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Laura Whitmore leads tributes to presenter Caroline Flack on first anniversary of her death
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Laura Whitmore leads tributes to presenter Caroline Flack on first anniversary of her death

TRIBUTES HAVE been paid to Caroline Flack on the first anniversary of her death.

Caroline Flack, the former Love Island presenter and TV star, died by suicide on 15 February 2020 at the age of 40.

A coroner later ruled that Ms Flack took her own life in fear of the abuse and publicity which would come from the public and the media during an upcoming hearing for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend.

Her tragic passing sparked a social movement urging others to #BeKind to one another to prevent further tragedy.

Today, fans, friends and colleagues have paid tribute to the tragic star one year on from her passing.

Friend, colleague and current Love Island presenter Laura Whitmore led the tributes to her beloved friend, taking to Instagram to share a clip of her Radio 5 Live show where she spoke about her grief.

"It doesn't get any easier to comprehend, and sometimes when you can't think of the right words to say a song can feel more appropriate," she said in the clip, before playing one of Caroline's favourite songs, The Glory Of Love, covered by Irish singer Imelda May.

"It will be a difficult time," Whitmore admitted before playing the "very special" song which was played at Flack's funeral last year.

The presenter also shared an image of herself and Caroline Flack in happier times, and added a moving quote which reads: "You've got to laugh a little, Cry a little Until the clouds Roll by a little."

Love Island narrator Iain Stirling also shared an old photograph of the pair laughing together and wrote "To my friend Caroline, thinking of you today. Miss you mate x".

Actor Ash Palmo shared a photograph of Ms Flack with the oft-quoted words "In a world where you can be anything, be kind", adding:

"Remembering Caroline Flack. What came from such a tragic situation was an extremely powerful message-To be kind.

"There’s so much hate out there, especially online and Unkind words are typed far too easily to others.We never know what’s happening in someones mind, let’s be kinder".

One fan shared a collage of photographs of the presenter, writing that the world had "lost an absolute angel of a human being".

"It was a devastating loss to the nation. A reminder to be kind, always, because sometimes it’s too late."

Singer Rita Ora, who became close with Caroline Flack when she became a judge on The X Factor while Ms Flack was presenting, shared a black and white photograph of the two together on her Instagram story and branded her "an angel among us".

And presenter Laura Jackson, sharing a photograph of the pair at a concert together, lamented the loss of the "amazingly infectious" person who had a "kind of pull that's hard so hard to explain".

"Thank you for the good times - there were so many," she wrote. "And all the amazing people I have in my life because of you.

"You are and always will be a very special Wally. I loved you dearly. Love to all the Flacks today."

Following Ms Flack's passing last year, more than 800,000 people signed a petition demanding change to the way the media treats celebrities in the public eye.