Caroline Flack hit boyfriend with phone and accused him of cheating after finding flirty texts from woman, 60
CAROLINE Flack was arrested over a bust-up with her boyfriend after finding flirty texts on his phone from a woman of 60.
The jealous Love Island host, 40, accused 27-year-old Lewis Burton of cheating — triggering a drunken row in which both were injured.
He dialled 999 and Caroline was charged with assault after police rushed to her North London home.
Caroline was taken to hospital by ambulance before being arrested and charged with assault.
A source yesterday said the row at Caroline’s North London home was caused by a misunderstanding over messages from someone in Lewis’s tennis coaching class.
Both Caroline and Lewis are said to deeply regret Thursday’s early hours bust-up — and he wishes it had not led to her arrest and criminal charges.
A source said: “Both Caroline and Lewis are absolutely heartbroken and devastated at the moment — and Caroline is beside herself with regret.
“It was a stupid drunken row which got out of control. Caroline accused him of sleeping around and found messages on his mobile phone which made her angry and upset.
“They were from one of his tennis clients, a 60-year-old woman, which she misconstrued. Caroline got paranoid.
“She started massively over-thinking and convinced herself Lewis was flirting with another woman.
“During the row a mobile phone hit Lewis and there was some glass which got broken over the floor. Both of them ended up with minor injuries, which were cuts.
“In the panic over the injuries to her, Lewis called 999 for an ambulance. But when cops arrived along with the ambulance crews both of them were mortified.
“Neither Lewis nor Caroline wanted the matter to go any further, obviously.
“But because the scene looked so bad and Caroline was so apologetic, police were duty-bound to take action and arrested her.
“Lewis is horrified — he loves Caroline to pieces and just wants this to all go away.”
Lewis posted on Instagram a recent picture of him and Caroline cuddling and smiling, along with a heart emoji.
A friend of the presenter told The Mail on Sunday the pair were both fine after the incident.
They said: “They are still together and they are very much boyfriend and girlfriend. They want to make this work and are very much in love.
“Caroline is upset this situation is happening, but she will go through the process. She is remaining calm and hopes it all comes to an end very soon.”
The pal also said Lewis was still “caring and supportive” of his girlfriend.
Former X Factor host Caroline was drug tested by police after the incident and passed.
She has been bailed to appear at North London’s Highbury Corner magistrates’ court on December 23.
As part of her bail terms, she and Lewis are not allowed to contact one another directly. They have been dating for six months.
The incident reportedly forced ITV executives into crisis talks on Friday, as Caroline was due to begin filming Winter Love Island in South Africa early next month.
She has already recently flown to Cape Town to film the hit show’s promos.
A source said: “Caroline is obviously really nervous about possible professional repercussions about this — but has the full backing of all those around her.
“The irony is that Lewis had done absolutely nothing wrong — the woman whose messages Caroline found was a 60-something.
“It was all totally innocent and she realises that now. Lewis obviously adores his girlfriend. They are still very much together and hopefully this will blow over and no charges will stick.
“Caroline wants to keep her head down now and get back to work, doing the show she loves and has helped make so successful.
“She’s been inundated with support from friends, family and fans.
Everyone is desperate for her to remain on Love Island as she’s been instrumental in its success.”
At present, it is unclear if she will be in a position to host the show so bosses have been discussing contingency plans.
Laura Whitmore, 34, who hosted I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! NOW!, is among those being considered as a stand-in.
Fans have suggested DJ Maya Jama as a replacement.
After news of her arrest, police said: “Caroline Flack was charged on Friday, 13 December with assault by beating.
She will appear on bail at Highbury Corner magistrates’ court on Monday, 23 December.
“This follows reports of a man assaulted. He was not seriously injured.”
Lewis, who is 6ft 3in, is currently signed to Select Model Management following his stint as a professional tennis player.
He began playing aged seven and was a finalist at the 2010 Wimbledon boys’ doubles.
Since meeting Caroline, Lewis has regularly posted pictures of her and gushing messages on social media.
He was at her 40th birthday party last month and the pair have been described as “unbelievably loved-up” by friends.
They were pictured arguing on a yacht during a holiday in Ibiza in October, but patched things up the following day.
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Last year Caroline split from her Apprentice star boyfriend Andrew Brady following a string of heated arguments.
During one fight, he called 999 claiming Caroline had threatened to kill herself — an accusation she vehemently denied.
Andrew later apologised for “causing trouble”.
Her fella fallout
By Daniel Hammond
CAROLINE’S TV career continues to soar but her love life has been far more turbulent.
She has claimed she grew close to Prince Harry in 2009 — but walked away after rumours spread.
In 2011 she hooked up with One Direction’s Harry Styles, then 17 and 14 years her junior, but the romance did not last.
Success on Strictly, alongside pro star Pasha Kovalev, followed in 2014 — the year she started dating singer Sam Smith’s manager Jack Street. They moved in together, then split and briefly
rekindled at 2015’s Glastonbury.
By now host Caroline was launching Love Island towards ratings success. She met reality star Andrew Brady in February 2018, moved in with him and got engaged by April. The pair broke it off later in the year.
In summer 2018 Caroline wrote a letter to “the men she’s loved, lost and found” in a bid to make peace with her exes. This year she confirmed her relationship with Lewis.
In August she posed in a police hat at the Love Island: Aftersun wrap party.
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