Laura Whitmore reveals devastating final message she received from Caroline Flack as she marks fifth anniversary of her death

Whitmore, 39, took to Instagram to share that she had stumbled upon the messages she received from the former Love Island host in 2019 after Whitmore had been confirmed as her replacement on the ITV2 reality show. Flack went on to take her own life at the age of 40 in February 2020.

Share on the fifth anniversary of her death, Whitmore said in the post: “I got a new phone this month and as I was trying to download WhatsApp messages from my cloud loads of old messages came up. Ones I thought I lost a few years ago and no longer had.

“It really hit me hard. Looking at messages I’ve never publicly shared as they were private messages. Media outlets wrote a lot far from the actual truth. I think they show a side to Caroline which is nice to remember. Hence I’m sharing now.”

In the WhatsApp messages, Whitmore and Flack can be seen discussing Whitmore succeeding Flack as Love Island host at different points in the process. Flack said: “About to go see ITV. I hope you are doing the job. I wouldn’t want it to be anyone else.”

In another screenshot, Whitmore, who is married to Love Island narrator Iain Stirling, is seen telling Flack that she got the job on the ITV2 reality show and in another thanking her for a supportive Instagram message that Flack made after Whitmore’s appointment was publicly announced. Flack responded: Thanks Laura... feeling a bit better... I really am looking forward to watching the show tho... it’s perfect you and Iain doing it together xx”

Her final message to Whitmore was four red love hearts. In her caption, Whitmore added: “The last message from her to me were love hearts. I’d like to think wherever she is now, she’s at peace and somewhere lovely like I hoped.

“I’m sad when I see the press and social media be so divisive and that we still haven’t learned from Caroline’s treatment before her death when it comes to women in the spotlight.”