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I interviewed Love Island’s Sophie Lee weeks after her ‘face fell off’ – she’s overcome ‘constant’ pain & a month in ICU
LOVE Islanders are notorious for scrubbing their social media in the days leading up to the Villa, leaving only the most polished snaps up on their feeds.
But open Sophie Lee’s page even today and the photos pinned to the top, from 2019 and 2020, show her with huge swollen scars protruding from her face.
Personally I’m not surprised. As someone who interviewed Sophie twice right in the thick of her struggles, I know she’s different from some of the ultra-superficial women who grace our screens in their bikinis.
When I first spoke to Manchester-based Sophie, she was 23, and it was days before Christmas 2018. Fabulous was one of the first publications to share her story with the world.
Airy and bright during our chat, you’d have no idea what she was going through without visual proof. Her attitude was amazing, especially for someone so young.
A professional fire dancer, Sophie was permanently scarred when an air-con unit blew flames back into her face in a freak accident in April 2018.
After her face went up in flames, she spent a month in intensive care, and emerged from the trauma with a whole new attitude on life.
In her own words, the accident made Sophie “toughen up and grow a thicker skin”.
She told me: “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.”
Love Island weight loss plans, makeovers and even non-surgical tweakments are now common-place among the contestants, all religiously documented on social media as the competitive TV show enters its 10th year.
All Stars’ Gabby Allen even flogged her pre-villa fitness plan when she emerged as the show’s most recent winner.
Sophie, who had a five-figure following as an influencer well before Love Island came knocking, wasn’t immune to body confidence concerns before her accident.
She told me: “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.
“Everyone’s judging each other, you’re growing boobs, you’re like ‘oh, I don’t know what this is’. I think everyone kind of has body issues going through high school.
“All my friends had big boobs or had legs, and I’ve always been a bit up and down on the scale of my weight.
“Especially with the industry I was in (of dance and performing), I was always scrutinised for how you look.
“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.”
Despite early signs her facial scars were healing well, Sophie later developed dramatic keloids on her chin.
Keloids are benign tumours which grow in areas of trauma and are more common in people with olive or black skin, or in Sophie’s case having Chinese heritage.
She said: “Dancing’s all about getting dressed up, glitz and glam, I’ve always loved that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not myself and I know I’ll never be myself again.
“That’s something I have to accept and it has been hard to accept that – but also without this scar I would be dead. That’s the way I look at it, I don’t look at it as a burden.”
We spoke for a second time in June 2019, just weeks after Sophie had ground-breaking cryo surgery.
Never one to shy away from the gruesome details, or hide behind edited pics, Sophie’s PR pitched the story to me with an email entitled “My face came off in my hands.”
Without this scar I would be dead. That’s the way I look at it, I don’t look at it as a burden
Sophie Lee
Explaining the NHS-funded op at the time, Sophie said: “The scar started to die and then my face basically fell off. Liquid nitrogen was pumped in to kill it.
“At first it went massive, like it had been pumped up with water. It tripled in size, it was horrendous.
“In hospital I just felt like a giant slug, I couldn’t move or do anything.
“Then it just started leaking liquid nitrogen. Over the space of two months, it was starting to dry out and peel away.
“It was horrendous, the skin was dying and it was on my face. I couldn’t really move my neck, it was just so painful.
The scar started to die and then my face basically fell off. At first it went massive, like it had been pumped up with water. It tripled in size, it was horrendous
Sophie Lee
“When it actually detached I couldn’t feel anything, because it had already died.
“But at the start it was really raw, fresh skin. Showering was unbearable.
“For a good month I couldn’t really do anything. I had to change the dressings at least twice a day – they were soaking wet all the time.
“I couldn’t leave the house because I had to take so many dressings and pads with me.”
She now keeps her dead skin in the freezer, in a small Tupperware box, explaining it’s “next to the peas, no big deal”.
Sophie, who’s been celibate for eight months, had the treatment in March 2019, as her tumours threatened to engulf her face.
She told me: “Keloid scarring is a form of benign tumour, it was going to carry on growing and slowly overtake my face.
“It was very painful and becoming a big burden. I had started to lose movement on my neck, because it was growing so rapidly.
“The scars got so big you couldn’t see my neck, it came down to my chin.
“Because of my ethnicity, being Chinese, it was really angry and violent.
“The longer I left it, the bigger the keloids would have gotten. I was in so much pain and it was starting to alter my expressions on my face.”
Sophie always wanted to turn what had happened to her into a positive, raising awareness of injuries even in her early 20s.
She said: “I’ve got a younger sister who’s 16 years old, that was the age when I was comparing myself a lot.
