Ophelia Lovibond Honors Caroline Flack with Touching Tribute for Celebration Day
Ophelia Lovibond Honors Caroline Flack with Touching Tribute for Celebration Day
Actor Ophelia Lovibond shares how poetry helped her process the loss of Caroline Flack as she joins the nationwide Celebration Day movement.
Actor Ophelia Lovibond is opening up about the seismic impact of losing her close friend, TV presenter Caroline Flack, and how poetry became her lifeline during the darkest moments. Ahead of this year’s Celebration Day, the W1A star shared the deeply personal journey she’s been on since Flack’s sudden passing in 2020.
For a long time after Caroline’s death, Ophelia found it nearly impossible to even look at her phone. The sight of an unexpected social media video featuring her friend would cause her to physically throw her device across the room. While she had experienced the loss of family members before, losing a peer and friend so suddenly felt entirely different. Ophelia described the pain as a white, hot sensation that left her struggling to process the absence of someone so vibrant.
The actor found comfort in a surprising place: Victorian poetry. She is now participating in Celebration Day, a nationwide movement held every year on the final Monday of May. The initiative encourages people to take a moment to remember and celebrate those they have lost. Ophelia joined a group of 11 actors and poets, including Alison Steadman and Lemn Sissay, to record short films reading poems in memory of their loved ones.
Ophelia chose to read Christina Rossetti’s 1849 poem, Remember. The poem carries a poignant message, suggesting that it is better for those left behind to forget and smile than to remember and be sad. Ophelia explained that the poem helped ease the guilt she felt when she wasn't constantly thinking about Caroline. It gave her permission to keep living her own life while still holding space for her friend’s memory.
Even years later, Ophelia says she still sees things that make her laugh because she knows exactly how Caroline would have reacted to them. By sharing her story and Rossetti’s words, she hopes to help others navigate the complex gulf of grief. The short films, directed by Oliver Parker, were filmed at the historic Dr Johnson’s House in London, adding a timeless backdrop to these very personal tributes.
