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The presentation of Caroline Flack by the British Media November 2007 - March 2020

Caroline Flack was a television personality who was known for presenting the popular ITV shows Love

Island and The Xtra Factor, alongside being the winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014. She was also

known for her tumultuous love life, with the media speculating about her relationships with Prince Harry,

Harry Styles and Andrew Brady.

At the end of last year, Flack faced assault charges which resulted in even more media coverage of her

life. She tragically committed suicide in February 2020.

Caroline Flack had a turbulent relationship with the press throughout her life: they covered both the

extreme highs and lows of all aspects of her life. She is the focus of my investigation as there are widely

differing headlines about her from a variety of mainstream news outlets which will provide me with a

diverse corpus to then analyse. Furthermore, the media coverage spans many years and reflects big events

in her life, allowing the presentation of her in the press to be explored in more depth.

The corpus of data collected can be found in Appendix one.

The reporting of Caroline Flack, and the way that she was portrayed by media outlets differed depending

on the events happening either in her personal life, or his professional career.

Both tabloid and broadsheet media outlets covered elements of Flack’s life. Interestingly, in contrast to

the images of the front covers from the Sunday Mirror and The Sunday Times from after her suicide, the

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corpus data does not show a significant difference in the language used to describe her. This is most

evident through the use of the noun ‘assault’ in headlines from both The Guardian and The Sun (17.12.19);

the negative connotations are inescapable, however it could be argued that both media outlets are merely

reporting on the attack, using legal terms.

The majority of the negative headlines about Flack herself are associated with times when Flack was

experiencing either personal or career lows, for example her break ups with partners. This is most evident

following her break up from Harry Styles where she recalls ‘It was a laugh, until I started being called

paedophile in the street’ (The Independent, 2015); interestingly, this negative headline was published

over three years after the breakup. Through quoting Flack herself using ‘paedophile’, which in itself is a

highly controversial term, The Independent is arguably sensationalising a news story which would

otherwise be uninteresting to all those but her most ardent followers. The retrospective negative

portrayal of her relationships is furthered by Brady, her ex-finance, labelling their relationship as ‘toxic’

(The Sun, 2019).

Whilst Caroline Flack was alive, the majority of the positive headlines about her were linked to her career

and her appearance. She was referred to as a ‘star’ (BBC Newsbeat, 2014) and a ‘pin up girl’ (Daily Mail,

2015) in relation to her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and its subsequent tour. In itself, Strictly is

known as an extravagant Saturday night TV programme which further contributes to the positive

presentation of her as a desirable figure.

After her death there was a marked change in media representation of her from someone accused of

assault to someone whose death had a devastating impact. The Guardian reported upon her ‘tragic’ death

(2020) and that those who knew her were ‘devastated’ by her death (2020). The conscious use of such

emotive language clearly portrays her as a positive figure, thereby negating the previously negative

coverage.

Whilst the majority of the headlines conform to Grice’s Maxims (1975), there are a few which flout them,

such as:

● ‘Caroline Flack death: Former Love Island presenter found dead at flat, aged 40’ (The Independent,

2020). This flouts the maxim of quantity as ‘aged 40’ is unnecessary information, however it does

clearly highlight the tragedy of her death at such a young age.

● ‘She's a pin-up girl! Caroline Flack oozes retro glamour in tight top and high-waisted shorts... as

she kicks of Strictly Come Dancing tour’ (Daily Mail, 2015). This arguably flouts the maxim of

relevance as the focus of the article is the Strictly Come Dancing tour, not her outfit! As such, the

headline places emphasis upon Flack as a desirable figure, making her seem more important than

the tour itself.

Whilst exploring the corpus headlines, the ethics of journalism and media bias cannot be ignored as often

this will frame the perspective of the story. The editor of a media outlet will have an awareness of who

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their target audience is, and isn’t, and will ensure that the news stories they produce reflect this.

