Police Mistakes, the “Lamp Myth,” and a Case That Should Never Have Gone to Trial: Christine Flack’s Investigation Clears Her Daughter’s Name in New Disney+ Documentary

LONDON – November 19, 2025 – Five years after the world lost Caroline Flack in a tragedy that exposed the toxic underbelly of fame, her mother Christine has finally laid bare the truth of that fateful night. In the two-part Disney+ documentary Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth, premiered on November 10, Christine Flack, 70, sifts through five years of documents, transcripts, and unanswered questions to exonerate her daughter from the assault charge that shattered her life and led to her suicide on February 15, 2020, at age 40. “I’ve got the transcripts of the police videos and the 999 calls from the night of the arrest,” Christine says in the opening minutes, her voice steady but eyes hollow. What emerges is a damning portrait of police errors, media frenzy, and prosecutorial overreach—a case that “should never have gone to trial,” as former CPS chief Nazir Afzal asserts.

The documentary, produced by Curious Films and directed by Charlie Russell, centers Christine’s relentless quest for answers. Flack, the vibrant Love Island host who lit up British screens from 2015 to 2019, was arrested on December 13, 2019, for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton with a lamp during an argument at her Islington flat. Burton called 999, claiming Caroline “smashed a bottle over my head,” but police reports—obtained by Christine—reveal contradictions: no broken lamp found, Burton’s injuries inconsistent with the “lamp myth” splashed across tabloids like The Sun, and Caroline’s injuries (a cut on her leg) suggesting self-defense. “The punishment was so disproportionate,” Christine says, highlighting the CPS’s decision to charge despite Burton not supporting prosecution and Caroline’s lack of domestic violence history.

Christine’s investigation uncovers systemic failures. A detective applied “wrong criteria” in assessing public interest, per the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) review, and the Metropolitan Police treated Flack differently because of her celebrity status—rushing charges amid media pressure. “They didn’t acknowledge she was a member of the public,” Christine laments. The film includes chilling 999 audio: Burton’s call describes a “scuffle,” not assault, yet headlines screamed “Love Island Star Attacks Boyfriend.” Flack’s publicist recalls her “deteriorating” mental health, undiagnosed bipolar suggested by a doctor days before her death. A heartbreaking note, revealed for the first time, reads: “I am sorry. I love you all so much.”

Afzal, who prosecuted grooming gangs, calls the case “a miscarriage of justice,” arguing CPS ignored mitigating factors like Flack’s vulnerability. The documentary features interviews with Flack’s sister Jody, ex-boyfriend Andrew Brady, and friends like Mollie King, painting a portrait of a woman “getting stronger” before the charges crushed her. “Caroline wanted to make this film herself,” producer Danielle Lux says. “This is her story, her truth.”

The premiere has reignited calls for reform. #JusticeForCaroline trended with 2.5 million posts, and MPs like Jess Phillips demand a public inquiry into media-police collusion. The Sun, accused of “bullying,” defended its coverage but faced advertiser boycotts. Christine’s plea: “I want acknowledgment they got it wrong.”

Search for the Truth isn’t vengeance—it’s vindication. Flack, who charmed with Baftas and banter, deserved better. As Christine concludes, “No one can do anything worse to me now.” Stream on Disney+. In Caroline’s memory, the truth endures.