Caroline Flack has admitted that she was surprised by the reaction to her relationship with One Direction star Harry Styles.

The 32-year-old Xtra Factor host dated the 18-year-old singer before splitting in January 2012.

Flack has often been heavily criticised for the relationship's age gap, but she told Look magazine that it's not as if she "killed someone". She said:

"I'm surprised - it's tough. I didn't kill someone, I just went out with someone younger. But there have been more positive reactions than negative ones."

Flack added that despite the negative responses, she wouldn't alter the past and admits that she has learnt lessons from the fling. She said:

"I wouldn't edit anything out of my life. I learnt the hard way that the easiest thing is to keep it to myself. With the whole Harry situation, about 95% of what was written was false. I didn't really know where to begin. But I've developed thicker skin and become more hardened to it. I don't get as upset as I used to, but I'm still human."