For example, it is widely recognised that the target demographic of the Daily Mail are lower-middle class

British women, who have an interest in celebrity and gossip. This is exemplified through the headline

‘Strictly stylish: Caroline Flack shows off tanned legs in glitzy signature shorts at the Strictly Come Dancing

launch’ (Daily Mail, 2014) which does not actually share any new information with the audience, but

rather has been sparked by an image of Flack where she is deemed to be looking ‘Stylish’. This may be

particularly interesting to the target demographic as they wish to follow the lives of celebrities, even when

there is nothing new to report. The subheading ‘Low key look: Caroline Flack sported her favourite leg-

baring shorts at the Strictly Come Dancing launch’ (Daily Mail, 2014), further supports this notion, implying

that the way a celebrity looks is worthy of reporting as ‘news’.

Approaching the headlines in the corpus with a constructionist view, it would be argued that the

representation of Caroline Flack in the media is at times a sensationalist version of events in real life,

sometimes foregrounding trivial elements which are not unbiased news. Furthermore, taking this

approach it could be perceived that the coverage of the alleged assault was manipulated in order to create

a depiction of Flack as violent, a representation which altered entirely following her suicide. As such, this

sudden shift in portrayal may call into question the earlier presentation of Flack and therefore lead to the

reader having a negotiated reading of the previous headlines.

It can be argued, based on our study of Caroline Flack, that the British media will create sensational

headlines around both a celebrity’s personal life, and their career, in order to appeal to their target

demographic and maintain their readership. Furthermore, through the headlines analysed from the

corpus, it appears that the representation of the celebrity is reflective of the events being reported,

whether they be actual news or merely speculative. Through this, the media are able to consciously

manipulate the public perception of the celebrity, in this case Caroline Flack.

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Appendix One

Caroline Flack Headline Corpus

Date Headline Subheading Source URL

30.11.07

Caroline Flack - She's not your

typical childrens' television presenter

Since drinks with Amy Winehouse, parties with Pete Dohery and dates the drummer from a hip indie band. So what is Caroline Flack doing on

Saturday morning TV?

Daily Mail https://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/home/moslive/article-498734/Caroline-Flack--Shes-typical-childrens-television-presenter.html

13.07.08

I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of These Clothes!

The I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! Now host did a shoot with us when she was an up-and-coming presenter. Flacking-hell indeed!

Maxim https://web.archive.org/web/20110716134938/http://www.maxim.co.uk/girls/celebrity/1

3908/caroline_flack.html

13.12.11

Caroline Flack Teased About

Harry Styles Kiss On Never Mind The Buzzcocks

The Xtra Factor co-host was mocked for her reported romantic

tryst with the teen pop star.

Capital FM https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/one-direction/news/harry-styles-never-mind-the-

buzzcocks/

27.01.12

One Direction's Harry Styles and Caroline Flack

break up

One Direction singer Harry Styles has confirmed he has split from TV

presenter Caroline Flack.

BBC Newsbeat http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/16754845/one-directions-harry-styles-and-

caroline-flack-break-up

25.03.13

Caroline Flack will return to Xtra

Factor after Simon Cowell

tells her the job is still hers

And with Olly Murs busy on his tour, will last year's contestant Rylan

Clark be her new co-host?

Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/caroline-flack-return-xtra-factor-1779888

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28.08.14

Caroline Flack to star on BBC One's Strictly

Come Dancing

Former Xtra Factor host Caroline Flack is joining rival show Strictly

Come Dancing.

BBC Newsbeat http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/28963582/caroline-flack-to-star-on-bbc-ones-

strictly-come-dancing

03.09.14

Strictly stylish: Caroline Flack

shows off tanned legs in glitzy

signature shorts at the Strictly

Come Dancing launch

Low-key look: Caroline Flack sported her favourite leg-baring

shorts at the Strictly Come Dancing launch at the Elstree Studios in

Hertfordshire on Tuesday

Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2741809/Strictly-stylish-Caroline-Flack-shows-tanned-legs-glitzy-shorts-Strictly-

Come-Dancing-launch.html

26.09.14

Caroline Flack gets Strictly

Come Dancing 2014 party

started in bottom-skimming 'flash of

gold'

We knew the outfits would be glitzy and full of sequins but just how short are the girls willing to go?

The Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/caroline-flack-gets-strictly-come-

4331110

29.11.14

Strictly Come Dancing 2014:

Caroline Flack’s Charleston was full of Turkish

delight to top the leaderboard

We are getting to the business end of the competition in Strictly Come

Dancing and it is starting to become a must to get those ten’s from Len

and have Bruno springing out of his seat in ecstasy as he judges the

contestants.

Metro https://metro.co.uk/2014/11/29/strictly-come-dancing-2014-caroline-flacks-

charleston-was-full-of-turkish-delight-to-top-the-leaderboard-4967435/

14.12.14

Strictly Come Dancing: Caroline Flack scores first perfect 40 of the

series

The TV presenter is now the bookies' favourite to win the

competition

The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/strictly-come-

dancing-2014-caroline-flacks-salsa-scores-first-perfect-40-of-the-series-9923830.html

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20.12.14

Strictly Come Dancing: Caroline

Flack lifts glitterball trophy

Television presenter Caroline Flack and partner Pasha Kovalev have

been voted winners of Strictly Come Dancing.

BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30536720

22.12.14

Caroline Flack admits Strictly Come Dancing got her through

love split

SHE may have had a 'testing year' but Caroline Flack has admitted that taking part in Strictly Come

Dancing has helped her enormously.

The Express https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/548268/Caroline-Flack-Strictly-Come-

Dancing-love-split

17.01.15

She's a pin-up girl! Caroline

Flack oozes retro glamour in tight top and high-

waisted shorts... as she kicks of Strictly Come Dancing tour

She is the reigning champion of Strictly Come Dancing. And

Caroline Flack made sure that the opening night of the Strictly tour

started with a bang as she danced up a storm with her fellow

contestants.

Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2914147/Caroline-Flack-looks-

sensational-plunging-silver-frock-kicks-Strictly-Come-Dancing-tour.html

23.01.15

Caroline Flack nails off-duty

style in Burberry scarf... while

Rachel Stevens indulges in some

retail therapy ahead of Strictly Come Dancing

tour show in Leeds

Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2923608/Caroline-Flack-nails-duty-style-Burberry-scarf-Rachel-Stevens-indulges-

retail-therapy-ahead-Strictly-Come-Dancing-tour-Leeds.html

23.05.15

Caroline Flack: 'I'm as single as single can be'

The new X Factor presenter on Harry Styles, Strictly and 'nearly

fancying' Olly Murs

The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11625760/Caroline-Flack-Im-as-

single-as-single-can-be.html

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11.10.15

Caroline Flack on Harry Styles

romance: 'It was a laugh, until I started being

called paedophile in the street'

Caroline Flack has spilled the beans about her friendship with

Prince Harry and One Direction's Harry Styles

The Independent https://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-news/caroline-flack-on-harry-styles-

romance-it-was-a-laugh-until-i-started-being-called-paedophile-in-the-street-

31599690.html

12.10.15

'He could have waited' Caroline Flack slams Jack

Street for dumping her during Strictly

SHE recently revealed that she was Prince Harry's "bit of rough" and

now Caroline Flack has lifted the lid on another romance of hers.

The Express https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/611451/Caroline-Flack-Jack-Street-Strictly-Come-Dancing-ex-boyfriend-book-

Storm-in-a-C-Cup

28.11.15

The X Factor host Caroline Flack: I feel incredibly

lucky

AS The X Factor approaches its quarter finals, Caroline Flack looks

back at her year on Britain’s favourite reality shows.

Express https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/621701/The-X-Factor-host-

Caroline-Flack-Olly-Murs-Strictly-Come-Dancing

02.01.16

Caroline Flack cried after first live Sunday X

Factor show after she was trolled

X Factor host Caroline Flack says she cried after the first live Sunday show in early November after being

trolled on social media.

BBC Newsbeat http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/35214581/caroline-flack-cried-after-first-live-

sunday-x-factor-show-after-she-was-trolled

22.02.16

The X Factor: Now Caroline Flack officially quits just hours

after her co-host Olly Murs

But she says she's had a "brilliant time" on the show.

