Caroline Flack has been hailed as "inspirational" by her former performing arts teacher and friend.
A lawyer for the Flack family confirmed that 40-year-old Caroline took her own life and was found in her London flat on Saturday.
Caroline studied at Bodywork Company International in Cambridge for three years from the age of 16 and had been due to speak to students following in her footsteps.
Speaking on today's Good Morning Britain, Theresa Kerr praised her "inspirational" former pupil for having a "terrific work ethic" and "stars in her eyes".
Theresa, whose daughter lived with Caroline while they trained, said the presenter was a "natural TV artist" who young people identified with.
Theresa said: "She was an inspiration to them. She was due to come in and talk to the students soon. With all the celebrity she still maintained the friendships and with our family.
"Obviously she was happy at college. She was very happy on stage. Her comfort zone was in performance.
"She was always going to climb to the heights. The fact she got a job on children's TV so soon after graduating. A huge success."
Caroline was 16 when she came to train with Theresa, who spotted her talent straight away.
Theresa said: "She had a terrific work ethic. She came at 16 to train. She had stars in her eyes then but we could spot the talent.
"She auditioned because she wanted to become a musical theatre artist and she had a good voice which was never really used later in her career.
"She lived with my daughter Jane throughout her training so she was supported throughout that time.
"Dancers in particular have low self esteem. It's never quite good enough. We're all perfectionists in this industry striving for the next best thing."
Theresa was joined in the GMB studio by Richard Arnold, who paid a touching tribute to Caroline.
The showbiz reporter said: "I was in total disbelief when i got the message from friends before I got it from various news outlets and platforms. My jaw just hit the floor. I couldn't quite believe it.
"This is a woman who’s clearly had her issues which she’s spoken pretty frankly admit and been well documented.
"Caroline when you were in her orbit, she didn’t just fizzle - she absolutely fizzed.
She had this extraordinary energy and this X Factor so rare in this business, genuine X Factor. So at odds with the torment she was going through."
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