Caroline Flack Search for the Truth Season 1 Episode 2

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Transcript

00:00I've always kept everything of all my kids, which seems a bit silly, but I can't throw it away.

00:22And I'm so pleased that I have, because this is Carrie now for me.

00:27They're just things, like, when she was born, that's how big she was.

00:35That fitted her.

00:37And it shows she didn't grow very much, because that was her size shoe at the end, size two.

00:43I had really, really, really thin legs, and I was really self-conscious of them.

00:47I used to wear five pairs of tights.

00:49Boys used to call me lucky legs.

00:51Lucky legs?

00:52Lucky they don't break.

00:53Carrie and Jodie, Jodie's her twin.

00:56They were never far apart.

00:57I love that video.

01:01This is one of the nicest evenings that the three of us had...

01:04The three of us had had.

01:10As a parent, we think our children are always going to be there.

01:16You'll be able to talk to them tomorrow.

01:18You'll be able to say things to them tomorrow.

01:19But you can't always.

01:24And just to remember the happy times, it's a reminder that you don't take anything for granted.

01:32Bye-bye.

01:34Don't take your children for granted.

01:36You know, I knew enough about Caroline that I should have seen this coming.

01:53Her vulnerability.

01:56I protected her when she was alive, as best I could.

02:06And what I'm doing now is protecting her in a different way.

02:13I want the real Caroline to be remembered, not this Caroline that was portrayed in the press.

02:22Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has appeared in court and pleaded not guilty of assaulting her boyfriend.

02:38The presenter was released on conditional bail before her trial on March the 4th.

02:44After the court, the press were relentless.

02:48We were being followed everywhere.

02:51At one point, I got out of the car to try and stop the paps following us.

02:57And a pap basically just ran me.

03:00Like, he just carried on driving and I was, like, pushing his car.

03:02From that moment, it felt like she was on the run.

03:05After the hearing, I couldn't communicate with Caroline.

03:09She was on social media, looking at what the public was saying.

03:25Social media was really tough on Caroline, but then after the court hearing, she was all over the news.

03:31We just couldn't believe it.

03:33It was absolutely everywhere.

03:35All the major TV channels were reporting the prosecution's version of events, which just wasn't accurate.

03:46It's strange being back.

03:49This was just packed with press and everybody screaming and shouting at Carrie.

03:55And this was a really dark day.

04:00But we didn't realise how much the rest of her life was set that day.

04:05The statement given by the prosecutor set the tone for the next two months.

04:11That day, Caroline's face was everywhere.

04:14The headlines read as if she were a domestic abuser and had hit her boyfriend with a lamp.

04:18Exactly what information the prosecution was being fed by the police, but a lot of what she said in court was wrong in so many ways.

04:28I've spent years getting various documents that tell a different story of what happened that night.

04:35I've been able to cross-reference the police reports on the night when Carrie was arrested with the statement the prosecutor made.

04:46So where is this all about a lamp that haunts us?

04:51Where did that come from?

04:52Now, it's alleged that she hit him over the head with a lamp.

04:55She picked up a lamp and smashed him over the head.

04:58Almost caved his head in.

04:59With a lamp.

05:00The lamp.

05:01The prosecutor says he, Burton, said he had been asleep and had been hit over the head by Caroline with a lamp.

05:08But then, looking at the report written on the night by the police, it says,

05:15it's unclear what object was actually used to assault Mr Burton.

05:18He initially stated to officers that he assumed it was a desk fan or a lamp.

05:26Mr Burton stated, I don't know what it was.

05:30There was no compelling or direct evidence that anyone had been hit with a lamp.

05:37During Caroline's interview under caution, Caroline's position always was that she had the phone in her hand,

05:42she went to rouse him and wake him, and the phone connected with him.

05:45It couldn't have been more clear to anyone that read that transcript.

05:50The police report says,

05:52Miss Flack's phone has been seized as it has a significant amount of blood on it and a crack on one of the corners,

05:58suggesting this may have been the weapon.

06:01Wow.

06:02So it's actually in there that they thought it was a phone.

06:05Yeah.

06:06Nothing else was taken from that flat at all.

06:09You would think the weapon would have been seized.

06:13The lamp is just sat back at the property, not being touched, is never examined.

06:18We know that the evidence was the phone.

06:21Somebody made a decision to leave that out.

06:26I mean, I was sitting with Lewis back there, and he couldn't believe what was being said.

06:32He actually took to Instagram, and he said,

06:36What I witnessed today was horrible.

06:40She did not hit me with a lamp.

06:43You know, this is Carrie's life here.

06:46They're the things that get into the press,

06:48and they're the things that she was going to be tried on.

06:51This is evidence that a prosecutor can bloody stand up and say about someone.

06:57I think it's disgusting.

07:00But the damage was done.

07:03Carrie knew that people would be thinking about that.

07:06For the rest of her life.

07:06Yeah, forever.

07:07Yeah, she couldn't lose that.

07:09No, she'd never lose that tag.

