Janette Manrara shares poignant tribute to Caroline Flack as she marks World Mental Health Day

Strictly’s Janette Manrara shared a poignant tribute to the late Caroline Flack on Instagram as she marked World Mental Health Day on Saturday.

The professional dancer, 36, shared a sweet picture of Caroline strolling through a garden as she remarked: ‘Sometimes those that seem the strongest, can sometimes be fighting the toughest battles’.

Caroline tragically took her own life aged 40 in February 2020 after learning she would be facing trial for allegedly attacking then boyfriend Lewis Burton, 27. 

In the snap, the former Love Island host donned a red slip dress as she happily held a white rose in her hand. 

Captioning the image, Janette penned: ‘Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay…. Let’s always remember that sometimes those that seem the strongest, can sometimes be fighting the toughest battles. The simplest choice for us all to make is to #BeKind. 

‘For anyone suffering, remember that you are never alone; this too shall pass… ❤️ #MissYou.’

Janette’s post comes days after fellow Strictly star Pasha Kovalev, who won the dance show with Caroline in 2014, also paid an emotional tribute to her.

Speaking on Thursday’s Lorraine, the ballroom dancer, 40, gushed: ‘I absolutely loved dancing with Caroline. We brought something to the show when we were competing.

‘She absolutely deserved to win the show that year she put absolutely everything into the dancefloor.’ 

Strictly Come Dancing will pay an emotional tribute to Caroline in the special episode, The Best Of… The Final.  

The episode, which will air Saturday on BBC One, will feature the best moments from the 17 series of the show, and include a seven minute tribute to Caroline’s time in the competition, with emotional words from Strictly dancers and the judges.

TV presenter Caroline was found dead on February 15, the day after hearing the Crown Prosecution Service would go ahead with a trial for allegedly attacking her model and former tennis player boyfriend Lewis Burton, 27, in December.

Her death was ruled a suicide in an inquest in August this year, with coroner Mary Hassell, saying: ‘The key decision for me to make is whether Caroline took her own life. I have to be satisfied she acted in a way so as to cause her death, and secondly that she intended to cause her death.

‘In Caroline’s case I am entirely satisfied she intended to cause her own death. She hanged herself. She had only one expectation – her own death. There’s no doubt in my mind at all.’

The coroner said Flack had experienced ‘fluctuating ill health’ and was ‘distressed’ at the thought of facing a trial.

She said: ‘Caroline had fluctuating mental ill health, she had had struggles in the past.

‘She had had difficulties. In spite of the fact she may have led – to some – a charmed life, actually the more famous she got the more some of these difficulties increased – she had to deal with the media in a way most of us don’t.

‘It was played out in the national press – and that was incredibly difficult for her. She faced the prospect of not working in the job she loved, losing a great deal.

‘I find the reason for her taking her life was she now knew she was being prosecuted for certainty, and she knew she would face the media, press, publicity – it would all come down upon her. To me, that’s it in essence.’

Flack’s mother, Christine, wept as she told the coroner over video-link: ‘I totally agree, I think you got it spot on.

‘We know you are not allowed to say certain things and it’s up to us if we want to take it any further, and we don’t. You’re spot on.’

Concluding, the coroner recorded a death of suicide caused by hanging.

Mrs Hassell said: ‘Caroline hanged herself at home on the morning of February 15 because of an exacerbation of fluctuating ill health and distress.’

If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org