When Caroline Flack tragically took her own life five years ago she was mourned by a large circle of friends who have been true to their promises of keeping her spirit alive – even setting up an annual festival in her memory.
The fact she touched so many lives should be a lasting testament to the Love Island host who died aged 40 in February 2020, not to mention a comfort to her family – but the reality of where those relationships stand now is sadly more complicated.
A group of the star’s closest friends have since experienced a bitter rift with her family, due to an upcoming documentary they fear will apportion ‘blame’ over her death.
Last month, the Mail’s Katie Hind revealed that Caroline’s mother Christine is central to the new documentary about the late star on Disney+, which will forensically detail her last 24 hours and try to give some answers as to why she died – and whether her life could have been saved.
The programme is set to lay bare the fallout between Christine and some of Caroline’s close friends, including Lou Teasdale and Mollie Grosberg, who were looking after the presenter before her death because she had already attempted suicide.
Caroline’s twin sister Jodie was due to come and take over but both Lou and Mollie left before she arrived, and this decision – which will be questioned in the documentary – has prompted anger from her friends, who now feel like they’ve been ‘blamed’ for Caroline’s death.
Caroline Flack’s closest circle, including her best pal Lou Teasdale, (pictured) has become embroiled in a bitter feud with her loved ones after a string of accusations over who is to ‘blame’ for her death
The star (pictured in 2019) died by suicide in February 2020 – a day after she heard the CPS would pursue a trial following a drunken row with then-boyfriend Lewis Burton
Last month, the Mail revealed that Caroline’s mother Christine is central to the new documentary about the late star, which will forensically detail her last 24 hours
Caroline was found dead a day after she heard she was facing a criminal trial on assault charges against her boyfriend Lewis Burton.
Now, her mother is also said to be upset by the fact that some of Caroline’s friends remain close to Lewis after his fiancee Lottie Tomlinson, especially given the couple got together just months after the presenter’s death.
In recent years Christine has also hit out at ‘fake’ showbiz pals who she claimed were wrongfully grieving for Caroline’s death, with one swipe in particular aimed at Laura Whitmore.
Other stars, such as Ashley Roberts, also seem to have been iced out of Caroline’s inner circle, and she’s been a no-show for the past two years at the annual charity festival Flackstock, perhaps due to her closeness to Lou and Lottie.
However, it seems that Christine hasn’t completely shut out all of Caroline’s closest, with names such as Olly Murs, Louise Redknapp and Dawn O’Porter still viewed highly.
So which members of Caroline’s circle have been shunned by her family, and who has successfully stayed in their favour?
Lou Teasdale
The social media star, who boasts five million Instagram followers, has been flaunting her new romance with ex England player Andy Carroll
In the two decades since she left her Yorkshire home and moved to London to pursue her hair stylist dreams, Lou has weaved a web of celeb friends, glam collaborators and now a footballer boyfriend.
The social media star, who boasts five million Instagram followers, has recently been flaunting her new romance with ex England player Andy Carroll, hot on the heels of his split from his TOWIE star wife Billi Mucklow.
She began working on hit ITV show The X Factor back in 2010, as a stylist for the top eight acts. The job was also the start of her friendship with Caroline, who was the presenter of spin off show The Xtra Factor from 2011.
Despite working for all the rising stars on the show and the subsequent tour, the talented stylist was soon poached by One Direction, becoming their main hairstylist and makeup artist after the fivesome kept requesting to work with her.
At 25, Lou was close in age to the young band and her bubblegum pop aesthetic of colourfully dyed hair and bright makeup was a match made in heaven for the group’s teen fanbase.
And so the boyband’s stardust quickly rubbed off on her and Lou built up a massive social media following.
Lou is thought to have met Caroline when they both worked on The X Factor in 2011 – Lou as a makeup artist and hair stylist and Caroline as the presenter of spin off show Xtra Factor
She joined the band on their back to back tours as 1D mania grew, and there were also numerous rumours during their years working togather that Lou and heartthrob Harry Styles had dated.
As well as Harry, Lou also grew close to his bandmate Louis Tomlinson and through him, his younger sister Lottie.
Lou hired Lottie as an assistant when she was just 15 and visiting her brother on tour. Whilst the teen started as her intern, Lou and Lottie soon formed a close bond, collaborating on social media content and building a close friendship.
They have since created tanning brand Tanologist together – a range of vegan and cruelty-free self-tanners, for which Lou acts as creative director.
Their closeness means she remains strongly connected to Caroline’s boyfriend Lewis Burton, who is now engaged to Lottie.
