Love Island sign up inspirational influencer who nearly DIED in horrific fire-breathing accident
LOVE Island’s latest signing is former fire breather Sophie Lee, who suffered horror burns when an air-con unit blew flames back in her face.
The dancer, from Manchester, was just 22 when the freak accident on stage in Chicago left her fighting for her life.
Now 29, stunning Sophie has become a model and influencer, works with Katie Piper’s foundation and has even written a book on her experience.
And her next chapter will see her looking for love on the ITV2 dating show when it kicks off next month.
A source said: “Sophie is a gorgeous girl and a powerhouse of a woman who has overcome everything life has thrown at her.
“Just like Tasha Ghouri’s amazing time in the villa where she raised awareness for the hearing impaired, Love Island bosses are thrilled to give Sophie the same platform to discuss her accident and how she’s become comfortable in her skin since.
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“Love Island has always tried to be about more than just looks and Sophie is a classic example of an Islander with real substance.
“She’s in the mix for this year’s cast, with execs deciding soon if she will be in the original line-up or a bombshell.”
ITV this week announced Love Island would launch on June 9 but has not yet confirmed its cast.
The show’s 12 series have now been streamed 2 BILLION times on ITVX.
Speaking to The Sun about the horror accident back in 2019, Sophie told how her act went disastrously wrong.
The air-con in the venue was too powerful and blasted a fireball back at her, causing her face and chest to “go up in flames”.
Sophie told our Fabulous Magazine: “The air-con was too strong so when I blew the fire out it blew back to me. It set me on fire. I just remember being in so much pain, I blacked out for a little bit. It's crazy.
“It happened in front of everyone and I had to get on with it as professionally and quickly as I could. As soon as I got into the ambulance, I was in bits."
Sophie spent a month in intensive care in America by herself, while receiving treatment for the burns which saw her drift in and out of consciousness as life-saving machines helped her breathe.
She added: “That was a scary, scary time. I couldn’t breathe by yourself, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t really see, it was scary. I was pretty out of it but on day two on looked in the mirror and just cried.”
Sophie’s scars turned into a facial deformity, with a tumour growing on the side of her face.
Since leaving hospital, Sophie has become a successful beauty influencer even winning the Beauty Awards Influencer of the Year 2023.
She has also modelled for countless campaigns and fashion companies over the past few years.
And she has published a book called In My Skin.
Speaking since then, she said: “Life since the accident is definitely something I didn’t expect because I just see myself as someone who went through something and thought my story could help others.
“My aim was never to get awards or receive that type of attention. With the platform I have now, I feel like I have not only a responsibility to others but a responsibility to myself to be a better person everyday and to always be evolving.
“If people were to take a message from my story I’d say that beauty is always skin deep and your life is perfect just as it is.
“You just need to be yourself and accepting of life’s roller coaster so love your perfectly imperfect life.”
Love Island have also lined up stunning model Shakira Khan for the new series.
Shakira’s Instagram page is filled with gorgeous travel snaps from Haiti, Dubai and New York - and she’s not afraid of a bikini showcase too.
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The beauty joins hunky Aaron Buckett in the mix for this summer’s cast.
Among them, according to DailyMail, is Lucy Quinn, a 20-year-old make-up artist from Liverpool who is set to enter as a bombshell during the show’s run.