Digital Spy https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a784324/the-x-factor-now-caroline-flack-officially-quits-just-hours-after-co-host-olly-

murs-but-says-shes-had-a-brilliant-time/

07.04.16

Caroline Flack: No fallout with

Olly Murs after X Factor

Caroline Flack has denied that she has fallen out with her former X Factor co-presenter Olly Murs.

BBC Newsbeat http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/35985905/caroline-flack-no-fallout-with-olly-

murs-after-x-factor

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24.04.18

THE BRADY BUNCH Love

Island’s Caroline Flack ‘wants to

have babies with Andrew Brady and thinks he’s

The One’

The pair started dating in February and are already smitten

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6131867/love-island-caroline-flack-wants-

babies-andrew-brady/

29.04.18

Caroline Flack engaged to

Andrew Brady after three

months of dating

Love Island host Caroline Flack has revealed she is engaged to

boyfriend Andrew Brady after just three months of dating.

Evening Standard https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/caroline-flack-engaged-to-andrew-

brady-after-three-months-of-dating-a3826341.html

27.05.18

CAN'T BEAR TO BE APART

Caroline Flack has taken fiance Andrew Brady to Majorca with her for Love Island filming – and

they’re already sharing loved-up

selfies

The TV host has jetted out to prepare for the launch and her man

has come along for the ride

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6391395/caroline-flack-andrew-brady-majorca-

love-island-selfies/

30.05.18

Love Island: What makes

Caroline Flack turn into a 'melt'?

It's not often you come across a TV series which is groundbreaking,

revolutionary, genre-defying, innovative, challenging and

entertaining all at the same time.

BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44002130

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12.07.18

WHAT THE FLACK? How the Love Island host Caroline Flack’s

intense love affair with Andrew Brady turned

toxic

Just 24 hours after Apprentice's Andrew Brady dumped her on

Instagram without telling Caroline, he spoke to producers from Celebs

Go Dating

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6756738/love-island-caroline-flack-andrew-

brady/

12.08.18

IT'S FLACK ON Caroline Flack is back with her ex fiancé Andrew

Brady after romantic reunion — but vows to

take things slow

The couple were spotted on a make-or-break trip in Ibiza as well

as kissing at a restaurant in London recently

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6999444/caroline-flack-back-with-andrew-

brady/

29.02.19

Caroline Flack ‘moves on from

ex-fiance Andrew Brady with

personal trainer’

Caroline Flack is said to have moved on from her ex-fiance

Andrew Brady with new boy and personal trainer, Bradley

Simmonds.

Metro https://metro.co.uk/2019/02/12/caroline-flack-moves-ex-fiance-andrew-brady-

personal-trainer-8572104/

17.10.19

Caroline Flack to present plastic

surgery entertainment

show for Channel 4

Contestants will try to win the chance to go under the knife in a

new Channel 4 series.

ATV Today https://www.atvtoday.co.uk/136234-bbc/

17.10.19

UNDER THE STRIFE Caroline

Flack’s plastic surgery show

bosses insist ‘ops are mainstream in UK’ as they

CHANNEL 4 bosses have insisted that Caroline Flack’s new show The

Surjury is designed to reflect shifting attitudes towards plastic

surgery.

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/10155077/caroline-flack-plastic-surgery-show-

the-surjury-channel-4/

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face major backlash

17.10.19

Caroline Flack's plastic surgery entertainment

show The Surjury is a new low for

television

Contestants will try to convince a jury they should go ahead with a plastic surgery of their choice. It's

dangerous and exploitative

I News https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/caroline-flack-plastic-surgery-the-surjury-channel-

4-816220

29.11.19

FLACK ATTACK Caroline Flack’s ex Andrew Brady

slams her as ‘toxic’ and says split ‘saved his

life’ as he covers up tattoo

CAROLINE Flack's bitter ex fiancé Andrew Brady has slammed her as "toxic" and admitted their break-up

"saved my life."

