Caroline Flack’s mum makes emotional speech at mental health awards: ‘It’s hard every day’

‘Some mornings it’s just hard to get up and carry on,’ Christine Flack says

Caroline Flack’s mother, Christine, shared an emotional speech about grief while presenting an award at The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards last night.

Flack, 71, said that some mornings it’s “hard to get up and carry on”, following her daughter’s death by suicide in February 2020 when she was just 40 years old.

“It’s hard every day,” she said on the stage with co-presenter Frankie Bridge.

“Someone said to me, ‘Oh, do you sometimes think of things that bring her to mind?’ And I said to them, ‘They’re not out of your mind, not ever. You feel funny if it slips your mind for a second. They’re there constantly’.”

“She was a strong personality. She worked hard, and she did the job she wanted to do. She loved every single minute of it.”

She continued: ‘In front of the camera, I think she came alive. But at home, she always had doubts.

“She’d only need one bad comment and it would hurt and then she would say, ‘Oh, I won’t take any notice.’ But she did, and you know she did.

“When she was in a good frame of mind, she would talk about it. But when she was in a bad frame of mind, you couldn’t talk to her. So that was a frightening thing.

“Carrie is one of thousands of people who have taken their own life. What we can do, hopefully, is put the message over that there’s nothing to be ashamed of.

“We must keep talking about it. Keep it to the forefront of people’s thoughts. I’m pleased that I can give this award in Carrie’s name. I think she’d have been delighted.”

Flack then gave Charmaine George the Mental Health Hero Award for setting up the country’s first ‘grief cafe’ after her 18-year-old son Ewan died last year.

Honouring George’s work, she said: “I would just like to say, how she did what she did – some mornings it’s just hard to get up and carry on – but this lady, to do what she did, is wonderful, and she deserves this.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, Samaritans offers support. You can speak to someone in confidence over the phone on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website here.