‘Caroline Flack: The Search for Truth’: Who Was Caroline Flack?
A new Hulu docuseries is exploring a Love Island tragedy.
Caroline Flack: The Search for Truth follows Christine Flack, the mother of the late Love Island UK presenter, as she investigates the truth about her daughter’s final months, uncovering new details and examining pressures that shaped Caroline’s last days.
Who was Caroline Flack?
Caroline Flack was a well-known TV personality in the U.K. She hosted multiple seasons of the hit dating series Love Island, was a presenter on shows such The X Factor and I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here NOW!, and won season 12 of Strictly Come Dancing. She also had a star-studded dating history, including past relationships with Prince Harry and Harry Styles. But many American viewers are likely learning about her for the first time in the Hulu documentary, which recently premiered on Hulu. (It’s streaming on Disney+ in the U.K.)
Flack had carved out a successful career in the U.K. media. But her story took a dark turn in late 2019, when she faced charges of assaulting her boyfriend, Lewis Burton. (Burton did not support Flack’s prosecution.) As her life became tabloid fodder, Flack, who had a history of mental health issues, struggled to cope.
In February 2020, Flack died by suicide at age 40 at her home in London. Her death raised questions about the pressures of living in the public eye and the aggressive reporting of the notorious British tabloids. In the documentary, her mother argues that police treated the incident between Flack and Burton more harshly than they would normally because she was a celebrity, and that the prospect of a “show trial” contributed to her suicide.
“People think they know what happened to Caroline,” Christine says in the documentary. “But the reality is much darker.”
Caroline Flack: The Search for Truth is streaming on Hulu.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line.
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