Meet Sophie Lee, Love Island UK Season 12’s inspirational 29-year-old contestant. The motivational speaker and author survived a 2018 fire-breathing accident, penned a memoir (In My Skin), built a nearly 100K-follower influencer career (Beauty Awards Influencer of 2023), and now advocates for burn survivors and self-love.
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Discover her remarkable journey and what she brings to the villa.British Chinese motivational speaker and author Sophie Lee (29) is set to join Love Island UK Season 12.
Lee’s story is extraordinary: as a former fire-performer she suffered life-threatening burns in a 2018 stage accident, and spent a month in hospital fighting for her life. Today she’s a successful beauty influencer and advocate, and hopes to find love in the villa.
In this article we detail Sophie’s accident and recovery, her career milestones (book, award, brand partnerships), her Instagram influence, her past link to Love Island (dating Ouzy See), and why she could redefine what it means to be an Islander.
Fire-Breathing Accident and Recovery
During a 2018 performance in Chicago, a rogue flame backfired into Sophie’s face. An air-conditioning unit forced the fire down the wrong way, scorching her face and chest.
She was rushed into intensive care: “I couldn’t even process it… the next thing you know I was in intensive care”.
Sophie spent a month hospitalized and endured a harrowing recovery. The burns left a massive keloid tumor on her face – she later described being unable to “breathe, eat, or sleep” as the scar tissue grew into a facial deformity.
It was a devastating blow, but Sophie drew strength from the outpouring of support online and from loved ones during her dark days.
- Accident: April 2018, Chicago – fire performer, AC blew flame onto Sophie.
- Injuries: Severe burns to face and chest; a month in hospital ICU.
- Recovery: Treated with cryosurgery and steroid injections for the keloid tumor. Became a case study for doctors worldwide (no known cure).
- Aftermath: Initially went “through a dark place” mentally, but found purpose in sharing her story.
By sharing her journey openly, Sophie gained a strong following and used the experience to inspire others. “She wants her story to help others,” local media reported, noting she now uses her platform to spread positivity.
Through social media and speaking engagements, Sophie reframed her ordeal as a testament to resilience.
Career Milestones: Author, Influencer, Award-Winner
After recovering, Sophie Lee built a new career as an influencer, model, author and speaker. She wrote a memoir, In My Skin: Learning to Love Your Perfectly Imperfect Life, chronicling her journey of self-love after the accident.
(The book’s foreword is written by Katie Piper, a high-profile burn survivor.) Sophie also became a sought-after model and brand partner – she’s worked with companies like L’Oréal, La Roche-Posay and Glamour UK.
Her upbeat message and authenticity resonated on Instagram, where she amassed ~100,000 followers praising her confidence and style.
- Book: In My Skin: Learning to Love Your Perfectly Imperfect Life (2024).
- Influencer: Collaborations with L’Oréal, La Roche-Posay, Glamour UK; Instagram @sophirelee has ~100K followers.
- Award: Beauty Awards 2023 – Influencer of the Year.
- Modeling: Featured in campaigns for multiple fashion and beauty brands.
- Advocacy: Works with the Katie Piper Foundation (burn survivors), spreads body-positive and self-love messages.
Sophie uses her platform to advocate for burn survivors and body confidence. She frequently posts about self-love and has teamed with the Katie Piper Foundation – a UK charity founded by another burn-survivor celebrity.
As one profile notes, Sophie has become “a positive role model” thanks to her story.In interviews she emphasizes that she hopes others see her scars as a source of empowerment, not shame. This work – sharing her experience to inspire empathy – is a key part of what makes her unique.
Love Island Announcement and Relationship with Ouzy See
According to media reports, ITV invited Sophie to join Love Island UK Season 12 because of her inspiring story.
A source told Heat Magazine that producers want to “give Sophie the same platform to discuss her accident and how she’s become comfortable in her skin since,” comparing her potential role to that of deaf contestant Tasha Ghouri from a past season.
In other words, Sophie’s presence on the show is meant to spotlight real-life issues, not just romance. As one insider remarked, “Love Island has always tried to be about more than just looks… Sophie is a classic example of an Islander with real substance.”
Sophie also has a past link to Love Island through her personal life. In late 2023 she was briefly linked to Ouzy See, who had appeared in Love Island UK 2023.
According to reports, the couple started dating after Ouzy’s exit from the villa in November 2023, with Ouzy calling Sophie an “inspiration”.
(Their relationship was mentioned in press coverage when Sophie’s name was announced.) While Sophie is focusing on the new season, the Ouzy connection adds an extra twist to her Love Island narrative – the show’s world already knew her in passing.
Why Sophie Lee Could Redefine an Islander
Sophie Lee stands out from the typical contestant profile, and that’s exactly why many say she could redefine what it means to be a Love Island Islander. Her journey is far from the usual villa drama; it’s a story of survival, self-empowerment and advocacy. Below are some key reasons she brings a fresh perspective:
- Overcoming Adversity: Unlike many Islanders who come from modeling or dating-show backgrounds, Sophie endured a life-threatening accident and an intense recovery. This depth of experience means she brings real substance to the show.
- Positive Role Model: As a motivational speaker and burn-survivor advocate, Sophie uses her platform to help others. Producers hope she raises awareness of burn survivors’ issues (similar to how Tasha Ghouri highlighted hearing impairment).
- Diversity and Representation: Sophie is a Chinese-British woman with visible scars. Her presence increases ethnic and body-diversity on the show, showing that beauty comes in many forms. Fans note that after years of relatively homogeneous casts, she literally stands out for her differences.
- Influencer & Achiever: With ~100K followers and a Beauty Awards trophy under her belt, Sophie arrives with an established voice and audience. She knows social media and self-marketing, which could change how contestants portray themselves.
- Confidence and Growth: Sophie has openly said her scars once made her feel she wasn’t “sexy or cute enough” to date, but now she’s done years of inner work She could inspire viewers by showing that confidence comes from within, not just looks.
In short, Sophie isn’t on Love Island just to flirt – she’s also there to tell her story. In doing so, she highlights that Love Island can be about personal growth and advocacy, not only relationships and drama.
Many media outlets emphasize this angle: as one source put it, “Sophie is a powerhouse of a woman who has overcome everything life has thrown at her”. Her entry into the villa suggests ITV is continuing a trend of casting contestants with meaningful causes, and Sophie Lee epitomizes that move.
Inside Sophie’s World: Instagram and Influence
Sophie Lee has cultivated a strong online presence by sharing her life and message. On Instagram (@sophirelee), she now has nearly 100,000 followers.
Her feed mixes professional modeling photos (she’s worked with big beauty brands) with candid posts about her recovery and daily life. She frequently uses the hashtag #inmyskin (the title of her book) to promote body positivity.
Her influencer success is reflected in the awards and partnerships she’s earned. In 2023 she won Influencer of the Year at The Beauty Awards.
This industry recognition shows how far she’s come – from hiding in hospital to walking red carpets for fashion events. Interviewers note that Sophie embraces her scars in photoshoots, often pointing them out proudly.
On social media she captions photos with reminders like “Beauty is only skin deep” and “my comeback will always be stronger than my setback”.
This savvy use of Instagram both supports her career and spreads her advocacy. Her large following means that when Sophie speaks (about surviving trauma, or the importance of self-love), thousands listen.
Those followers will surely tune in when she enters the Love Island villa – she arrives as an established public figure, not an unknown. In turn, her Love Island exposure will likely boost her platform even more, giving her new opportunities to advocate for others.
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