Stacey Solomon announced that she is taking some time off social media to honour Caroline Flack’s memory on the day of the TV presenter’s funeral.
Flack was found dead at the age of 40 at her home in east London last month after taking her own life.
The Loose Women panellist, 30, told her Instagram followers that it “doesn’t feel right” to post today and implored her fans to “hold your loved ones close.”
Sharing a photo of her hand holding partner Joe Swash’s hand, Solomon wrote: “Today it doesn’t feel right to be on social media… So from me and the boys, we hope you have a good day.
“Hold your loved ones close, give them all of the cuddles you have in you, and let them know how much you need them in your life…
“You never know when they really might need to know. Love you all.”
She urged anyone “struggling with today, yesterday, the thought of tomorrow” to “please let someone know,” before tagging a series of mental health charities “for anyone who needs it.”
Solomon’s boyfriend Swash was a close friend of Flack, with whom he presented I’m A Celebrity… spin off Get Me Out Of Here Now for two years.
Ahead of his winning performance on Sunday night’s Dancing On Ice final, Swash revealed that he had told producers to hide a special message in the set to pay tribute to Flack.
In a nod to the #BeKind hashtag that was shared on social media after Flack’s death, Swash said that he “asked [show producers] whether they could put the words Be Kind on a poster” that appeared in the background during his Charlie Chaplin-inspired performance.
“Obviously we lost Caroline and we’re trying to spread the word, we need everyone to be kinder,” he said in an Instagram video.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please contact the Samaritans on 116123 (free) or email jo@samaritans.org.
