Love Island narrator Iain Stirling shared a tribute to his former colleague Caroline Flack last night following the news that she had tragically taken her life.
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The comedian honoured Caroline during the opening credits of the show, as he spoke on top of footage of the waves crashing over the sea.
He said: "We are absolutely devastated by the tragic news that Caroline, a much-loved member of our Love Island family, has passed away. Caroline and me were together from the very start of Love Island and her passion, warmth and infectious enthusiasm were a crucial part of what made the show connect with millions of viewers.
"Like many of you, right now we're all just trying to come to terms with what's happened. My only hope is that we can all try to be kinder, always show love and listen to one another.
"Caroline, I want to thank you for all the fun times we had making our favourite show."
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As his voice cracked, he added: "You were a true friend to me. I'm going to miss you, Caz."
The tribute ended with a picture of Caroline, which was also repeated at the end of the episode.
Out of respect for the star, Iain also proceeded to take a more serious tone throughout the show, refraining from telling any jokes.
Plus, the Just Eat sponsored ads throughout the episode were all replaced by Samaritans information.
The tribute was undoubtedly touching, with many claiming that Iain Stirling's words were "perfect' and had them "in tears".
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"Beautiful tribute for an equally beautiful soul. Well done to Iain Stirling for a lovely tribute," one wrote.
While another added: "That tribute hit home a lot more hearing Iain Stirling's words, knowing how hard that must've been for him breaks my heart #loveisland".
However, there were others that claimed that the show shouldn't have returned to screens so soon after Caroline's death, or that more could have been done to honour her legacy.
Arguing back, one person wrote: "People complaining about the #loveisland Caroline tribute whilst not taking into consideration how raw it is for the team. It's only been a few days and it was lovely, Iain kept it simple but touching."
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As another agreed: "So many of you saying the tribute wasn't enough. Two days after his friend died, Iain Stirling is back at work, sorry that this man wants to grieve in private and not pour his heart out to millions of people on tv. It was a lovely tribute, don't be disrespectful #loveisland".
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Taking to social media to show her support for her boyfriend, Laura Whitmore - who replaced Caroline as host of the show this year - wrote: "Love you @IainDoesJokes I know that wasn't easy".
Featured Image Credit: ITVTopics: News, Caroline Flack, Love Island, ITV
