Caroline Flack’s former partner, Lewis Burton, has spoken out against what he calls “false accusations” made in a new Disney+ documentary examining the late presenter’s final days.
The two-part series looks at the final months of the Love Island host’s life, featuring interviews with her friends and family and previously unseen messages, detailing the intense media scrutiny she faced.
Ms Flack’s career came to an abrupt halt after she was charged with assaulting her boyfriend, Mr Burton, at her north London home.
Police were initially told Mr Burton, who was 12 years her junior, may have been struck with a lamp or desk fan while asleep, leaving a head injury.
Caroline Flack, who previously dated Prince Harry, died in 2020 | PAThe tennis coach later denied that a lamp was involved, a claim supported by his family and friends.
The reality TV star admitted hitting him, but said she had used her phone and had not meant to cause harm.
A police report later noted blood and a crack on her phone, while the lamp was never examined as evidence.
Facing mounting public pressure and online abuse, the TV star's mental health declined, and two months later, in February 2020, she was found dead at the age of 40.
Caroline Flack was a former X Factor host and the original presenter of Love Island | PACaroline Flack: Search for the Truth presents the actress's perspective through voice notes and WhatsApp messages made public for the first time.
Shortly after the documentary aired, Mr Burton, now 33, who was dating Ms Flack at the time of her death, took to Instagram to address the claims.
He said: “Out of respect, I’ve chosen to remain silent. However, the false accusations and online abuse directed toward me and my family has gone too far.
“I had hoped it would never come to this, but now I have no choice but to clarify the situation and share the truth.”
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Lewis Burton was dating Caroline Flack at the time of her death
|The tennis player did not specify which claims he was referring to, but said he would reveal more in due course.
Producers of the documentary confirmed that Mr Burton declined to take part despite being invited multiple times.
Series producer Sophie Clayton-Payne told The Mirror: “We contacted Lewis right from the beginning and said, ‘We’d love to talk to you off-record just for research purposes [to] understand your perspective on everything.’
"We also invited him to take part in the series, on camera. He declined to take part.”
Upon the release of the documentary, viewers took to social media to share their reactions to the information revealed in the series.
“The way her mother Christine, has suffered is heartbreaking, all those lies fuelled by the press and online trolls. It’s horrific and could have been completely avoidable,” one viewer posted on X.
Another said: “I urge everyone to watch the new Caroline Flack documentary on Disney Plus. It’s absolutely shocking how the press and prosecution treated her.”
“The truth may be out, but it will never bring her back. Heartbreaking!” another fan of the star penned.
The new documentary presents the actress's perspective through voice notes and WhatsApp messages made public for the first time
|Mr Burton has since embarked on a long-term relationship with influencer Lottie Tomlinson in the years since Ms Flack's death, the sister of One Direction star Louis Tomlinson.
The couple, who began dating in 2020, share two children together, Lucky, three, and Flossie, born earlier this year.