07:11She hasn't lost it, even though she's dead.

07:13Caroline was in a bad place.

07:26She'd been in a spiral since her arrest.

07:29On Christmas Eve, we wanted to take her out, so we took her Christmas shopping.

07:35And bearing in mind, she hadn't been out.

07:37So from the day she was arrested to Christmas Eve,

07:39I don't know how long that was, maybe two weeks,

07:41that she hadn't left a hotel room.

07:44And we were really confident that nobody was following us.

07:49And then we realised she was papped.

07:52And they wrote in the papers how she was beaming and joking.

08:10I think people would have thought she didn't have a care in the world.

08:13What nobody knows when they see these pictures in isolation

08:22is that she had been on suicide watch for two weeks

08:26and we were trying to give her something normal to do.

08:31She wasn't laughing it off.

08:32If I'd seen her laugh or smile in that two weeks,

08:35I was like, thank God, maybe she won't die today.

08:38Maybe we can leave her for half an hour.

08:41Maybe there is a way out of this.

08:56Caroline thought she had no control.

08:59Lies were being told about her all the time.

09:02So Caroline was desperate to tell her side of the story.

09:08You know, get some truth out there.

09:11And even if she couldn't speak out,

09:14her agents may speak out on her behalf.

09:17Say something.

09:19But she kept being told complete shutdown.

09:22Don't do anything.

09:26I want to ask her agent, why?

09:29Why was she silenced?

09:30Hello.

09:34Long time no see.

09:36All right, thank you.

09:37How are you?

09:39Good.

09:45Caroline, are you OK?

09:47It's just, it's been since the funeral.

09:49I know, I know.

09:50Long time.

09:51Yeah.

09:52You, what?

09:52During the whole time Carrie was going through this,

10:01she was advised to just stay silent.

10:04I know that Carrie thought a lot of you and you were close.

10:07How did you manage that?

10:09So I think at first, we just thought it was a misunderstanding.

10:13Everything was going to be fine.

10:16So we sort of didn't say anything, just told everyone to wait out.

10:20Later on, when it was coming to the press or comments,

10:22everything we checked with our lawyers.

10:25Because if she'd said something, those words could have been catastrophic in court.

10:31It could not be regurgitated in the press over and over again.

10:35So, yes, she wanted to have her voice.

10:40But it was silence's safest, really.

10:44I understand that.

10:47If she could have, you know, gone against the story,

10:53it would have gone some way to making it better for her.

10:57We knew what the truth was.

10:59You knew.

11:01But the newspapers, you can tell them till you're blue in the face.

11:06At this point, Caroline was worth more to them in print to be the villain

11:10than the hero that she was six months ago when she was hosting Love Island.

11:14You were no longer really managing the newspapers as such.

11:19It's uncontrollable at times.

11:21Yeah.

11:22You're dancing with the devil.

11:25Before she was arrested, Caroline was very good, actually.

11:29She knew...

11:32..acutely...

11:34..what the right response was a lot of the time.

11:37They were going to print a story about one of her boyfriends.

11:41It wasn't a very nice story.

11:43Caroline contacted the journalist directly and said,

11:46can we give them a nice story and exclusive

11:48so they make another story go away?

11:51But isn't that awful?

11:52Yeah.

11:52Isn't that an awful way to have to live,

11:55to have to do that, to give information about something

11:58so that the bad information won't come out?

12:01Yeah.

12:01You know, we saw the tide turn on her.

12:06We just became completely powerless.

12:10It just...

12:10It just makes me sad and it makes me mad

12:13that something as thoughtful as this going on in Caroline's life,

12:19she becomes not a person to the press.

12:24She's sort of expendable.

12:25A headline for 45p is what that is.

12:29Yeah.

12:29That's what it comes down to, isn't it?

12:30Yeah.

12:34Every time you put Caroline Flack in the newspapers,

12:37they sold.

12:40And on the front page, a lot more.

12:43She was the golden girl who delivered for so many years

12:45and, ironically,

12:48delivering even more

12:49in the worst period of her life.

12:52An editor rang me up and said,

12:55listen, would she do a big interview about it?

12:58I said, well, I very much doubt it

13:00because it's still in the hands of the police and the prosecution.

13:02And he said, well, in that case, go and fuck her over.

13:06To hear that kind of, like, coming

13:08and you know what's coming before they do,

13:09you're like, Jesus Christ.

13:11Over that Christmas,

13:23Carrie seemed to be coping.

13:27And then on January the 1st,

13:31this was the headlines.

13:35Flack's bedroom bloodbath.

13:38And it was complete and utter shock.

13:41The way this story reads

13:44is that Caroline had hit

13:47her boyfriend with a lamp

13:50and that was his blood.

13:54And that is so far from the truth.

13:58That was Caroline's blood

14:00where she'd cut her wrists.

14:08Caroline reacted

14:09terribly

14:12because of the embarrassment.

14:15It was an embarrassment.

14:17This was her blood.

14:23Obviously, we wondered

14:25who took that picture

14:26and who gave it to the song.

