Caroline Flack’s personal trainer has spoken of his torment over her death and why he intends to honour her memory in a charity trek with Olly Murs.
Bradley Simmonds and singer Olly, who co-hosted The X Factor with her, are taking part in Climb for Caroline, which involves scaling 24 Lake District peaks in just 24 hours this weekend.
Caroline, 40, took her own life last year while she was facing trial accused of assaulting her boyfriend, tennis coach Lewis Burton.
The Love Island host was found dead at her home in Stoke Newington, North East London, on February 15.
Bradley told how he regrets having to stop their training, which they did together throughout 2019, due to a work commitment.
He said: “Even now I feel I could have been there for her, got her training again – all these things go through my mind.”
He told how he built up a friendship with Caroline while training with her five days a week.
Bradley recalled: “ She was hilarious, we had such a good connection and friendship. She got in incredible shape and her mental health was a lot better.
“We would go out, eat well at restaurants, I helped her with her nutrition and she was in a great place.
Then, all of a sudden, what happened was just a massive shock and really tough to swallow.”
Bradley had stopped training her while he worked on a documentary. He said: “I referred her to a friend and, unfortunately, she didn’t maintain that consistency – she liked training with me. I can’t blame myself but I wished that I didn’t do
that documentary.”
The coroner ruled Caroline had killed herself after an “exacerbation and fluctuation” of ill health and distress.
Talking about this weekend’s trek, Bradley said: “We’ve got Olly Murs, Louise Redknapp, and some of her closest family and friends.
“We’re going to raise awareness of mental health and raise money as well. She should just be celebrated because she was a great person.”
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