Both women are also good friends with Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts, who was also in Caroline’s circle when she was alive.
Since these claims emerged, Lou insisted she ‘did her best’ to help Caroline in a heartbreaking Instagram post about suicide (pictured with the star in 2014)
Since’s Caroline’s death, questions have been raised as to why Lou and fellow friend Mollie Grosberg, left Caroline alone in her flat on the day she took her own life.
Lou has also come under fire in recent weeks for her friendship with Caroline, with questions raised about whether she and Mollie could have done more to help the star.
‘Why was it down to Caroline’s friends to look after her?’ a close pal of Louise, told The Mail last week. ‘Where was her family? Louise had to get back to her young daughter, she couldn’t stay any longer.
‘They had been with Caroline for hours and hours and they tried to get her to go to hospital but she wouldn’t. They remained at her flat to make sure she was OK but they couldn’t stay there indefinitely, so they went.
‘It is devastating that they now have Caroline’s mother blaming them. Christine was once so close to Lou but not any more.
‘Caroline’s death has haunted her friends and changed their lives, and there is a view that she should be left to rest in peace. But this documentary is going to drag everything up and, whether it intends to or not, runs the risk of laying blame in certain places.’
Since these claims emerged, Lou insisted she ‘did her best’ to help Caroline in a heartbreaking Instagram post about suicide.
As well as her post, Lou and her boyfriend Andy Carroll made a £1000 donation to the charity’s You Are Not Alone programme.
Mollie Grosberg
Alongside Louise, Mollie was also at Caroline’s flat in the house and feels similarly that she is being ‘blamed’ for her close pal’s death and ostracised by Christine
Mollie, a production manager, has openly said she will never get over her death. ‘She was a good friend to Caroline,’ said a friend of hers. ‘She would have done anything for her’
Alongside Louise, Mollie was also at Caroline’s flat in the house and feels similarly that she is being ‘blamed’ for her close pal’s death and ostracised by Christine.
Mollie, a production manager, has openly said she will never get over her death. ‘She was a good friend to Caroline,’ said a friend of hers. ‘She would have done anything for her.’
In 2021, Mollie had expressed her grief over losing her best friend as she prepared to take part in a charity trek to raise money The Samaritans.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said: ‘She is with me every single day, I think everyone who was close to her probably thinks about her everyday.
‘I think it’s hard for anyone who loses anybody that dies, but obviously suicide is quite a tricky thing to get over. For me, personally, my mental health has definitely suffered.
‘But the Samaritans are an amazing charity, they don’t just help people who are considering suicide, but they help friends and families who have a loved one who is considering suicide.
‘For me it has been a challenge and I don’t know if I’ll ever get over something like this, whether it’s someone you just know a little bit or someone who is a best friend or family member, losing someone this way is a really hard thing to get over.’
Mollie added that working out has helped her and that planning the trek to honour Caroline and raise money for the Samaritans is ‘really important’.
Lewis Burton
Christine has previously stated that she believes Caroline’s relationship with Lewis ‘ended her life’ (the pair are pictured in October 2019)
It was a row between the two in 2019, after Caroline was said to have found text messages from another woman on his phone, that led to her hitting him with a lamp, being charged with assault
Christine has previously stated that she believes Caroline’s relationship with Lewis ‘ended her life.’
It was a late-night explosive row between the two in 2019, after Caroline was said to have found text messages from another woman on his phone, that led to her hitting him with a lamp, being charged with assault – and ultimately resulted in her downward mental spiral and suicide on February 15, 2020.
Lewis has since started a relationship with pal Lottie Tomlinson, and the couple welcomed their second child together this week
It is a romance that Christine has found difficult to handle, especially since Caroline had been unhappy about Lewis and Lottie being friends.
A friend of Caroline’s told The Mail: ‘It must be devastating for Christine, she has lost her daughter and now Lewis has become some kind of influencer with his girlfriend, living in apparent bliss and about to become a father for the second time.
‘He has been able to move on with his life and find happiness, Caroline hasn’t and it is heartbreaking. Nobody expected Lewis to never find love again, of course he was entitled to, but it was all very quick.’
Caroline killed herself after learning that her criminal trial for assaulting Lewis was going ahead, after initially being told she would only be given a caution.
Lewis has since began a relationship with pal Lottie Tomlinson, and the couple welcomed their second child together on Thursday
Lottie and Lewis began dating in August 2020 after meeting at a party hosted by Lou — six months after Caroline’s death (Lou and Lewis pictured at Caroline’s memorial service in 2020)
Caroline had feared that the body cam footage taken by police on the night the incident took place would be played out in court. In a confession to a pal, she said she would ‘rather die’ than have the recordings played in a public arena.