14:28We were told

14:29at the beginning

14:31that it was actually a police officer,

14:33but it wasn't.

14:34Lewis admitted that he took that photo

14:36and sent it to one of his friends.

14:38And then one of his friends

14:40sold the picture

14:41without any information,

14:43without any backup,

14:46to the Sun newspaper.

14:48Once this came out,

14:53I don't think anyone

14:54thought of anything else then

14:55that she was guilty.

14:56MUSIC PLAYS

14:57She was tried in the Sun newspaper

15:14and found guilty.

15:26Until something's written

15:27about your own family

15:28or friends,

15:29you don't realise

15:31how bad the press are.

15:33Lizzie, my oldest daughter,

15:35was ten years older

15:37than Caroline.

15:39She was very protective

15:40and she always took to heart

15:44what was written in the press

15:46and it's always affected her.

15:49Because I'm not hearing Carrie's story

15:58because she's locked herself away

15:59out of shame,

16:00the only side I had

16:02was in the press.

16:05And my instant reaction was

16:09if she did that,

16:10then she needs to be punished.

16:13I have got any facts

16:14because I'm not there.

16:16All I'm hearing is this.

16:19It affected the way

16:23I thought about my sister,

16:26the way that she felt

16:28that she could come to me

16:29for support.

16:30She never could even just say

16:33I didn't do it.

16:35She didn't even feel

16:35that I would believe her.

16:39Because she...

16:41You think,

16:42but it's in black and white

16:43so people are going to listen

16:44much more to that

16:45than what I say

16:46and that's to her sister.

16:48And that's what these lies do,

16:52how deeply they go

16:53and how deeply they affect relationships.

16:56I let her down by not being there,

16:59by not finding out

17:00how she felt more.

17:02And I can never

17:04change anything.

17:06Every single person

17:10that was there

17:12that let that go to print

17:14should be ashamed of themselves

17:15because as far as I'm concerned,

17:18that is one of the main reasons

17:20why she isn't here today.

17:21Oh, hi there.

17:40My name's Chris Flack

17:41and this is being recorded,

17:44this message,

17:45for a film that may go out

17:48with Disney.

17:50What I'm after today

17:51is if you could put me through to...

17:53Sorry.

17:55Are you all right?

17:56Oh, I thought you sighed.

17:57Sorry.

17:58I wonder if you could put me through

18:00to Victoria Newton.

18:03Yes.

18:04So this could be recorded

18:05for your Disney documentary?

18:07Yes.

18:08Hang on a second.

18:10Victoria Newton

18:12is the editor of The Sun.

18:15She said to me,

18:16I've come into The Sun

18:17to clean this paper up.

18:20So I'd like

18:22a front page apology

18:24as large

18:26as they put the photo

18:27of her blood on the bed.

18:30I've been on hold

18:31for four minutes.

18:33Well, this is eight minutes now.

18:36No one's even come back

18:37to say,

18:38yeah, sorry for keeping you waiting.

18:39We're trying to find Victoria.

18:42I'd love to just say,

18:43what have you put in place?

18:45What have you done

18:46to stop this happening?

18:48Eleven minutes now.

18:50Must be a busy news day.

18:53Hello, mate.

18:54Hello?

18:56Oh, sorry.

18:57I thought this was Andy.

18:58Hang on.

18:59Cut me off.

19:02I don't believe it.

19:04The way the press covered this story

19:11was one of the worst things at the time.

19:17I want to speak to a journalist

19:19to find out

19:20how something so misleading

19:22can appear on the front page

19:24of a national newspaper.

19:28So, Paul,

19:29part of this process,

19:32I've contacted 30 journalists,

19:35but not one of them

19:36will talk to me.

19:38Why do you think that is?

19:40I think it's a mixture of

19:42shame,

19:45fear.

19:47I think they've probably been

19:48ordered not to.

19:49Really?

19:51By their editors.

19:53Hmm.

19:54So,

19:55what I want to know is

19:56who would be responsible

19:58for the picture

19:59of Carrie's blood

20:00going in the Sun newspaper?

20:02I've been in newsrooms

20:03and they've rang up and said,

20:04how much will you give me

20:05for this picture

20:06or this story?

20:07So,

20:08in my experience,

20:09the news editor will say,

20:10how much do you want?

20:12He will then go into the editor

20:13and his senior journalist.

20:16So,

20:16that's really gone up

20:17to a very senior level.

20:19Usually,

20:19it comes in your conference

20:20because you have conferences

20:21every morning

20:21and that's what your front page

20:22is going to be.

20:23Yeah,

20:23that's what I thought.

20:25From experience,

20:27that would have gone

20:28through three lawyers.

20:29It would go through lawyers.

20:30It would go through three lawyers.

20:32The editor,

20:33the news editor,

20:35conference,

20:35where you have

20:36plenty of very intelligent

20:37journalists

20:38who are very able

20:38to speak for themselves

20:39in all newspapers,

20:40debating whether or not

20:42they should use it.