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/10442948/caroline-flacks-ex-andrew-brady-slams-her-as-toxic-and-says-split-saved-

his-life-as-he-covers-up-tattoo/

12.12.19

Caroline Flack worried work will stop her having

kids as she nears 40th birthday

The 39-year-old Love Island host 'feels like she is being selfish' as

she puts her career first

The Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/caroline-flack-worried-work-stop-

18915055

13.12.19

Caroline Flack arrested and charged with

assault after fight with man

believed to be boyfriend

Presenter was taken into custody by officers at the home she shares

with her boyfriend in London

The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/caroline-flack-

arrested-fight-boyfriend-love-island-lewis-burton-domestic-abuse-a9245736.html

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13.12.19

Caroline Flack: Love Island host

charged with assault by

beating

Love Island host Caroline Flack has been charged with assault by

beating following an incident at her north London home.

BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-50785152

14.12.19

Caroline Flack terrified her

‘future in TV is over’ after being

arrested for assaulting boyfriend

Caroline Flack is said to be terrified about her future in TV after she was arrested for allegedly assaulting her

boyfriend Lewis Burton.

Metro https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/14/caroline-flack-terrified-future-tv-arrested-assaulting-

boyfriend-11908692/

17.12.19

Caroline Flack quits as Love

Island host after assault charge

TV presenter says she does not want to ‘detract attention from the

upcoming series’

The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/17/caroline-flack-quits-as-

love-island-host-after-assault-chage

17.12.19

FLACK OFF Devastated

Caroline Flack quits Love Island

after assault charge

CAROLINE Flack is standing down as Love Island host after being charged with assault following a

bust-up at her home, The Sun can reveal.

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/love-island/10568764/caroline-flack-quits-love-

island/

19.12.19

CUT HER SOME FLACK Caroline Flack’s journey from the ‘sickly’

Enfield kid bullied for her skinny

legs to troubled Love Island star

WHETHER you know her for being ‘the face’ of Love Island or as the

woman who dated Prince Harry and Harry Styles, it’s fair to say Caroline Flack rise to fame hasn’t been an

easy one.

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/10572085/caroline-flack-career-bullied-kid-love-

island-star/

23.12.19

Caroline Flack: Love Island host denies assaulting

boyfriend

Former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has pleaded not

guilty to assaulting her boyfriend with a lamp.

BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-50890079

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15.02.20

Caroline Flack death: Former

Love Island presenter found

dead at flat, aged 40

Stars pay tribute after family confirms TV host took her own life

The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/caroline-flack-dead-love-

island-host-a9337581.html

16.02.20

Love Island presenter

Caroline Flack took her life three

weeks before assault trial

Presenter's management last night attacked CPS and said prosecution was a 'show trial' which was 'not in

the public interest'

The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/15/caroline-flack-dead-reports-claim/

16.02.20

Caroline Flack's death is as tragic

as it is anger-inducing

Like the Love Island contestants the presenter rooted for, a hidden

fragility makes her death all the more devastating

The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/feb/16/caroline-flack-the-sparky-

presenters-death-is-a-stomach-churning-shock

17.02.20

Caroline Flack battled 'demons'

in secret after Strictly win, says Kristina Rihanoff

Former Strictly Come Dancing pro Kristina Rihanoff said close pal

Caroline Flack was 'battling inner conflict' and had a lot of 'insecurities

and vulnerability'

The Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/caroline-flack-battled-demons-secret-

21513726

03.03.20

Caroline Flack and Olly Murs' unbreakable

'flirty' bond and their secret dating

pact

Caroline Flack and Olly Murs hit it off the second they met on The Xtra

Factor in 2011 and kept fans captivated with their chemistry

The Mirror https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/caroline-flack-olly-murs-unbreakable-

21615925

05.03.20

Caroline Flack: ITV boss says

staff 'devastated' by her death

Carolyn McCall addresses issue of suicide and says channel focused

on its duty of care

The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/mar/05/caroline-flack-itv-boss-

says-staff-devastated-by-her-death

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The presentation of Caroline Flack by the British Media November 2007 - March 2020

Identifying overall patterns in negative and positive language use

● Both broadsheet and tabloid newspapers use negative and positive language to describe Flack.

● The majority of negative headlines are associated with times when Flack was experiencing either personal or career lows, for example her break ups with partners.

● The majority of the positive headlines are associated with Flack’s career success and the reflections following her death.

