FORMER Love Island host Caroline Flack has been found dead at her London home today, Saturday.

The 40-year-old was due to stand trial next month after pleading not guilty to assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton.

She had recently travelled to the US after stepping down from her position as Love Island host but returned to the UK.

The cause of her death is not yet known.

Her family have confirmed her death, saying: "We can confirm that our Caroline passed away today on the 15th February.

"We would ask that the press both respect the privacy of the family at this difficult time."

The shock news prompted a flood of tributes from celebrities but also questions about the pressures faced by TV celebrities and about the decision to press ahead with her prosecution for an alleged assault on her boyfriend.

Flack stepped down from presenting the current Love Island show after she was alleged to have assaulted Lewis Burton 27, at her then flat in Islington, north London, in December.

She entered a not guilty plea to the assault charge at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court and she was released on bail, with conditions that stopped her having any contact with Burton ahead of a trial in March.

In a statement released on Saturday night her management company criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for pressing ahead with what it called her “show trial” even after her boyfriend said he did not support it.

St Helens Star: Caroline Flack High Res.jpeg.gallery.jpg

Caroline Flack

Francis Ridley of Money Talent Management, said: “In recent months Caroline had been under huge pressure because of an ongoing case and potential trial which has been well reported.

“The Crown Prosecution Service pursued this when they knew not only how very vulnerable Caroline was but also that the alleged victim did not support the prosecution and had disputed the CPS version of events.

“The CPS should look at themselves today and how they pursued a show trial that was not only without merit but not in the public interest. And ultimately resulted in significant distress to Caroline.”

The tragedy will also put the spotlight back on the pressures which come with TV celebrity.

Sophie Gradon, who appeared as a Love Island contestant in the show in 2016, was found dead at her home in 2018 at the age of 32. Her boyfriend Aaron Armstrong, who had found her body, killed himself three weeks later. He was 25.

Mike Thalassitis, who appeared in the 2017 series, was 26 when he was found dead in a park in March last year.

Following the news of Flack’s death, an ITV spokeswoman said: “Everybody at Love Island and ITV is shocked and saddened by this desperately sad news.

“Caroline was a much loved member of the Love Island team and our sincere thoughts and condolences are with her family and friends.”

A highlights episode of Love Island, called Unseen Bits, that was due to air on Saturday evening on ITV2 was pulled from the schedule.

Channel 4 has also said it will no longer air The Surjury, a new cosmetic surgery-based TV series with Flack as its host.