Following the incident, Lewis refused to make a statement to the police, in the hope this would lead to the police dropping the charges, but they pressed ahead anyway. This decision by the police left Caroline ‘in pieces’, according to her friends.
Lewis has also remained close with Caroline’s friends Lou and Mollie, another factor that has made Christine uncomfortable, and has also contributed to her estrangement from her pals.
‘Christine could be forgiven for thinking that Caroline’s friends might have cast Lewis adrift,’ one friend of the television host said. ‘But that isn’t the case and it is hard for her.
‘Lewis wasn’t always so nice to Caroline and there has been much talk about her giving him money for reasons that people don’t known for certain.
‘Christine thinks that if it hadn’t been for Caroline going out with Lewis, she might be here today.’
Lottie Tomlinson
Lottie’s relationship with Lewis began in July 2020, after the pair bonded over their share grief from the loss of loved ones
Lottie has also stayed close to Caroline’s best friend Lou, with the makeup artist introducing her to her husband-to-be Lewis
Friends said it’s been ‘incredibly difficult’ for Caroline’s mother Christine to watch Lewis move on so publicly with Lottie, adding that her close friendship with Lou makes her uncomfortable
Lottie’s relationship with Lewis began in July 2020, after the pair bonded over their share grief from the loss of loved ones.
The influencer sadly lost her mother and sister in recent years and Lewis lost Caroline Flack in February 2020.
Lottie’s sister Félicité, 18, died after an accidental drug overdose, three years after the death of her mother Johannah, who died of cancer.
It’s understood Lottie became better acquainted with Lewis at a house party in May 2020 hosted by Caroline’s close friend Lou Teasdale, 36, which was held to mark three months since her tragic passing.
The couple announced the birth of her son Lucky in a sweet Instagram post on August 9 2022, and welcomed their second child, a daughter on Thursday.
Caroline, who had been pals with Lottie before her death, had previously shared her upset at Lewis being close to her.
Six months after the presenter’s death, her mother Christine also shared her upset in a pointed social media comment, under a snap which showed Caroline and Lewis posing on a picnic blanket together.
‘He is now in the same pose, different girl,’ the post said.
The ‘different girl’ being referred to was social media influencer Lottie.
Friends said it’s been ‘incredibly difficult’ for Christine to watch Lewis move on so publicly, revealing: ‘She has no time for Lewis.’
‘It has been heartbreaking to see how quickly Lewis moved on with his life despite declaring his love for Carrie in a series of social media posts following her death.
‘Had Carrie got out of that relationship we believe she would still be with us today. Seeing all the posts of his lavish lifestyle is heartbreaking. He’d have never met Lottie had it not been for his very public romance with Carrie.
Ashley Roberts
Prior to Caroline’s death, she and Ashley were publicly close friends, with the Pussycat Dolls star sharing a tearful tribute to her pal following her death
Since Caroline’s death, Ashley has remained on friendly terms with the star’s best friend Lou, appearing in social media snaps with her during a night out
Prior to Caroline’s death, she and Ashley were publicly close friends, with the Pussycat Dolls star sharing a tearful tribute to her pal following her death.
Ashley, who was a longtime friend of Caroline, began: ‘This is a tough one to do. It’s been a tough few days following the news of… sorry… Caroline Flack’.
As she attempted to hold back tears, Ashley continued: ‘For those of us who knew her this has been very surreal…
‘It’s hard to think anything good can come of this, but if anything it puts the spotlight back on how we treat each other.’
Ashley went on to reference her own experience with suicide, as her father Pat took his own life in March 2018.
Since Caroline’s death, Ashley has remained on friendly terms with the star’s best friend Lou, appearing in social media snaps with her during a night out.
It appears that this friendship has led to an estrangement from Caroline’s family, as has been evident by recent editions of the charity festival Flackstock.
Held in Caroline’s honour, Ashley was among a string of stars in attendance in 2022, but for the past two years has been noticeably absent.
Laura Whitmore
Laura Whitmore had previously shared how honoured she felt to take over as Love Island host following her death, but Christine has since taken a swipe at the star
In a 2021 interview, Christine hit out at friends she deemed ‘fake’ in their grief, with some claiming her comments were aimed at Laura (the pair are pictured together in 2019)
A close friend of Caroline’s, Laura had previously shared how honoured she felt to take over as Love Island host following her death, hoping that presenting the show would be a fitting tribute to her pal.
