27/10/2026
Miranda Hart’s message after Caroline Flack’s death drew on her own experience of fame, asking people to consider the human being behind the headlines. She shared it in February 2020, and its plea for compassion still matters.
“I didn’t know Caroline Flack but I felt like I was going to be sick when I heard the news.”
Reflecting on the attention she experienced herself, Miranda wrote:
“When I became famous I was naively confused by the comments, articles and intrusiveness that came with it. I was saddened. I didn’t understand it. I was a human being doing a job. I didn’t ask for fame or attention. I wasn’t saying I was special.”
Her point was simple: being recognised doesn’t make someone immune to hurt, or mean every aspect of their appearance should become public entertainment.
“Can we please please please remember that we are one species. We are united in our emotions, our humanness, our weakness, our vulnerability.”
She continued: “A celebrity status does not mean immunity from feeling and suffering.”
Miranda also challenged the purpose of stories scrutinising someone’s appearance:
“It is not in any circumstances in the public interest to report that someone is looking tired, or fat, or thin, or a mess, or ill. It perpetuates the destructive message that weakness of any kind is not acceptable.”
Her appeal extended beyond newspapers to anyone posting about another person online.
“Can this please stop? Please. The bullying. The trolling. The unnecessary headlines.”
She asked people to pause before pressing send and imagine being on the receiving end of their words.
You don’t have to enjoy someone’s work or agree with everything they do to recognise that they have feelings, difficulties and people who love them.
Miranda ended with: “‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ This has to stop.”
