Laura Whitmore has revealed she “ignored” news of Caroline Flack’s death because she thought it was a joke.
Caroline was found dead at her home in London at the age of 40 on 15 February. Her funeral is expected to take place today.
The 34 year old, who was close friends with Caroline, replaced her as host of Love Island following her stepping down in December.
She has now opened up on how she found out about her pal’s death on fellow TV presenter Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast.
(Image: David M. Benett/Getty Images for EE)
Discussing the series of events, Iain Stirling’s girlfriend said: “I found out about Caroline on the Saturday and I found out in a way I wish I didn’t.
“It was something on Twitter that someone had tweeted initially that I disregarded because there’s always so much stuff.
“There are so many things that would be said about Caroline that you wouldn’t take everything as truth, so I kind of ignored it.”
(Image: Twitter/Laura Whitmore)
Laura then received a phone call from a friend who was acting strangely and told her to come home immediately.
With her voice breaking, Laura continued: “Then I did that thing, which I wish I didn’t. I went on Twitter and you see different things and different people posting things.
“I can’t really remember what happened after that. We live in a world where we find out our news on social media and we don’t know what is right and what is wrong – there is fake news.
(Image: ITV)
“It wasn’t the way that you think you would find out a friend had passed away, so I just got home as quick as I could and that’s when I came in to my friend and she said it was true.”
Discussing Iain, who was narrating the most recent series of Love Island in South Africa, she added: “I just wanted him to get to a safe space, if that makes sense? Not to be exposed because everyone wants to see what your reaction is.”
Laura also opened up on the guilty she feels for having moments of happiness since Caroline passed.
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Remembering Caroline Flack
She said: “I think it’s really good to talk. Part of me just wants to lock myself away and not talk to anyone. I’ve had a lot of people ask me how I am and sometimes I feel guilty.
“I’m like, ‘I’m fine, I’m here, I’m OK’. It’s people who aren’t here, the family of Caroline and I feel guilty for so many people asking how I am because I’m here.
“It’s a weird one. I don’t really know how I am. It changes and then sometimes I’ll be watching TV and I’ll laugh at something and you feel guilty for laughing and then you’ll forget and then you’ll remember, so kind of all over the place but I suppose there’s no right way or wrong to feel.”
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