● Her appearance is often seen positively (and only commented upon by tabloid newspapers), whereas her actions are seen negatively.

● The majority of the language used in the headlines is mirrored in the subheadings, further supporting the negative or positive view being shared by the article.

● Negative language isn’t just linked to Flack’s actions, they are also used to describe projects she is linked to.

Caroline Flack had a turbulent relationship with the press throughout her life: they covered both the extreme highs and lows of all aspects of her life. She is the focus of our investigation as there are widely differing headlines about her from a variety of mainstream news outlets which will provide us with a diverse corpus to then analyse.

How the media perceived Caroline Flack Nov 2007 to March 2020

Influence of events on negative headlines

The majority of the negative headlines about Flack herself are associated with times when Flack was experiencing either personal or career lows, for example her break ups with partners. This is most evident following her break up from Harry Styles where she recalls ‘It was a laugh, until I started being called paedophile in the street’ (The Independent, 2015); interestingly, this negative headline was published over three years after the breakup. Through quoting Flack herself using ‘paedophile’, which in itself is a highly controversial term, The Independent is arguably sensationalising a news story which would otherwise be uninteresting to all those but her most ardent followers. The retrospective negative portrayal of her relationships is furthered by Brady, her ex-finance, labelling their relationship as ‘toxic’ (The Sun, 2019).

Grice’s Maxims

Whilst the majority of the headlines conform to Grice’s Maxims (1975), there are a few which flout them, such as:

● ‘Caroline Flack death: Former Love Island presenter found dead at flat, aged 40’ (The Independent, 2020). This flouts the maxim of quantity as ‘aged 40’ is unnecessary information, however it does clearly highlight the tragedy of her death at such a young age.

● ‘She's a pin-up girl! Caroline Flack oozes retro glamour in tight top and high-waisted shorts... as she kicks of Strictly Come Dancing tour’ (Daily Mail, 2015). This arguably flouts the maxim of relevance as the focus of the article is the Strictly Come Dancing tour, not her outfit! As such, the headline places emphasis upon Flack as a desirable figure, making her seem more important than the tour itself.

Language use by the British media

Positive Negative

‘Not your typical’ (Daily Mail 30.11.07)‘Star’ (BBC Newsbeat 28.08.14)‘Glitzy signature shorts’ (DM 03.09.14)‘Delight’ (Metro 29.11.14)‘Pin up girl’ (DM 17.0.15)‘Lucky’ (Express 28.11.15)‘Brady Bunch’ (The Sun 24.04.18)‘Engaged’ (Evening Standard 29.04.18)‘Loved up selfies’ (The Sun 27.05.18)‘Tragic [death]’ (The Guardian 16.02.020)‘Unbreakable ‘flirty’ bond’ (The Mirror 03.03.20)‘Devastated [by death]’ (The Guardian 05.03.20)

‘Teased’ (Capital FM 13.12.11)‘Single’ (The Telegraph 23.05.15)‘Paedophile in the street’ (Independent 11.10.15)‘Cried...trolled’ (BBC Newsbeat 02.01.16)‘Quits’ (Digital Spy 22.02.16)‘Intense… toxic’ (The Sun 12.07.18)‘Ex-fiance’ (Metro 29.02.19)‘Strife’ (The Sun 17.10.19)‘Flack Attack’ (The Sun 29.11.19)‘Arrested’ (The Independent 13.12.19)‘Assault… beating’ (BBC News 13.12.19)‘Assault’ (The Guardian; The Sun 17.12.19)

Broadsheet vs.’ tabloid media outlets

Both tabloid and broadsheet media outlets covered elements of Flack’s life. Interestingly, in contrast to the images of the front covers from the Sunday Mirror and The Sunday Times from after her suicide, the corpus data does not show a significant difference in the language used to describe her.

