CAROLINE Flack gave boyfriend Lewis Burton ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ before her death to pay off his debts – just in the same way that his new girlfriend Lottie Tomlinson has, we can reveal.
Lottie, 22, gave the former tennis player a £22,000 lump sum to pay off more debts last month and it emerged this week that her One Direction singer brother Louis is concerned.
A friend of Caroline’s told the Sun on Sunday: “I don’t blame Louis for being concerned – he is probably thinking the same as all of Caroline’s friends – ‘get out of the relationship’.
“When Lewis was with Caroline she gave him about £25,000 to pay off his debts. Plus she paid for absolutely everything in their lives – rent, clothes, food, going out, holidays.
“He’s typical….getting women to pay for his lifestyle. It stinks. He’s going on flash holidays to Marbella and Ibiza, living the high life and women are paying for it.
“I don’t understand how they are so blinded by him.
“Caroline would be heartbroken if she could see him now and see that Lottie is handing over tens of thousands of pounds in exactly the same way that Caroline did.
“I just hope that Lottie comes to her senses.”
Love Island presenter Caroline, who once dated Prince Harry, took her own life at the age of 40 in February.
She had been due to stand trial for assaulting model Burton.
In March, influencer Lottie’s sister Felicite, 18, died after an accidental drug overdose and she grew close with the 28-year-old as they bonded over the loss of loved ones.
Lottie, who was known to be friends with Caroline through their links with The X Factor, confirmed their romance in July and were then seen on holiday together in Ibiza.
Louis, 28, and his grandparents are believed to be ‘worried’ about Lottie’s new romance.
Lottie’s twin sisters Phoebe and Daisy told their grandparents it was Lottie who paid the bill when they ate together with Lewis at London restaurant The Ivy, which caused them to worry further.
Our source said: “The same way Caroline paid for everything. All her friends saw it. We are not living in the dark ages where a man has to pay for everything. He is not breaking the law, but we are talking large sums of money too.”
After he was pictured with his new girlfriend Caroline’s mum Christine claimed the TV presenter’s relationship with Lewis ‘did end her life’.
Alongside a photo of Caroline and Burton sunbathing in August 2019, she wrote on Instagram: ‘This relationship did end her life.’ She added: ‘He is now in the same pose different girl’.
Caroline was found naked and covered in her own blood after cutting her wrist on broken glass when police were called to her home in December after she allegedly assaulted Burton by hitting him in the head with a mobile phone.
She pleaded not guilty and was due to stand trial on March 4.
Christine claimed Caroline could not face the ‘living nightmare’ of being branded an abuser and accused police and prosecutors of driving her to suicide.
Lottie has found her success with the creation of her beauty brand Tanologist, by working as a social media star and through collaborations with lingerie company Boux Avenue and online retailer ASOS.
There are also rumours that she has been lined up to appear in this year’s series of I’m A Celeb, and had met on Zoom with ITV producers.
Our source said: “Louis is worth millions and his half sister has built up her own fortune too. I hope that when she finds out that Caroline also gave him huge chunks of money she might start to ask where exactly all this cash is going.”
A spokeswoman for Lewis denied Caroline had given him money.
GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk
