Olly Murs was "numb" after hearing about Caroline Flack's death.
Olly Murs
The 'Dance with Me Tonight' hitmaker was holidaying with his girlfriend when he got a call from his manager to say his friend - who tragically took her own life last month at the age of 40 - had passed away.
He shared: "Even answering this question doesn't seem right, to be honest. I'm still in shock, really. To think I won't have a conversation, a laugh, work, or even just get a random voice note from Cazza again - I just can't get my head around it. I heard the news when I was away on holiday.
"My phone went at 2.23am and I'll never forget it. My manager told me and I just stared at my phone for hours, I didn't know what to do. I just didn't want to believe it. I was numb to any feelings and then I just broke down. Since then I just have constant waves of emotions - one minute I'm OK, the next I'm so sad for her. It's hard, I'll always miss Caz a lot."
Olly was trolled severely for his presenting stint with Caroline on 'The X Factor' and he has called for everyone to be "verified and accountable on every platform" as he feels people would then "think twice" about what they say.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper, he added: "The worst I've ever had it was when me and Caz worked together presenting 'The X Factor'. The online abuse from social media trolls was truly awful. I've never minded constructive criticism from my peers but with social media you get commented on - how you're doing your job, how you look, how you speak, and things people wouldn't dare say to your face. Eventually I stopped going on social media during the series, but something really does have to change online. Everyone should be verified and accountable on every platform. I'm accountable for what I say, and others should be too. Their words would then be attached to their real profile - not just someone hidden behind their computer using a false name. Then people would think twice about being so abusive."
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