The ethics of journalism

It is widely recognised that the target demographic of the Daily Mail are lower-middle class British women, who have an interest in celebrity and gossip. This is exemplified through the headline ‘Strictly stylish: Caroline Flack shows off tanned legs in glitzy signature shorts at the Strictly Come Dancing launch’ (Daily Mail, 2014) which does not actually share any new information with the audience, but rather has been sparked by an image of Flack where she is deemed to be looking ‘Stylish’. This may be particularly interesting to the target demographic as they wish to follow the lives of celebrities, even when there is nothing new to report. The subheading ‘Low key look: Caroline Flack sported her favourite leg-baring shorts at the Strictly Come Dancing launch’ (Daily Mail, 2014), further supports this notion, implying that the way a celebrity looks is worthy of reporting as ‘news’.

Conclusion

Based on our study of Caroline Flack, that the British media will create sensational headlines around both a celebrity’s personal life, and their career, in order to appeal to their target demographic and maintain their readership.

LMP & CHH Example

Caroline Flack Language Investigation

LMP & CHH Example

Caroline Flack - who was she?Caroline Flack was a television personality who was known for

presenting the popular ITV shows Love Island and The Xtra

Factor, alongside being the winner of Strictly Come Dancing in

2014. She was also known for her tumultuous love life, with

the media speculating about her relationships with Prince

Harry, Harry Styles and Andrew Brady.

At the end of last year, Flack faced assault charges which

resulted in even more media coverage of her life. She tragically

committed suicide in February 2020.

Caroline Flack - why is she my focus?Caroline Flack had a turbulent relationship with the press

throughout her life: they covered both the extreme highs and

lows of all aspects of her life. She is the focus of my

investigation as there are widely differing headlines about her

from a variety of mainstream news outlets which will provide

me with a diverse corpus to then analyse. Furthermore, the

media coverage spans many years and reflects big events in

her life, allowing the presentation of her in the press to be

explored in more depth.

Corpus

The full corpus is attached as a word document.

Language UseAs was shown through the graph, the headlines from our corpus differed in their presentation of Flack;

some were highly positive whilst others were undeniably negative. These portrayals of Flack were created

through the language choices, as summarised in the table below:

Positive Negative

‘Not your typical’ (Daily Mail 30.11.07)‘Star’ (BBC Newsbeat 28.08.14)‘Glitzy signature shorts’ (Daily Mail 03.09.14)‘Delight’ (Metro 29.11.14)‘Pin up girl’ (Daily Mail 17.0.15)‘Lucky’ (Express 28.11.15)‘Brady Bunch’ (The Sun 24.04.18)‘Engaged’ (Evening Standard 29.04.18)‘Loved up selfies’ (The Sun 27.05.18)‘Tragic [death]’ (The Guardian 16.02.020)‘Unbreakable ‘flirty’ bond’ (The Mirror 03.03.20)‘Devastated [by death]’ (The Guardian 05.03.20)

‘Teased’ (Capital FM 13.12.11)‘Single’ (The Telegraph 23.05.15)‘Paedophile in the street’ (Independent 11.10.15)‘Cried...trolled’ (BBC Newsbeat 02.01.16)‘Quits’ (Digital Spy 22.02.16)‘Intense… toxic’ (The Sun 12.07.18)‘Ex-fiance’ (Metro 29.02.19)‘Strife’ (The Sun 17.10.19)‘Flack Attack’ (The Sun 29.11.19)‘Arrested’ (The Independent 13.12.19)‘Assault… beating’ (BBC News 13.12.19)‘Assault’ (The Guardian; The Sun 17.12.19)

Tabloid/Broadsheet PresentationBoth tabloid and broadsheet media outlets

covered elements of Flack’s life. Interestingly, in

contrast to the images of the front covers from the

Sunday Mirror and The Sunday Times from after

her suicide, the corpus data does not show a

significant difference in the language used to

describe her. This is most evident through the use

of the noun ‘assault’ in headlines from both The

Guardian and The Sun (17.12.19); the negative

connotations are inescapable, however it could be

argued that both media outlets are merely

reporting on the attack, using legal terms.

Influence of events on negative headlines

The majority of the negative headlines about Flack herself are

associated with times when Flack was experiencing either

personal or career lows, for example her break ups with partners.

