Latest news with #TheKatiePiperFoundation
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Love Island UK Season 12: Who is Sophie Lee? All about the motivational speaker and first contestant to leave the villa
Sophie Lee has become the first contestant to exit Love Island UK Season 12 after her partner, Harry Cooksley, chose to recouple with Shakira instead. The 29-year-old motivational speaker took her early departure in stride, expressing gratitude for the experience despite her short time in the villa. Sophie Lee opens up about her exit from the Villa After Harry recoupled with Shakira, Sophie found herself single and was subsequently sent home. Reflecting on her departure, she said, "I really enjoyed being in the villa, I am really grateful for this experience." Holding no grudges, Sophie wished Harry well, adding, "I wish Harry all the best—he genuinely deserves a girl who can make him happy." Sophie may have been dumped from the villa but she's a born fighter Before entering the villa, Sophie faced a life-changing accident at 22 while working as a professional fire dancer. She revealed that an air conditioning unit blew flames back at her, leaving her with severe facial burns. Since then, she has become an advocate for self-love and body positivity. In an interview with The Sun, she opened up about her scars: "I just have to accept myself for me. I think sometimes people stare because they don't know how to ask. It's not intentionally rude, I think they're just curious and don't know what to say. I never mind if people ask about my scars, then I can educate more people about what happened." Sophie also shared how the accident transformed her self-confidence, "In school, I went through that phase of 'oh, I'm massive, I'm this and that,' because I think you naturally do when you're that age... But with this accident, it's crazy. Because the one time I feel like I should be most body conscious, I'm probably the happiest I've ever been." Who is Sophie Lee? Sophie Lee, 29, hails from Manchester and brought a wealth of passion and purpose to the villa. As a motivational speaker, author, and former fire performer, she's built a reputation for fearlessly embracing her own story and helping others do the same. Known on Instagram as @sophirelee, where she's gathered over 109,000 followers, she proudly calls herself the 'CEO of empowerment.' Off-camera, Sophie works closely with The Katie Piper Foundation to support burn survivors, using her platform to champion confidence and self-acceptance in women everywhere. Her Instagram feed is a vibrant blend of workout videos, candid snapshots of her healing journey, and skincare tips. She uses the platform to showcase both her physical strength and emotional resilience, sharing everything from intense training sessions to everyday self-care routines. What does Sophie look for in a partner? Sophie admitted she usually goes for "red flag" men outside the villa but hoped to find someone different on Love Island. She described her ideal type as "someone who is fun, spontaneous, who has a lot of jokes, and who is attentive." While Sophie's Love Island journey may have been cut short, her pursuit of love will continue.
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Loose Women star 'never thought she'd make it to 40' after devastating attack
Katie Piper has spoken candidly about turning 40 - a milestone she once thought she would never reach following a near-fatal acid attack in 2008 Broadcaster and campaigner Katie Piper has described turning 40 as a milestone she never expected to reach, reflecting on the traumatic events that nearly claimed her life 17 years ago. In an interview with The Times, the Loose Women panellist said she was surprised by the negative societal attitudes surrounding women ageing, particularly given the life-threatening ordeal she endured in her twenties. 'It was quite shocking for me, because turning 40 was only ever positive,' Piper said. 'It was a celebration of my life and reaching a milestone I never thought I'd reach." Piper was 24 when she suffered life-changing injuries in an acid attack orchestrated by her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, in March 2008. Just two days after Lynch raped and stabbed her, he arranged for 19-year-old Stefan Sylvestre to throw sulphuric acid in her face. The attack left Piper with extensive burns and permanent damage, including the loss of her nose, part of her ear, her eyelids, and partial vision in one eye. She was treated at a specialist burns unit in London, where surgeons performed pioneering reconstructive procedures, including the UK's first use of a skin substitute to rebuild her face. Her injuries also required extensive surgery to her mouth and tongue. Despite the severity of her injuries, Piper has since gone on to build a successful career in broadcasting and advocacy. In the years following the attack, she waived her right to anonymity and told her story in the Channel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face, which brought national attention to the issue of acid attacks. In 2009, she founded The Katie Piper Foundation, which supports burns survivors through rehabilitation and care. In 2022, she was awarded an OBE for her services to charity and victims of burns and other disfigurements. She joined the panel of ITV 's Loose Women in 2021 and previously competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. Piper has also published a best-selling autobiography and continues to use her platform to raise awareness about visible difference and resilience. While acknowledging that her public profile stemmed from the attack, Piper emphasised that she does not want her achievements to be defined by it. 'It's not like I'm an actress or a pop star,' she said. 'I came to public attention as a news story, as a victim of a violent crime. I hope, 17 years on, I'm doing something different, but I think it's probably unfair of me to say, 'I don't want to talk about the burns and the attack anymore.'' She added: 'I think it's more that I don't want to attribute my success [since] to that man's actions against me.' Piper said her continued success should instead be credited to her own resilience and hard work. 