20:43In my experience,

20:45that decision

20:46would have been

20:46backed

20:48and probably salivated

20:49on all day

20:50as soon as they got

20:50that picture

20:51by everybody

20:51in that newsroom.

20:53It was gory,

20:53it was macabre,

20:54it was sinister.

20:56You know,

20:56she was deranged.

20:58She wasn't,

20:59right?

20:59But they don't think

21:00that way.

21:01They think,

21:01this is such a compelling

21:04is the way they see that

21:06and graphic,

21:07gory demise.

21:10If they'd gone through

21:11all those checks

21:12with their lawyers,

21:14they didn't confirm

21:16with anybody

21:17that it was

21:19her boyfriend's blood,

21:21which it was portrayed as.

21:23Her agent didn't get a call,

21:24you didn't get a call.

21:25Nobody got a call,

21:26no.

21:26Quite often,

21:28when a story is so

21:30good,

21:33if there's any chance

21:34at all you could say

21:35something that could even

21:35have brought that story

21:36down 10%,

21:37less drama,

21:38less, you know,

21:39shock factor,

21:41and you've got just enough

21:42that it can be true,

21:44in my opinion,

21:46they'd be like,

21:47don't call,

21:47because that would get

21:48in the way

21:49of the story.

21:50This is,

21:52I can't even get this,

21:53I can't even,

21:54it's even worse

21:56than I thought.

21:57How do you look at that?

21:59You're a journalist.

22:00Yeah.

22:00So where does

22:01the journalism come in

22:03and the interest

22:04of Caroline

22:06or the readers?

22:08What does the truth matter?

22:11It does to some journalists

22:13and it should do

22:14to every journalist,

22:15but in my experience,

22:16it's really just about

22:17who's got the best

22:18front page the next day.

22:21So do you think

22:22there was ever

22:24a discussion

22:25what effect

22:27it would have on her?

22:29In my view,

22:31being honest with you,

22:33probably not.

22:38And I doubt anyone

22:40said,

22:41is this the right thing

22:42to do?

22:42Really?

22:43You'll never be judged

22:44on a story

22:45that ruins somebody's life.

22:46You will never

22:47pay a price for that.

22:48So all the times,

22:49all the interviews,

22:50all the things

22:51that, you know,

22:52go on with the press,

22:55like on a personal level,

22:56it just means nothing.

22:59It was like she was

23:01betrayed on every part.

23:04Why take the photo?

23:06Why sell it?

23:07Why print it?

23:09Everything that happened

23:10like that

23:11was making it more

23:13and more clear

23:13there was no way

23:14out of it.

23:15We couldn't stop

23:17the effect

23:18it was having

23:18on Carrie,

23:19and that's what

23:20was hard for us.

23:21Yes, we're back,

23:40and we're bigger than ever.

23:42Say hello

23:44to Laura a bit more.

23:46Love Island

23:47was a massive thing

23:48for Caroline.

23:49Caroline,

23:50is there any?

23:51Laura taking over

23:53brought up

23:54every single

23:55insecurity.

23:57We weren't allowed

23:58to watch it,

23:59then she wanted

23:59to watch it,

24:00so we'd sit

24:00and watch it together.

24:01This is incredible.

24:02Look at this.

24:03Look at the view.

24:04And then every day

24:05she'd ask me for the numbers,

24:06how many viewers,

24:07how many viewers.

24:07Shall we have

24:08a little chat?

24:09Shall we?

24:09Yeah.

24:16That constant turmoil

24:18killed Caroline.

24:20So girls,

24:20how are you feeling?

24:21Good.

24:22She felt like

24:23she was being airbrushed

24:24out of the show.

24:25She said,

24:26I know that I'm gone,

24:26I know that I'm done,

24:27this is it.

24:28She just saw

24:29the crumbling

24:30of everything she'd built.

24:37She couldn't go back

24:47to her house.

24:48You know,

24:49the place that she'd lived

24:50and bought

24:50with her own money.

24:51There were people

24:52kind of camped outside.

24:55So we decided

24:56that she needed to move.

24:57Everything was so

25:05like cloak and dagger

25:07because the fear

25:08of being caught

25:09or people knowing

25:10where she was

25:11was so scary

25:12that all of this

25:14had to happen

25:15in the middle of the night.

25:16She had to move out

25:16at three o'clock

25:17in the morning.

25:18But luckily,

25:19Jodie knew

25:20of a removal company

25:22that would do that

25:22and they were lovely.

25:24They moved

25:24almost everything

25:26she owned

25:27into like a gated apartment

25:28that actually nobody

25:30ever found out

25:30where she was.

25:32I think that gave her

25:33a sense of normality.

25:36Maybe we'll just pop out

25:37and buy some sheets

25:38and stuff on Church Street

25:39or just buy some

25:40nice little things

25:41and make it

25:41so that all cosy.

25:44But this flat

25:45was just,

25:46there was something

25:46about it.

