Johnnie Walker claims ITV should’ve "supported" Caroline Flack "in the same way they did" Ant McPartlin.
The BBC Radio 2 DJ questioned whether the late ‘Love Island’ presenter – who took her own life in February aged 40 – was given the same level of support from the channel as they gave to the ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ co-host following his drink driving conviction.
Speaking to Radio Times magazine, he said: "I wish Caroline Flack had had more support from ITV.
"I really think they should have supported her in the same way that they did Ant from Ant and Dec.
"I think it was down to the financial value of the individual. That’s the reality. Ant and Dec’s programmes earn a huge amount."
However, ITV has hit back at Johnnie’s claims, and insisted the channel left the door "firmly open" for Caroline to come back to ‘Love Island’ after she stepped down from the ITV2 dating show after she was charged with assaulting her boyfriend Lewis.
A spokesman responded: "When Caroline stepped down from her role presenting ‘Love Island’, ITV made it clear that the door was firmly left open for her to return.
"The ‘Love Island’ production team remained in regular contact with her and continued to offer her support."
Caroline’s funeral was held in a forest near her childhood home at Greenacres at Colney, near Norwich, earlier this month.
Her mother Christine previously shared: "There were lots of memories, smiles but mostly tears as we all remembered Carrie and the joy she had brought to all of our lives.
"All the family would like to say thank you so much to all Carrie’s friends who travelled from all over the world to be there that day and who appreciated why we wanted to bring her back home to Norfolk.
"Friends included all the old pals she had either worked alongside or presented with on ‘Fash FC’, ‘I’m A Celebrity’, ‘Xtra Factor’, ‘Love Island’, friends old and new from the world of ‘Strictly’, the ‘Bake Off’ and many, many more."
Johnnie Walker questions ITV’s Caroline Flack ‘support’
