Piers Morgan has revealed the final messages he shared with Love Island host Caroline Flack, who died on February 15.
Caroline is believed to have taken her own life as she faced legal proceedings over allegations she had injured her boyfriend.
Piers said he had reached out to Caroline after her arrest in December.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Piers said: "She was forced to step down from her job presenting Love Island, a show she adored as much as I hate it."
He wrote: "‘You OK?’ I texted her as the furore raged."
According to OK, Caroline responded: "It's been a rough few days", before adding: "This has been the worst time of my life. And for what? Throwing a phone in anger. It’s so hard for one person to take."
Piers says he told Caroline: “It’s all a massive over-reaction, and it will pass. So sorry you’re going through hell but having been through a few tough times myself, I can assure you that you’ll get through it".
“And then I wrote words that seem so horribly ironic now: ‘At the end of the day, it’s just bloody telly and nobody died.'"
Piers ended his column with the words: "RIP Caroline, you were a lovely person and I'll miss you."
Caroline would have stood trial on March 4 after denying assault by beating - and reportedly took her own life the day after prosecutors revealed they would not drop the case.
In her final Instagram post, released by her family after her death, Caroline wrote: "For a lot of people, being arrested for common assault is an extreme way to have some sort of spiritual awakening but for me it's become the normal.
"I've been pressing the snooze button on many stresses in my life – for my whole life. I've accepted shame and toxic opinions on my life for over 10 years and yet told myself it's all part of my job. No complaining.
"The problem with brushing things under the carpet is .... they are still there and one day someone is going to lift that carpet up and all you are going to feel is shame and embarrassment."
She continued: "On December the 12th 2019 I was arrested for common assault on my boyfriend ...Within 24 hours my whole world and future was swept from under my feet and all the walls that I had taken so long to build around me, collapsed. I am suddenly on a different kind of stage and everyone is watching it happen.
"I have always taken responsibility for what happened that night. Even on the night. But the truth is .... It was an accident.
"I've been having some sort of emotional breakdown for a very long time. But I am NOT a domestic abuser. We had an argument and an accident happened. An accident. The blood that someone SOLD to a newspaper was MY blood and that was something very sad and very personal."
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
