ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

A Premier League club chairman has apologised after liking a social media post describing the late TV presenter Caroline Flack as "weak".

The West Ham United co-chairman David Gold expressed his regret at the Twitter blunder and promised to make a donation to a mental health charity.

Ms Flack, former host of ITV2'S Love Island, was found dead in her north London home in Islington on Saturday. A lawyer for the entertainer's family said she had taken her own life.

Gold, 83, liked the tweet on Monday which praised West Ham but also derided the circumstances around Ms Flack's death.

He was heavily criticised on social media and one West Ham supporter wrote: "@davidgold please explain yourself. Liking a tweet from Mikespace, who is calling a celebrity week just days after killing herself. You wasn't tagged in the tweet nor mentioned, so you have gone out of your way to like this. Disgusted, but not surprised."

He said it was "never his intention" to condone that part of the tweet and quickly removed the like.

In a statement released via the club, Gold said: "I apologise unreservedly for liking a tweet last night that I shouldn't have.

"It was never my intention to condone the sentiment expressed in the second half of it. I hastily pressed 'like' and very much regret doing so.

"I will be making a donation to Heads Together to recognise their important work."

Gold has previously been criticised for his conduct on social media, and was recently caught liking tweets that referred to West Ham fans as "neanderthals" and "morons".

Ms Flack is believed to have taken her own life while a friend who was staying with her at the time had gone to out to get shopping.

The 40-year-old had been facing domestic abuse charges for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton, 27, in December, 2019.

She pleaded not guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court and was released on bail.

Burton publicly said he did not support the prosecution. However, domestic assault cases are often pursued despite the victim withdrawing.

Since news of her death, Ms Flack's management has spoken out criticising the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for pursuing the charges in order to bring about a "show trial".

Friends and colleagues of the star have also spoken about the treatment Ms Flack received in the media and on social media platforms.

ITV pulled the episode of the dating show Love Island that was due to air the night Ms Flack's death was confirmed.

The broadcaster began the next episode with an emotional tribute to her ex-host read by the show's narrator Iain Stirling.

An inquest into her death will open on Wednesday, February 19 at Poplar Coroner's Court.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please contact the Samaritans on 116123 (free) or email jo@samaritans.org.