“And I just want her to know that, your big sister can still do it and represent girls, I want her to feel proud of me.
“She looks up to a lot of my friends, looks up to me and I want to be that good example for her.
“It’s important to mould the next generation, not the current generation. I want to put them in a good mindset.”
Despite Sophie’s sunny disposition, she was clearly hugely affected by what had happened to her, which may be why it’s taken her six years to say yes to Love Island (I’d be stunned if they hadn’t approached her for previous years).
She told me in 2019: “I try not to think negatively, but I am in pain and you do think ‘when is this going to be over?’ I’m constantly suffering.
“Even now I can’t go outside when it’s sunny without having to cover up my whole face, because it’s fresh skin and I’ll get burnt really fast.
“I wear a black mask to protect it. It’s healed underneath but just to be safe.
“I don’t want to risk getting burnt, it’s not worth it. I’m still healing.
“But I am in the best hands and it’s important to talk about the good and the bad, because that means I can help others in this situation.
“I’m a normal person, I have feelings, I’m not just living this amazing life. I do have my down days, and it’s OK to feel like that.”
As Sophie jets off to sunny Mallorca to enter the villa on Monday, where temperatures are reaching 32C, the lack of black mask will be a stark reminder of how far she has come.
Mum rants about ‘worst hols ever’ & ‘disgusting food’ at 4-star Greek hotel but trolls call her a ‘drama queen’
A BRIT mum has been dubbed a ”drama queen” after ranting about the ”worst holiday ever” at a four-star Greek hotel.
Mother-of-two, only known as TikToker @strawbz938, jetted off to Greece with her family after booking the holiday with TUI.
The furious mother, from Cardiff, claimed they were promised ”a five-star resort” where they’d stay for ”seven nights” – but the ordeal soon turned into ”a long list of problems”.
After landing in Rhodes and checking into the resort, the mum discovered the accommodation was ”a three-star resort”.
”But because they have a water park, they’re able to bump it up to a four-star.
”In my opinion, it’s not even a three-star,” she said in the TikTok video, showing viewers the conditions of the resort.
The outraged mother also added that while the pool area ”looked stunning”, upon further inspection, she discovered everything was ”taped together”.
After complaining to the staff, the family was then moved to a different part of the resort – however, the new room also ”wasn’t up” to her standards.
”I was under the impression that I was booking a five-star resort,” she said, vowing to ”do research and read the reviews” next time.
Unfortunately for the holiday-goers, it ”then went from bad to worse”, as they here hit by ”a massive storm”.
”We got absolutely soaked walking back and forth from the one hotel to the other. At this point, I was just wanted to cry,” the TikToker lamented.
To their absolute horror, the area was covered by mega puddles – with the hubby having to carry the mother across, as ”there was no way” she’d walk through the rain water in her ”90p flip flops from Primark”.
Although the following day the weather had improved, the mother was less than impressed with the food – which she dubbed ”absolutely disgusting”.
Sharing her woes online, the holiday-goer also showed viewers her plate of lasagna, salad, coleslaw and couscous.
After desperately wanting to ”leave the hotel”, the family ventured out and visited the ”stunning” Old Town.
She said: ”Everyone kept telling to try and cheer up and just deal with it – that’s exactly what I did for my children, I wanted them to have the best holiday ever.”
But their troubles didn’t end there – as an hour after going to bed, they were woken up by ”a massive earthquake”.
In the end, the mother decided that she had had ”enough” and took the family back home.
She went on in the caption: ”I know I’m lucky to have a holiday and some people aren’t in a position to even go away for the weekend but when you’ve requested specific standards and you turn up to a lot less, it’s very frustrating!”
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Although TUI ”are currently dealing with the situation”, the furious TikToker – who claimed to have forked out £5k for the trip – said she didn’t ”have much faith at all”.
”As for me being dramatic over the earthquake – yes, I do overreact, I overthink and I panic and when my children are involved I act fast and I just up and left, maybe if I hadn’t of had the worst holiday ever to begin with I’d feel more comfortable saying after I’d calmed down!”
‘Drama queen’
Since being posted online, the holiday video has taken the internet by storm, amassing close to 370k views in just one day.
But while the mother was certainly far from impressed with the getaway, people online thought she was overreacting, as they branded her a ”drama queen”.
One said: ”Drama queen. you cut your kids holiday short,take out board games,enjoy your time with the children!”
Another chimed in: ”Complaining about the weather and earthquake like it’s TUI or the Hotels fault.”
A third joked: ”Did TUI make it rain?”
