Caroline Flack

Five Years On: Have We Learned Anything?

It’s been five years since I lost my dear friend Caroline Flack to suicide. A loss that shook not just her friends and family, but an entire nation. Loved by many, Caroline was an incredible presence. Authentic, vulnerable, and full of life. And yet, despite being adored by millions, she felt that taking her own life was the only option. Even now, words fail to fully capture the devastation of that day.

Caroline and I had an unusual friendship. We weren’t the type to meet for coffee or have long phone calls and if I’m being honest, I often suspected she thought I was a bit of a prat. But somehow, in the middle of the chaos—at our friend Zoe’s wedding, a London Fashion Week afterparty, or tucked away in a quiet corner of ‘The Box’ in Soho—we’d always find each other. We’d talk about heartbreak, old films, tear jerking sad songs and the sheer absurdity of life. She had a rare gift for connection, a way of making people feel truly seen.

But in her final months, that light began to fade. The text messages she once sent, full of humour and warmth, became reduced to broken heart emojis and wilting roses. Publicly, she endured unnecessary relentless scrutiny. Privately, she struggled under the weight of it all. And where she needed support the most, it simply wasn’t there.

The Reality of Suicide in the UK

Caroline’s story is not an isolated tragedy. Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in the UK:

In the United Kingdom, suicide rates among women have shown concerning trends in recent years. In 2023, there were 1,468 registered suicides among females in England, resulting in an age-standardised mortality rate of 5.6 deaths per 100,000 women.

Samaritans

This rate represents an increase from previous years and is the highest recorded since 1994.

The Guardian

The suicide rate among young women has risen significantly in recent years.

And within the entertainment industry, the pressures are immense. The long hours, the job insecurity, the online scrutiny—it’s a world where success and rejection often exist side by side. But these same pressures are no longer exclusive to television or film. With the rise of social media, the expectation to be constantly “on” and publicly validated has become part of everyday life for most people.

Caroline wasn’t the first television personality to take her own life, and devastatingly, she wasn’t the last. The UK entertainment industry has lost several individuals, including Love Island’s Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon and radio presenter Vicki Archer.

Each tragedy reignited conversations about the toxic culture within television and media, yet five years on, as I scroll through Instagram tributes to Caroline, I can’t help but ask the question:

Are these persistent cycles truly being addressed? And more importantly, what concrete measures are being implemented to protect individuals across all areas of the industry?

Recognising Progress—And Where We Go From Here.

It’s important to acknowledge that some progress is being made. Mental health awareness is no longer such a taboo topic as it once was, and many companies, including broadcasters, have begun implementing better policies to support their employees. But is awareness alone enough?

If we truly want to create a safer, more supportive industry, we need to go beyond conversation. We need real, actionable change.

What Can Be Done?

It’s Time to Protect Mental Health in the Media Industry

Having worked in television for over 20 years, I’ve seen and experienced first-hand just how both brutal and incredibly rewarding this industry can be. It’s fast, relentless, exciting and at times, completely unforgiving. The pressure to be “on” all the time, to take the next job no matter the cost, and to brush off anything that might be affecting your mental health, as well as the incredible highs, it can be a dangerous game. And we’ve lost far too many good people because of it.

So, what can actually be done to make the media world a safer place for everyone working in it?

#beKind is meaningless without action.

1. We Need Real Mental Health Policies, Not Just PR Talk.

Rather than pointing fingers, it’s about working together to build better safeguards. Here’s how we can start:

Every company should have:

• A clear mental health safeguarding policy—proactively supporting presenters, production staff, journalists, actors, and crew.

• Dedicated Mental Health Officers—people trained to offer real, confidential support.

• Anonymous reporting systems—so people can speak up about toxic workplaces, bullying, or unfair treatment without fear of losing their job.

2. On-Set Support Should Be Standard

Reality TV stars, presenters, actors—anyone in the public eye—are thrown into high-pressure situations with very little preparation for what’s coming. And for those behind the scenes? The stress, deadlines, and constant competition can be just as brutal. Every production should have:

• Trained therapists available on set to help cast and crew deal with stress, anxiety, and pressure.

• Regular mental health check-ins for those in high-pressure roles, not just when things go wrong.

• Emergency crisis support for those struggling with their mental health before it reaches breaking point.

3. Contracts Need to Protect People, Not Just the Production

There’s often this feeling in media that if you speak up, you’ll be seen as "difficult" and risk losing work. That has to change.

• Mental health leave should be protected, just like sick leave. If someone needs time to step away, they shouldn’t fear losing everything.

• Work hours should be regulated—burnout is real, and working people to the bone only benefits those at the top.

• Social media and press protection could be included in contracts, especially for reality TV contestants and public figures who face online abuse.

4. The Industry Needs to Educate & Support Its Own People

You wouldn’t send someone into a boxing ring without training, so why do we send people into the media spotlight with no preparation?

• Mental Health First Aid Training should be mandatory for producers, talent managers, and HR teams.

• Social Media Resilience Training should be given to anyone going into high-profile media work. The online world is at times very harsh—people need the tools to handle it.

• A Workplace Culture Shift needs to happen at every level. The days of “that’s just how it is” should be over—workplaces should be supportive, not soul-destroying.

5. Aftercare Shouldn’t Be an Afterthought

We’ve all seen what happens when people are chewed up and spat out by the industry. The transition from “on top of the world” to “forgotten” can happen in the blink of an eye, and for many, that’s where the real mental health struggles begin.

• Reality TV contestants should have long-term aftercare, not just a phone call when the show ends.

• More peer support networks should be available—people in the industry need spaces to talk openly without fear of judgment.

• Career transition support should be standard for those stepping away from the limelight.

6. We Need Industry-Wide Accountability

It’s time to stop pretending this is just an “individual” problem. The system itself is broken, and it’s harming people.

• Regulators like Ofcom should step up and enforce strict mental health protections.

• TV networks and production companies need external audits to prove they’re actually doing the work to create safe environments.

• Social media platforms and tabloids must be held accountable for the damage they do. The media frenzy around public figures’ personal lives is out of control—this needs serious reform.

The Cost of Inaction.

Beyond the human cost, the financial impact of poor mental health in the workplace is staggering. In the UK:

• £56 billion is lost annually due to mental health-related absenteeism and reduced productivity.

• Staff turnover alone costs businesses £28 billion due to mental health-related resignations.

• Poor mental health costs the UK economy £102 billion per year in lost productivity and healthcare expenses.

Investing in employee mental health is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic financial decision. Implementing comprehensive mental health support can mitigate these costs by reducing absenteeism, enhancing productivity, and decreasing turnover rates. Proactive measures to support mental well-being are essential for fostering an efficient workforce.

Investing in better mental health support isn’t just the right thing to do—it makes economic sense.

Final Thoughts

Caroline was one of the brightest lights in the entertainment industry. But when she needed support, it wasn’t enough to save her.

We can’t keep having these same conversations every time another tragedy happens. Five years on, we need more than reflection—we need action.

So, have we learned anything? And if not, isn’t it time we did?

Matt Johnson.

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