25:48It was number 13

25:49and opposite her

25:51was this park

25:52where it was

25:53just sort of a cemetery

25:54and one of the headstones

25:56was Caroline Flack.

26:00Things like that

26:01would play on Carrie's mind.

26:03She phoned me

26:04and said about it

26:04and I said,

26:05oh, Carrie,

26:06don't be,

26:07you know,

26:07just don't,

26:09there's nothing like that.

26:10But it was strange.

26:11When she realised

26:21that nobody

26:21knew where she was,

26:23she started going out

26:24for walks

26:25with Ruby the dog.

26:28She wasn't drinking

26:29at this point.

26:30I'm on Church Street now,

26:31just taking Ruby for a walk,

26:33text me,

26:33I can meet you at home

26:34and go

26:34for a nice dinner somewhere

26:36or a soft drink?

26:38Jesus,

26:38I'm so boring,

26:39what I wouldn't do

26:39for class of life.

26:42We went rock climbing

26:43and we had

26:45the most amazing evening.

26:47Nobody came up to us,

26:48nobody spoke to us.

26:50She said to me,

26:50I'm going to be OK.

26:52Oh, my God,

26:57I've had an idea.

26:59Like,

27:00I think I should make

27:01a documentary

27:01about all of this.

27:03I could tell

27:04that she was getting stronger

27:05because she was talking

27:06about doing a documentary.

27:09She was saying,

27:09I just really want

27:10to get out,

27:11like,

27:11what's happened

27:11on my side of everything.

27:13And so,

27:15it felt like

27:16she was turning a corner.

27:22And, you know,

27:23we felt that,

27:24actually,

27:24the case was going

27:25to be dropped.

27:26She was opening

27:27and pinning

27:28everything on

27:29common sense

27:31finally prevailing

27:32and coming to light.

27:34Caroline and her legal team

27:36were hoping

27:37that the CPS

27:38would review

27:39all the evidence

27:41and conclude

27:42there was no public interest

27:44and drop the case.

27:47In this case,

27:48yes,

27:49the complainant

27:50withdrew

27:51his support

27:52for the prosecution.

27:53But, undoubtedly,

27:54they felt

27:54they had enough.

27:55They had, I think,

27:56a 999 call recording.

27:57They had

27:58body-worn camera,

27:59warm-weather police.

28:00And they have to

28:01take domestic abuse seriously

28:02because we,

28:03as a country,

28:03have said

28:04we should take

28:04domestic abuse seriously.

28:06Nazir Afzal

28:07is a former chief prosecutor

28:09who defended

28:10the CPS's decision

28:11to prosecute Caroline.

28:15I've given him

28:16access to the documents

28:17from my investigation.

28:20He still believes

28:21the CPS

28:22were doing

28:22the right thing.

28:24You did an interview

28:26believing that

28:28the CPS

28:29were right

28:30to charge.

28:31Yeah.

28:32And I just wondered,

28:34now,

28:35having looked more

28:36at the case,

28:37why you think

28:37they were right

28:38to charge.

28:39So,

28:39need to explain

28:40how a prosecutor

28:41does his work.

28:41A prosecutor

28:42doesn't do their work

28:43in isolation.

28:44It relies upon

28:45what the police

28:46provide them with.

28:47So,

28:48if the police

28:48tell them

28:49serious injury,

28:51blooded everywhere,

28:52and we are

28:54really concerned

28:54that it might

28:55be repeated,

28:56I can see

28:57how a prosecutor

28:57might come

28:58to a conclusion

28:59that we need

29:00to put this

29:01before a court.

29:02You have to

29:03accept the police

29:03to tell you

29:04the truth.

29:05Otherwise,

29:06the whole system

29:06collapses,

29:07doesn't it?

29:07That said,

29:09having looked at

29:10all your evidence,

29:11I can't understand

29:12why they rushed

29:13to judgment.

29:14This was a case

29:15where there's

29:16no previous history,

29:17where there is

29:17no controlling

29:19or coercive,

29:20powerful dynamic.

29:22Mr. Burton

29:22never,

29:23ever wanted

29:24this case.

29:25It was adamant

29:25this case should

29:26not be prosecuted.

29:27It wasn't just

29:27reluctant,

29:28adamant.

29:28this was a

29:30one-off situation

29:31where she lost

29:33her temper,

29:34whatever the reason

29:34was,

29:35and she did

29:36what she did,

29:37which she accepts.

29:38For all of those

29:39reasons,

29:40the very worst

29:40thing that should

29:41have happened

29:41is a caution.

29:42it's difficult.

29:52After, you know,

29:53hearing you say

29:53that,

29:54in one way,

29:56it's like...

29:58Vindication?

29:59It is.

30:00It's vindication

30:01for all the work

30:02I've done,

30:02but it actually

30:03makes it a lot

30:04harder.

30:05I totally understand

30:06it.

30:07I have prosecuted

30:09thousands of these

30:10cases.

30:10Knowing what I know

30:11now,

30:13none of it

30:13makes sense,

30:14Christine.

30:15Absolutely none

30:15of it makes sense.