Someone else said: ”I don’t think I’ve ever booked a holiday without extensively checking review sites. Is that not just standard practice?”
However, there were also plenty of those who agreed with the mum-of-two, with one writing: ”it looks awful….that sounds like a holiday from hell. nice that your husband carried you over the puddle lol.”
”This is such a shame when you spend your hard earned money trying to make the best memories for your family! glad you’re home safe!” commented another.
Arsenal interested in shock transfer for Real Madrid star Rodrygo as Mikel Arteta targets two priority positions
ARSENAL are interested in Real Madrid star Rodrygo as they prepare to strengthen two big attacking areas this summer.
Left-wing and striker are the priority positions for Mikel Arteta, and the club have a number of targets in each category.
The Gunners are prepping for a big summer window after narrowly falling short of the Premier League title for a third consecutive season.
And Rodrygo is high among the left-wingers on Arsenal’s list, along with Spain star Nico Williams and Leroy Sane, who will be a free agent after leaving Bayern Munich this summer.
According to reports, Rodrygo is set for crunch talks about his future with new Madrid manager Xabi Alonso this week.
Despite having three years left on his Real deal, the Brazil international lost his starting place this season under former boss Carlo Ancelotti.
The arrival of Kylian Mbappe last year resulted in less game-time for Rodrygo, who’s also been linked with Chelsea and Manchester City.
Rodrygo, who has scored 68 goals and got 50 assists from Real Madrid in 267 games, is unhappy with his playing time after winning two Champions League titles with Real.
Arsenal are on red alert after Madrid splashed out £33million on Argentine wonderkid Franco Mastantuono.
No price tag has been confirmed for Rodrygo, but the 24-year-old is expected to cost at least £67million.
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If Rodrygo and Atletico Madrid winger Williams aren’t available, Arsenal could also move for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.
Rogers, who scored 14 goals and provided 15 assists for Villa in the Premier League this season, would still demand a significant fee – likely north of £50million.
Meanwhile, after finishing second three times in a row, Arteta is desperately searching for a world-class No 9.
Newcastle‘s £150m striker Alexander Isak and Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres are top two targets to lead the line.
But Eddie Howe is confident of keeping Isak after the club qualified for next season’s Champions League.
RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has been linked with Arsenal since January and has been valued at £70million.
Women’s Euro 2025 star who turned down Playboy reveals she constantly flooded with photos of naked men
GERMANY captain Giulia Gwinn has detailed the harassment that she has received from men online.
Gwinn, 25, will wear the armband as Germany go for glory at Women’s Euro 2025 next month.
Ahead of the tournament, the defender opened up on what she has had to deal with on social media.
In her new autobiography, Gwinn revealed: “I constantly receive photos of naked men.
“So-called penis pics. This kind of stuff constantly pops up in my Instagram inbox. The photos are always from anonymous accounts.
“I delete the photos and messages, and I report the accounts. It’s just plain bad harassment.”
Having suffered with a cruciate ligament injury, Gwinn was offered a lucrative deal to pose for Playboy in 2023.
The German star called the offer “very tempting” – but instead decided: “I prefer to present myself as a footballer on the field.”
Gwinn has since received further offers from the magazine, but has stuck to her stance.
The Bayern Munich star added: “They’re beautiful and aesthetic photos, no doubt.
“But they’re not for me. Posting a bikini photo on my account is fine, but anything else exceeds my personal limits.”
Gwinn, who has more than 600,000 Instagram followers, remains on Playboy Germany boss Florian Boitin’s radar.
He said: “Giulia Gwinn is not only an outstanding athlete, but also a beautiful young woman. So a personality like her is naturally interesting for Playboy.”
Gwinn recovered from her nasty knee injury to reclaim her spots with both Bayern and the German national team.
She scored twice at last summer‘s Olympic Games as Germany won bronze.
While she also netted as her side beat England 4-3 at Wembley last October.
Germany will begin their Euro 2025 campaign against Poland in St Gallen on July 4.
They will then face further group stage tests against Denmark and Sweden.
Moment brazen Evri driver flings parcels into huge pile on road before asking fuming local ‘what… are they damaged?’
THIS is the shocking moment an Evri driver throws parcels onto the floor before being confronted by a disgruntled resident.
Emma Morton, who captured the footage on CCTV, said she witnessed the men letting the packages fall out of their van whilst making deliveries in her Cornish village.
The video shows the two delivery men standing idle whilst almost a dozen packages fall to the ground.
The two men can then be seen pulling out more parcels from the van and throwing them on the floor.
They are then pictured being confronted by an angry local, who later said she had been expecting a beauty box, which could easily have been broken.
