “I’ve asked, ‘Why didn’t you do this? Why didn’t you do that?’ Sometimes, when I’m down, I think about what she must have felt that day she died. That’s the part I hate the most.” More often, though, she focuses on the happy memories. “At home, I have so much of her stuff, but it’s not depressing,” she said. “I have her Strictly glitterball on a shelf, her awards, her front pages and covers. Jody has a room filled with Caroline’s belongings—her scripts, her shows. Someone gave us a beautiful portrait they painted of her from a photoshoot with syrup dripping down her head.”
“My memories now are usually fun,” she continued, “because that’s how Caroline was in our lives. When she entered a room, she could change everything and brighten the day.”
Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth is available on Disney+ starting November 10. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at freephone 116 123, or by email at jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, contact Lifeline at 13 11 14. For support in other countries, visit befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Christine Flack Caroline Flacks mother and her mission to set the record straight designed with clear natural questions and direct answers
General BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is Christine Flack
Christine Flack is the mother of the late television presenter Caroline Flack
2 What does it mean that she wants to set the record straight
It means she is speaking out to correct what she believes are public misunderstandings and false narratives about her daughters life character and the circumstances leading to her death
3 Why is she speaking out now
She is likely driven by a desire to protect her daughters legacy share the truth as she knows it and find a sense of purpose and justice through her grief
4 What was her relationship with Caroline like
By all accounts they were very close Christine has described Caroline as a loving daughter and their family bond appears to have been strong
5 What is the main message she wants people to hear
Her main message is that Caroline was a kind loving person who was struggling immensely and that the media scrutiny and the legal case against her had a devastating impact on her mental health
Advanced InDepth Questions
6 How has Christine responded to the medias portrayal of Caroline
She has been highly critical stating that the press created a caricature of Caroline that was often cruel unfair and far from the reality of who she was
7 What specific records is she trying to correct
She aims to correct perceptions about Carolines mental state the nature of the assault allegations she faced and to highlight the human being behind the celebrity persona
8 Is she involved in any campaigns or charities
Yes Christine and the Flack family have supported and promoted mental health charities and have campaigned for reforms in media practices and the Crown Prosecution Services approach to cases involving vulnerable individuals
9 What is Flacks Law
Flacks Law is a term used by campaigners supported by Christine calling for a new law to prevent the press from writing stories about an individual until they are actually charged with a crime aiming to protect peoples reputations and mental health during investigations
10 What are the common criticisms or pushbacks against her speaking out
Some