'If I'm seen on Loose Women laughing about something entirely different or presenting a totally different show, the public starts to accept visibly different people doing lots of different things. And that is when inclusion and acceptance happen,' she said. Since her recovery, Piper has married carpenter Richard Sutton, with whom she shares two daughters, Belle, 11, and Penelope, 7. The couple had hoped to have a third child but had to reconsider after Piper underwent emergency eye surgery. Reflecting on the early assumptions made about her future, Piper said she was once expected to live a limited life. 'For a long time, it was assumed that I'd be dependent on [my] parents and have a mediocre existence,' she said. 'I had to write the rule book for me.' Daniel Lynch was convicted of rape, grievous bodily harm, and actual bodily harm, and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years. Sylvestre received a life sentence with a minimum of six years and was released in 2018 after serving nine years. Lynch is expected to appear before a parole board next month. Piper continues to campaign for greater understanding and support for those living with visible differences and remains committed to using her platform to foster greater inclusivity and resilience in public life. If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Metro
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Loose Women star admits she 'never thought she'd reach 40'
After celebrating her 40th birthday in October 2023, Loose Women star Katie Piper has admitted it's an age she never expected to reach. The model was 'shocked' when people implied that reaching her fourth decade was almost something to fear, as ageing in women is often portrayed, given how she had to fight for her life in her twenties. Katie first became known to the world in 2009 when she waived her anonymity after an acid attack, fronting a documentary to tell her story after life as she knew it was destroyed. She suffered life-changing injuries the year before when her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, hired 19-year-old Stefan Sylvestre to throw sulphuric acid over her, two days after Katie was raped and stabbed several times by Lynch. The acid burned through all three main layers of her skin and melted away her features. Katie, now partially blind in one eye, was rushed to a specialist burns unit in London, where the medical team operated on the worst injuries they had seen. Her face was rebuilt using a skin substitute, as Katie had lost her nose, half of her ear, and her eyelids. Her mouth and tongue were also damaged, resulting in a first-of-its-kind procedure for the UK. In the 17 years since the horrendous ordeal, Katie has campaigned tirelessly, having set up a rehabilitation centre of her own and received an OBE in 2022. Speaking to The Times for a new interview, Katie reflects on recent years, explaining that she wishes to reach multiple generations with her work, specifically in a bid to remind them that ageing is a 'privilege'. 'It was quite shocking for me, because turning 40 was only ever positive,' she said, having been asked how she 'felt' constantly in the lead-up to the day. 'It was a celebration of my life and reaching a milestone I never thought I'd reach.' Katie has celebrated many achievements in recent years, both on and off the screen. She's helped other survivors transform their lives with The Katie Piper Foundation and released a best-selling autobiography. She took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 and joined the Loose Women panel in 2021. While Katie is extremely aware of how her name became known, she also doesn't want all her successes attributed to her trauma. 'It's not like I'm an actress or a pop star,' she said, acknowledging that her burns will always be part of her 'story'. 'I came to public attention as a news story, as a victim of a violent crime. I hope, 17 years on, I'm doing something different, but I think it's probably unfair of me to say, 'I don't want to talk about the burns and the attack anymore.' 'I think it's more that I don't want to attribute my success [since] to that man's actions against me.' Katie feels that talking specifically about the attack is 'attributing what [she] has achieved to his actions rather than [her] own resilience'. Determined for the attack not to be a 'noose around [her] neck', she declared that she is much more than a 'campaigner'. 'If I'm seen on Loose Women laughing about something entirely different or presenting a totally different show, the public starts to accept visibly different people doing lots of different things. And that is when inclusion and acceptance happen.' Shortly after she suffered her burns in the late 2000s, society could not picture Katie going on to live the life she has done, which included marrying Richard Sutton in 2015. Katie is also a proud mum to two daughters: Belle, 11, and Penelope, seven. She and her partner had to abandon their hopes of having a third child when Katie required emergency surgery on her eye. For a long time, it was assumed that she would be forever 'dependent on [her] parents' and have a 'mediocre existence'. More Trending Determined to permanently shift that narrative, Katie became the person others could look up to. 'I had to write the rule book for me,' she states proudly. Lynch was convicted of rape, GBH, and ABH and given a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years after Katie's attack. Sylvestre was also given a life sentence, with a minimum of six years. View More » Sylvestre was released after nine years behind bars, while Lynch will appear before a parole board next month. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Tina Knowles gets choked up on Loose Women over 'difficult' breast cancer diagnosis