30:16You know,

30:17almost immediately,

30:18in the cold light

30:19of day,

30:20prosecutors looking

30:21at this case

30:21would have formed

30:22the view

30:23this case is

30:23going nowhere.

30:25And they should

30:26have stopped

30:27the case.

30:27In fact,

30:29they're required

30:30to stop the case

30:31where there is

30:32insufficient evidence

30:33or where it's not

30:34in the public

30:34interest to proceed.

30:36And I can't think

30:37of any reason

30:37to proceed

30:38other than being

30:39scared of what

30:40the media

30:40were going to

30:40say about them.

30:42But, you know,

30:43it's not about

30:45you losing face.

30:46This is about

30:47justice.

30:48My take on it

30:49is that

30:50Karen and I

30:50would still be

30:51with us

30:51if certain

30:52decisions weren't

30:53taken back

30:54in that month

30:55or two.

30:56I'll just let

31:08have the coffee.

31:12How do I do it?

31:13I had to do it

31:14on that.

31:15No, you just do

31:16this and you go.

31:17I said it.

31:18I'm just waiting

31:19for the call

31:20today

31:20and then

31:22explain what

31:23it is.

31:23So you talk

31:25about it

31:26and you have

31:26to explain

31:27what it is

31:27for.

31:29Well, today

31:29is the cutoff

31:30point.

31:31That's what

31:31we're waiting

31:32for.

31:33What's the

31:33cutoff

31:33for what?

31:34Find out

31:35whether it's

31:35going to

31:35court or not.

31:37Oh, right.

31:38It was such

31:55a shock

31:56that they

31:56didn't

31:57just drop

31:58the case.

32:00This case

32:01was prosecuted

32:01because

32:02in my view

32:04it would

32:06have been

32:06more difficult

32:07to stop

32:07the snowball

32:08rolling

32:09than it would

32:11be to just

32:12let it continue.

32:14Saving face

32:14I think

32:16adequately

32:17describes

32:17the stance

32:19that I think

32:20was taken.

32:23Because she

32:23had pleaded

32:24not guilty

32:25it meant

32:26she would

32:26face trial

32:26and the police

32:28footage that

32:29was filmed

32:29that night

32:30would be

32:31played in

32:31court as

32:32evidence.

32:37throughout

32:41this whole

32:41thing

32:42Caroline's

32:42worst nightmare

32:43was that

32:43the body

32:43cam footage

32:44was going

32:44to be

32:44released.

32:45It wasn't

32:46because she

32:46was scared

32:47of what

32:48she'd done

32:48to Lewis.

32:49She was

32:49scared because

32:50she looks

32:51completely and

32:52utterly

32:53unhinged in

32:54this body

32:55cam footage

32:56because she

32:57had tried

32:57to kill

32:58herself.

32:58This was

32:59a snapshot

33:00into her

33:01private life

33:02at its worst.

33:04She was

33:04covered in

33:04blood.

33:05She was

33:05half naked.

33:07She was

33:07in a really

33:08dark place.

33:10It showed

33:10her mental

33:12health if

33:13you like.

33:15She knew

33:15it wasn't

33:15going to

33:16make her

33:16guilty of

33:17abuse but

33:18it was

33:18going to

33:19show her

33:20to the

33:21outside world

33:22how she

33:24sometimes felt.

33:26She kept

33:27saying to

33:28me, I

33:30just can't

33:31have people

33:31see the

33:31body cam

33:32footage.

33:33I can't

33:34have my

33:34family know

33:35that that's

33:35out there.

33:36And I

33:37just think

33:38she was

33:39not thinking

33:40of herself.

33:40I think

33:41she was

33:41thinking of

33:41other people

33:42actually.

33:53Happy

33:53Valentine's

33:54Day to

33:54everyone out

33:54there whether

33:55you're

33:55attached or

33:55single or

33:56whatever.

33:57Caroline

33:58didn't like

33:58Valentine's

33:59Day.

34:00She hated

34:00it in fact

34:01because usually

34:02that's when

34:03she'd just

34:03broken up or

34:04something was

34:04happening or

34:05you know.

34:07It wasn't a

34:07big thing.

34:09She'd already

34:10been through so

34:10much then the

34:11son devoted an

34:12article to a

34:13Valentine's card

34:14which had gone

34:15on sale mocking

34:16Caroline.

34:20Lie about the

34:21lamp that was

34:22brought out in

34:22court by the

34:23prosecutor had

34:24been turned into

34:25a joke which

34:26the son had

34:27chosen to

34:28reprint sharing

34:29it to an even

34:30wider audience.

34:32It's not

34:33journalism it's

34:34bullying and it

34:35was like another

34:35nail in Carrie's

34:37coffin really.

34:40That day I went

34:41to work and I

34:41just remember

34:42thinking she's

34:43strong she's

34:44being really

34:44strong and she's

34:45saying all the

34:45right things and

34:47then I just

34:47didn't hear from

34:48her.