This is most evident following her break up from Harry Styles

where she recalls ‘It was a laugh, until I started being called

paedophile in the street’ (The Independent, 2015); interestingly,

this negative headline was published over three years after the

breakup. Through quoting Flack herself using ‘paedophile’, which

in itself is a highly controversial term, The Independent is arguably

sensationalising a news story which would otherwise be

uninteresting to all those but her most ardent followers. The

retrospective negative portrayal of her relationships is furthered

by Brady, her ex-finance, labelling their relationship as ‘toxic’ (The

Sun, 2019).

Influence of events on positive headlinesWhilst Caroline Flack was alive, the majority of the positive

headlines about her were linked to her career and her appearance.

She was referred to as a ‘star’ (BBC Newsbeat, 2014) and a ‘pin up

girl’ (Daily Mail, 2015) in relation to her appearance on Strictly

Come Dancing and its subsequent tour. In itself, Strictly is known as

an extravagant Saturday night TV programme which further

contributes to the positive presentation of her as a desirable figure.

After her death there was a marked change in media representation

of her from someone accused of assault to someone whose death

had a devastating impact. The Guardian reported upon her ‘tragic’

death (2020) and that those who knew her were ‘devastated’ by her

death (2020). The conscious use of such emotive language clearly

portrays her as a positive figure, thereby negating the previously

negative coverage.

Grice’s Maxims

Whilst the majority of the headlines conform to Grice’s Maxims (1975), there are a few which flout them,

such as:

● ‘Caroline Flack death: Former Love Island presenter found dead at flat, aged 40’ (The

Independent, 2020). This flouts the maxim of quantity as ‘aged 40’ is unnecessary information,

however it does clearly highlight the tragedy of her death at such a young age.

● ‘She's a pin-up girl! Caroline Flack oozes retro glamour in tight top and high-waisted shorts... as

she kicks of Strictly Come Dancing tour’ (Daily Mail, 2015). This arguably flouts the maxim of

relevance as the focus of the article is the Strictly Come Dancing tour, not her outfit! As such,

the headline places emphasis upon Flack as a desirable figure, making her seem more

important than the tour itself.

The Ethics of Journalism

Whilst exploring the corpus headlines, the ethics of journalism and media bias cannot be ignored as often

this will frame the perspective of the story. The editor of a media outlet will have an awareness of who their

target audience is, and isn’t, and will ensure that the news stories they produce reflect this.

For example, it is widely recognised that the target demographic of the Daily Mail are lower-middle class

British women, who have an interest in celebrity and gossip. This is exemplified through the headline

‘Strictly stylish: Caroline Flack shows off tanned legs in glitzy signature shorts at the Strictly Come Dancing

launch’ (Daily Mail, 2014) which does not actually share any new information with the audience, but rather

has been sparked by an image of Flack where she is deemed to be looking ‘Stylish’. This may be particularly

interesting to the target demographic as they wish to follow the lives of celebrities, even when there is

nothing new to report. The subheading ‘Low key look: Caroline Flack sported her favourite leg-baring shorts

at the Strictly Come Dancing launch’ (Daily Mail, 2014), further supports this notion, implying that the way a

celebrity looks is worthy of reporting as ‘news’.

Stuart Hall: Reception Theory (1973)Approaching the headlines in the corpus with a

constructionist view, it would be argued that the

representation of Caroline Flack in the media is at times a

sensationalist version of events in real life, sometimes

foregrounding trivial elements which are not unbiased

news. Furthermore, taking this approach it could be

perceived that the coverage of the alleged assault was

manipulated in order to create a depiction of Flack as

violent, a representation which altered entirely following

her suicide. As such, this sudden shift in portrayal may call

into question the earlier presentation of Flack and therefore

lead to the reader having a negotiated reading of the

previous headlines.

ConclusionIt can be argued, based on our study of

Caroline Flack, that the British media will

create sensational headlines around both a

celebrity’s personal life, and their career, in

order to appeal to their target demographic

and maintain their readership. Furthermore,

through the headlines analysed from the

corpus, it appears that the representation of

the celebrity is reflective of the events being

reported, whether they be actual news or

merely speculative. Through this, the media

are able to consciously manipulate the

public perception of the celebrity, in this

case Caroline Flack.