Caroline Flack: TV presenter dies at 40

Caroline Flack, ex-Love Island host, has been found dead in her London flat, her family have confirmed.

She was due to stand trial on 4 March accused of assaulting her boyfriend.

Ms Flack began presenting Love Island in 2015, having fronted a series of The X Factor, and winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.

She stood down from the dating show after she was charged with assaulting partner Lewis Burton in December.

The statement said: “We can confirm that our Caroline passed away today, the 15th of February.

“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.”

ITV presenter Eamonn Holmes said in a tweet he was “shocked beyond belief”.

This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield paid tribute with a post on his Instagram stories.

He wrote: “You poor darling girl my heart is breaking #BeKind”.

TV host with popular appeal

By Ian Youngs, entertainment reporter

As the Love Island host for four years, the winner of 2014’s Strictly Come Dancing and presenter of hit shows like The X Factor, Flack was one of the most in-demand and well-loved personalities on British TV.

Many fans grew with her since her breakthrough co-hosting Saturday morning show TMi with Sam and Mark on CBBC in 2007.

From there, she went on to front Gladiators on Sky One, ITV2’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! spin-off and The Xtra Factor, before moving to The X Factor itself with Olly Murs in 2015.

Her charm and popular appeal made her an ideal choice when Love Island was relaunched in 2015, and she helped make it one of the biggest shows on British TV.

Her profile made her a fixture in the tabloids, and her relationships – including with One Direction star Harry Styles and rumours about Prince Harry – put her on the front pages.

But her career was in the balance after her arrest on suspicion of assault in December, leading her to be replaced on Love Island by Laura Whitmore.