However, Christine appears to view the situation in a wholly different light, and in a 2021 interview, she hit out at friends she deemed ‘fake’ in their grief.
She also appeared to take a swipe at Laura for taking the Love Island hosting gig, referring to her only as ‘the girl that’s taken her place’.
Christine also accused ITV bosses of a ‘lack of respect’ for axing Caroline from hosting Love Island in the wake of her arrest for assaulting her boyfriend Lewis.
She told The Sun: ‘I watched Love Island because Carrie was in it. Now, it’s horrible when the advert comes up and the girl that’s taken her place is all in almost the same dress, in almost the same pose.
‘I think ITV2 could have done it a little differently. They could have done it out of respect.’
Christine went onto take aim at those who claim they were close to Caroline and expressed their grief publicly, insisting that her daughter’s true close friends in showbiz were Natalie Pinkham and Dawn O’Porter.
She added: ‘It’s hard. I saw someone on the telly this week calling her a friend and it really hurt.’
Laura stepped down from hosting Love Island in 2023, and she has since been replaced by Maya Jama.
… and the friends who are still in Christine’s favour
While many of Caroline’s closest have been left out in the cold by Christine, there are a select few that have managed to stay in her good graces, including Dawn O’Porter
Presenter Natalie Pinkham (pictured second left with Caroline) has also remained on friendly terms with Christie
In April, Natalie revealed she had run the London Marathon in Caroline’s honour, to raise funds for The Samaritans
While many of Caroline’s closest have been left out in the cold by Christine, there are a select few that have managed to stay in her good graces.
Christine previously shard that she’s stayed in touch with presenter Natalie Pinkham, charity CEO Josie Naughton and writer Dawn O’Porter – who visited from Los Angeles to pay tribute to Caroline on her birthday.
She said: ‘Josie and Caroline met when they lived together in Camden, she met Dawn when she was presenting I’m A Celebrity: Extra Camp, and Natalie while working on a poker show. They’re the friends I knew,
‘I like seeing Natalie, Josie and Dawn, but it hurts sometimes when I have to see people who say they knew her.’
Dawn became involved in the organisation of Flackstock in 2022, and reflected on her friend’s passing in an interview with The Irish Examiner in September.
She said: ‘Sometimes just walking down the street, I remember how funny she was, how full of life, how she was the funniest person I knew,’ she says.
‘To think of her life being viewed as a tragedy is almost the biggest tragedy of the whole thing. And so a group of us got together and put on Flackstock in her honour — it started off as a what-the-fuck-are-we-doing and is now a legit festival.
‘It reminds everyone that when someone dies by suicide, that actually doesn’t define their life. Suicide doesn’t define Caroline, it doesn’t define her life — it’s how her life ended, but she was one of the most effervescent, joyous, fun, funny people. Flackstock has given us a chance to remember the joy.’
In April, Natalie shared that she ran the London Marathon in Caroline’s honour, raising money for The Samaritans, and like Dawn, she was part of the committee that organised the Flackstock Festival.
Louise Redknapp has also been a regular performer at the festival, and shared her apologies on social media that she was unable to attend last year.
She also marked the anniversary of Caroline’s passing in February, writing on Instagram: ‘”Today we all remember that kindness is everything and being there for each other is so important.
‘Not a day goes by I don’t think about you, shine bright up in the sky my girl, this song will always be for you xxx Be kind.’
Olly Murs has publicly shared insight into his friendship with Caroline, who he described as a ‘huge part’ of her life
The singer has also been a regular performer at the Flackstock Festival, and headlined the event last year (pictured on stage)
Olly, who has been a regular perfomer at Flackstock, has publicly shared insight into his friendship with Caroline, who he described as a ‘huge part’ of her life.
The X Factor star, who welcomed his first child with his wife Amelia recently, spoke of their incredibly close bond while presenting the Xtra Factor together in 2009.
Speaking to the Big Issue, Olly admitted: ‘She was a huge part of my life and career. Special person, special friend. We had an interesting relationship, but it was great. And it’s mad because people say they visit you in your dreams.’
Olly, who is headlining Flackstock in memory of Caroline, revealed she ‘visits him in his dreams’ quite frequently, which he finds quite ‘lovely’.
He said: ‘It’s mad because people say they visit you in your dreams… Caz [Caroline] does that quite frequently, actually. It’s surreal, but it’s lovely when them days happen.’
He previously revealed he tried to meet up with Caroline not long before her death but she never showed up, and admitted that he ‘always’ thinks about it.