Lou Teasdale leads 'Let's Kill Suicide' campaign in London backed by Andy Carroll

Lou Teasdale led a "Let's Kill Suicide" campaign event on the River Thames in London on Tuesday evening, watched and supported by her boyfriend, footballer Andy Carroll. Messages including "Kill suicide with love" were projected onto the walls of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and St Thomas' Hospital as part of the awareness drive.

Teasdale, a hair stylist and global ambassador for suicide prevention charity Body and Soul, said the event was personal to her as it fell five years after the death of her close friend, television presenter Caroline Flack. Carroll shared a selfie from the event and wrote on social media, "This day means a lot and I'm so proud to be a part of this with you."

In an interview with Greatest Hits Radio News, Teasdale described the continuing impact of losses to suicide, saying people she loved could have led very different lives if they were still alive. She told the station that those memories were part of what motivated her work with Body and Soul and her involvement in the six-month "You Are Not Alone" programme that the charity offers.

Teasdale has previously spoken publicly about caring for Flack and about being away briefly from the house on the day Flack was found dead on Feb. 15, 2020. Flack's death was ruled a suicide at an inquest in August 2020. Teasdale has said she went to get supplies and, when she was unable to regain access to the home, called Flack's father, who found her.

Earlier this year, Carroll gave Teasdale a portrait print of Flack by artists The Connor Brothers. The signed artwork, which Teasdale shared on social media, features part of Flack's profile and the quote, "In a world where you can be anything, be kind." The print is offered for sale through a gallery.

Teasdale has used social media to describe her broader experience with suicide and self-harm among people close to her. She said she had supported two separate close friends through repeated suicide attempts and, based on that experience, had researched services available through the National Health Service, private care and national helplines. In remarks quoted by media, Teasdale said she had found a gap between existing services and the needs of people who are suicidal and pointed to Body and Soul's programme as offering what she described as "real on-the-ground impact." She also urged people who feel they need help to reach out to support services.

Body and Soul describes its work as an extended support programme for people who have attempted suicide and offers online workshops for those supporting people in crisis. Teasdale said she believed suicide can have a contagious effect on communities and families and stressed the importance of targeted help for both people who are suicidal and those close to them.

Teasdale's public campaigning follows broader national debates about mental health services, crisis support and how media and legal processes can affect people under intense public scrutiny. Advocates and health professionals have repeatedly urged improved access to timely mental health care, crisis intervention and community-based support following suicide attempts.

For anyone in immediate distress in the United Kingdom, Samaritans can be contacted free on 116 123 or at www.samaritans.org.