34:48Her mum messaged

34:52me saying have

34:53you heard from

34:53her and I was

34:53like no and

34:54then she started

34:55messaging me like

34:56it was one after

34:57the other after

34:57the other.

34:58Like it didn't

34:59make any sense it

35:00was nonsense and

35:01I knew that it

35:02wasn't she I knew

35:03she'd been drinking

35:03and I knew I could

35:05get in to the

35:07flat so I called

35:10a friend I

35:11messaged her

35:12sister and her

35:12mum and I said

35:13I'm going to go

35:14there there's

35:14something weird.

35:16Met my friend

35:16outside we let

35:17ourselves in and

35:18the flat was

35:19trashed it was

35:20the plant had

35:21been pulled off

35:22the shelves the

35:24telly was broken

35:25there's stuff

35:26everywhere.

35:29We couldn't

35:30rouse her at all

35:31we were really

35:32skeptical of an

35:33ambulance.

35:35We were more

35:35scared of her

35:37going to hospital

35:39in a public

35:40environment because

35:42of what the press

35:43would do with

35:43them getting her

35:44life saved it

35:46makes me feel

35:47sick that I

35:48thought that

35:48was not our

35:49thought process.

35:52We called an

35:54ambulance and I

35:55just know that the

35:56paramedics came and

35:58she was talking

35:59gibberish and I was

36:00begging them to take

36:01her and they were

36:02saying she doesn't

36:03want to go and I

36:03was like but she's

36:04saying that she's on

36:04the streets of India

36:05but in the end they

36:08didn't take her.

36:09when she woke up she

36:14was furious that we'd

36:15called the paramedics

36:17and she said to me

36:19you will never ever

36:21know what it's like

36:22to be me.

36:24I am in so much pain

36:26and she just was it

36:29was like she was

36:30speaking but she

36:31wasn't there.

36:32she wasn't she wasn't

36:36there.

36:43On the morning they

36:47were there her friends

36:49were there but Gary had

36:51said oh you can leave

36:51you can leave and she

36:54said Jodie will be here

36:55soon.

36:55We left at about 10.

37:09When her sister and

37:10two others got to

37:11Carrie's the door was

37:13locked.

37:14Well Carrie never does

37:16she just doesn't you

37:17know the door would be

37:18open and everything

37:18would be and she just

37:20knew there was

37:21something wrong.

37:22They could hear Ruby

37:23barking from the inside

37:24and I was saying she

37:25would never leave Ruby

37:26if she's gone out.

37:27I was like she'll be

37:28there she'll be asleep.

37:29The landlord would

37:30come.

37:32And I got in and yeah

37:33Jodie found her.

37:36And yeah she couldn't

37:38do anything.

37:38She tried but she

37:39couldn't do anything.

37:40So she phoned me.

37:44And then when I got

37:45there there was people

37:47milling about outside

37:48and I went into the

37:50room.

37:51I went to touch her

37:52and the police

37:53wouldn't let me.

37:55I got there and she

38:01was dead.

38:04Everybody was quiet.

38:05It was really quiet.

38:10Ruby was just walking

38:11around in the flat.

38:13I just couldn't I didn't

38:18understand like what was

38:19going on.

38:23Somebody called me and

38:25I answered the phone.

38:26He said hi my name's

38:27the head of something at

38:29BBC.

38:29Is it true that Caroline

38:30Flack's dead?

38:31And I just couldn't I like

38:32through my phone.

38:33I remember being like oh

38:34my God.

38:35I couldn't believe that I

38:36was standing with her

38:37body and that somebody was

38:41calling me to fact check

38:43that she was dead.

38:44Good evening.

38:45Welcome to BBC News.

38:46Caroline Flack, the

38:47former ITV Love Island

38:49host has been found dead

38:50in her London flat.

38:52A lawyer for her family

38:53confirmed she had taken

38:54her own life.

38:55This is very shocking

38:56news of course.

38:57There have been lots of

38:58questions this evening

38:59about what has happened

39:00here.

39:01The feeling of how bad

39:18she must have felt to do

39:20what she did, that's the

39:21thing that stays with me.

39:24She was just in a place

39:26where she saw no way out

39:28and that must be awful.

39:31She couldn't see that it

39:33would have all been fine.

39:35They would have got

39:35through this and I just

39:38can't imagine it.

39:43She had served her

39:44sentence by then, more

39:46than anyone could imagine

39:47and she had nothing left.

39:50It's so weird that she's not

39:58here and it doesn't feel

40:00real and it's never felt

40:01real and I continue to

40:04message her as if she's

40:06here.

40:06Anyone who knew Caroline knew

40:19she was vivacious, loving and

40:22had a passion for life.

40:23There was an outpouring of

40:28emotion on social media.

40:30Lewis Burton shared a photo of

40:32them together on Instagram

40:33with a message that said,

40:35my heart is broken.

40:36We had something so special.

40:38I'm so lost for words.

40:40I'm in so much pain.

40:41After her death, people were

41:02still going for her.

41:03It was disgusting.

