The Sun has removed an article about a “brutal” Valentine’s Day card mocking the deceased former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack from its website.
The story highlighted a card featuring a drawing of the presenter with a message saying “I’ll fucking lamp you” but it was removed from the website and replaced with a legal warning, amid concerns about how the media handled coverage of her arrest.
It is unclear when the story about the Valentine’s Day card, which was published on Friday but replaced with a legal removal story by Saturday evening – when her death was announced – was taken down.
Flack had been repeatedly targeted by the the tabloid press following her arrest for an alleged assault against her boyfriend last month, which counted her out from the current series of Love Island. The presenter was found dead on Saturday.
In the now-deleted story, the Sun highlighted the card mocking the alleged assault of her boyfriend Lewis Burton in December.
The “exclusive” story about the card quoted the card illustrator, Samuel Hague, who said his latest creation has been left “blank inside for your personal message” and comes with a “good quality red envelope”.
When asked about the card, he said: “There’s nothing I wish to add. I’m surprised that’s the card you choose to write about. I’ve joked about far worse.”
Love Island has attracted substantial press coverage for the aftercare support given to it contestants, after two people who had previously taken part in the hit ITV2 show killed themselves. The channel has insisted that these deaths happened long after the individuals were on the show.
Love Island has proved to be a financial cash cow for the broadcaster which last summer made clear it would provide substantial aftercare support to those who take part in the programme.
Flack was due to host Love Island’s first winter edition, which is currently being broadcast from Cape Town in South Africa, but was replaced at the last minute by Laura Whitmore.
After being charged with assault, Flack was forced to stay away from her boyfriend and had severely limited her social media output.
On Saturday afternoon the Sun’s executive editor, Dan Wootton, paid tribute to Flack: “Caroline was hung out to dry by ITV. She was distraught they didn’t stand by her. And distraught about the lack of support she was given. Caroline and I were devastated to attend the funeral of our friend Mike Thalassitis last year. I cannot believe we are here again.”
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
