Love Island returned in truly iconic fashion last night, as the first set of Islanders made themselves at home in the villa and braced themselves for a summer of love.

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Among those Islanders is Sophie Lee, who opened up in emotional scenes of having to rebuild her life after being involved in a "fire accident".

"It made me the woman that I am," she told new partner Harry Cooksley. "It made me learn so much about life and interactions with people and how to be better."

She continued: "I believe to date people, you also need to be in a good place in yourself. That’s why in my early 20s, I think I wasn't ready to date because I didn't feel good in myself. I had a lot of self work to do, I had a lot of building my own confidence."

As Sophie continues her life in the Love Island villa, read on to learn more about her and her career.

Sophie Lee - key facts

Sophie Lee wearing a red swimsuit, smiling ahead with her hands on her hips.
Sophie Lee. ITV

Age: 29

Job: Motivational speaker and author

From: Manchester

Instagram: @sophirelee

Who is Sophie Lee?

Sophie Lee is a 29-year-old motivational speaker and author from Manchester. Sophie used to work as fire breather before suffering an accident on stage after an air conditioning unit blew the flames back in her face and left her with severe burns.

Since then, Sophie has written a book about her experience and has worked with The Katie Piper Foundation to raise awareness for fellow burn survivors.

Sophie is a girls' girl through and through, describing herself as the "CEO of empowerment". She said: "I want women to feel beautiful and validated in themselves and feel their best self."

How old is Sophie Lee?

Sophie is 29 years old, making her among the eldest in this year's show.

Is Sophie on Instagram?

Woman stands in a pink toned airport lounge in a red bikini and black sandal heels. Her long black hair is behind her shoulders.
Sophie Lee. ITV/Love Island

Yes! You can follow Sophie on Instagram @sophirelee, where she already has a following of just over 90,000 at the time of reporting.

What does Sophie look for in a partner?

Sophie is hoping to find someone completely different from the men she usually goes for outside of villa, describing her type as: "Someone who is fun, spontaneous, who has a lot of jokes and who is attentive.

"At the moment, I’m only finding ones draped in red flags and 'do not cross' signs."

Read more on Love Island 2025 contestants:

Love Island seasons 1-11 are available to watch on ITVX. You can watch all previous seasons of Love Island on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.

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Authors

Phoebe Kowhai BarnesFreelance Writer

Phoebe Kowhai Barnes is a Freelance Writer who covers pop culture and entertainment programmes for the Radio Times. She previously worked as the Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab where she managed its local department. She obtained a BA (Hons) in English Literature from University of Nottingham.

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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