41:06It's all the same lies being

41:07spread about her.

41:10I do remember moments after

41:13she had died, I got a phone

41:16call from an editor saying,

41:18shut down, don't talk about

41:21it, don't mention anything

41:23about Caroline's death.

41:24Any articles you've written,

41:26any articles we've written,

41:28it's complete shutdown.

41:30The only other time that I've

41:34ever been ordered by anyone in

41:38a position of power and

41:40influence in a newspaper to not

41:42talk about anything was when

41:46the mirror phone hacking was

41:47exposed and we were told,

41:49don't speak a word to anyone,

41:51don't answer any questions.

41:53We were talking about what

41:56probably the biggest court trial

41:58in press, British press

41:59history with a royal and

42:02Caroline Flack's death.

42:11It wasn't that long after

42:13Caroline had died, I met

42:14Rebecca Brooks, head of the

42:16Sun newspaper group.

42:18And she said, oh, everybody

42:20was crying in the newsroom when

42:22they heard.

42:23And they said we could give an

42:25award in her name.

42:26They have an awards night every

42:27year and we'll give an award in

42:30Caroline's name.

42:31It's time now to present the

42:32Mental Health Award and to do so

42:35someone who's experienced

42:37firsthand how devastating it can be

42:39when someone's mental health

42:40deteriorates, Christine Flack.

42:44Of course, I thought, oh,

42:45fabulous, you know, you're not even

42:46thinking.

42:47The winner of the Mental Health Award

42:50in memory of my daughter, Carrie,

42:52is Charmaine George.

42:54And I'd just like to say how she did

42:57what she did.

42:59Because it's some, some mornings it's

43:01just hard to get up and carry on.

43:04But to do what she did is wonderful.

43:07And she deserves this.

43:09The award was given to a very nice

43:11lady that had lost her son and helped

43:13other people.

43:16And everyone there was like

43:19someone famous and there was

43:22footballers, there was David Beckett.

43:24It was a place to be, to be seen.

43:28And I think, what am I doing with that?

43:30I'm not the celebrity.

43:32It's Caroline and that they took

43:34that from her.

43:35I felt really guilty that I'd gone

43:42along with it.

43:44And you think, oh, why did I get

43:46involved?

43:47But sometimes you have to get involved

43:48to get that realisation that you're

43:51being played.

43:53That's what it felt like they were

43:55doing.

43:57In my opinion, they're doing it so that

43:59you don't complain.

44:01They're doing it just so it looked

44:03like they had my blessing.

44:05I don't believe it's because

44:06they're sorry, but it's how can we

44:09make this problem go away?

44:13To paparazzi and tabloids looking

44:15for a cheap sell, to trials hiding

44:17behind a keyboard.

44:19Enough.

44:20Your words affect people.

44:22It was the media amplifying what

44:23social media was doing.

44:25It was both strands.

44:26I don't think they understand the

44:29impact that it has on somebody's

44:31mental health.

44:33We have to stand together.

44:34But her death cannot be in vain.

44:36When Caroline died, her close friends

44:59just wanted some way to, you know,

45:01remember her.

45:03And they thought about what was the

45:05thing Caroline loved most.

45:08She loved music.

45:10She loved dancing.

45:11She loved singing.

45:11And everybody that appears or even comes on stage

45:22to talk about it knew her.

45:25And I didn't know she knew so many people.

45:29It affected a lot of people's lives.

45:31All the money we raise goes to charities.

45:43At Flagstaff, everything is positive.

45:46Remembering Caroline and what she stood for.

45:48She was trying her best and she was making the success of her life,

45:55despite all of her demons.

45:58It's just a way that we can talk about Carrie and just dance.

46:03Caroline was the most generous and loving daughter, sister, and auntie.

46:15Losing her was unbearable.

46:17But no one should have to go through what Caroline went through.

46:23And I've spent five years fighting to uncover the truth about what happened.

46:27But what I want to stress to anyone feeling that bad, that scared, and tired of life,

46:36there's always a way forward.

46:44You're not strange if you have depression.

46:46You're not strange if you've got mental health problems.

46:49You're normal.

46:50That's life.

46:52And it's just helping deal with that and making you feel okay about it.

46:56Because that's, you know, you should.

46:58You should just feel okay about it.

47:03Perhaps that's a lesson.

47:04You know, it's a lesson.

47:09And that's the legacy.

47:17She was about life.

47:18So, sit back.

47:20I just found out a hole.

47:23Soz.

47:26She was about enjoying life.

47:37Helping others to enjoy life.

47:39It is corny when we say, oh, be kind.

47:49But, you know, that's a small phrase.

47:51But it means such a lot.

47:55And if people lived by that, then the world would be much nicer.

47:59Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong, but he doesn't care.

48:21Sometimes I'm wrong, but he follows round like some droopy-eyed pup.

48:43But he loves me so, that funny honey of mine.

48:49That look at the end.

48:56I love it.

48:57Oh, my God.

48:58Oh, my God.

49:10Oh, my God.

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