She told Cornwall Live: “I was annoyed more than anything else. Luckily, parcels weren’t damaged.”
But despite her innocent bid to save her neighbours’ parcels, she said she was met with “disrespect” by a “rude” delivery driver.
“[One of the men] was so rude to me after I went out to speak to them. He asked what my problem was and if my parcel was damaged but I said I didn’t know,” she said.
Evri has since let go of one of the drivers and said the behaviour is not a reflection of the firm’s standards.
In a statement the firm said: “Every parcel matters to us, and this behaviour does not reflect the high standards we usually see from the vast majority of our couriers.
“We have investigated the matter and the courier in question, who was providing temporary cover on this day, will no longer be delivering on behalf of Evri.”
This comes just days after an Iceland delivery driver was caught urinating on a customer’s bins.
Josh Weaver, 27, alleged the supermarket driver became “aggressive” when he confronted the courier for taking a wee break after dropping off his £50 shop.
He said he tried to throw punches and pushed him against the wall in Norwood, South London, last month.
Mr Weaver then stood in front of the van to stop him driving off while he was on the phone to police.
But the driver is said to have got into the van from the passenger side, and then jumped over to the driver’s seat and moved the van.
He is said to have driven for around 20 seconds, swerving in the road, before he stopped when he nearly crashed.
This also follows a brawl earlier this month between a JustEat driver and a Domino’s driver.
The video appeared to have been filmed by a bystander, who caught the two delivery drivers squaring up to each other on Military Road in Canterbury.
The Just Eat cyclist had grabbed the Domino’s driver by the scruff of his clothes and appeared to be shouting something at him.
However, the Domino’s driver grabbed the other man before trying to get him into a headlock.
The men grappled, throwing their arms around each other, before the Uber Eats rider threw the Domino’s worker against a red car.
Five ways parents can get help with summer holiday costs including childcare and food if you’re on Universal Credit
SUMMER holidays can end up costly for parents, especially those already struggling with the cost of living.
Parents can find themselves forking out an extra £1,000 a week over the summer break.
If they choose to go on holiday, the average price of a getaway for a family of four is more than £3,600.
But there are some ways you can keep the costs down – especially if you’re on benefits like Universal Credit.
The Sun explains what you can do…
‘Kids eat free’ offers
Over the summer holidays you’ll find plenty of cafe and restaurant chains run ‘kids eat free’ offers.
These are especially common in supermarket cafes and in restaurant chains aimed at families.
For example, Tesco gives children a free meal over the holidays as long as you buy something from the adult menu.
Asda offers kids’ meals for £1 but you don’t need to buy anything else to get the deal.
Other chains like Pizza Express, TGI Fridays, Franco Manca and Bill’s also usually offer deals over the holidays.
These tend to apply to any parents – not just those on Universal Credit or other benefits.
Free clubs
Low income families can get help from their local council through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.
It can be used to sign children up to sports, music and arts clubs, and it also offers them a nutritious meal each day for free.
The help on offer varies by council but families who receive free school meals are usually eligible.
In some areas you can get holiday club places for the equivalent of at least four hours a day.
You should contact your local authority to see what’s available, whether you’re eligible and how to apply.
Am I entitled to Universal Credit?
According to the GOV website, if you’re on a low income or need help with your living costs, then you could be entitled to Universal Credit.
To claim, you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (with some exceptions if you’re 15 to 17), be under State Pension age, and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments.
Other circumstances are if you are out of work, or unable to work, for example because of a health condition.
Food and energy bills vouchers
Another scheme run by local councils is the Household Support Fund (HSF).
Councils across England have been allocated a share of a huge £742million pot that can be spent on helping struggling residents.
The latest round of funding is running until March 2026.
Local authorities can choose how to spend their share of the fund, but many are transferring cash to the bank accounts of low-income households or offering vouchers that can be spent on energy bills or at supermarkets.
You usually qualify for help if you are on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable.
You should contact your local council to find out what’s on offer and whether you qualify for support.
Use an app for free or discounted food
Some apps can help you get hold of free or heavily discounted food that would otherwise go to waste.
Olio lets businesses and households offer up food that would be going into the bin.
It’s often on a first-come-first-served basis so you’ll need to be quick to snap up any items you want.
Another app you can try is Too Good To Go, which gives you ‘surprise bags’ of food at a discounted price.
Bear in mind you won’t know what you’re getting beforehand.
Free activities
Loads of UK attractions offer heavily discounted or even free admissions for people on Universal Credit or other key benefits.
Some of these include ZSL London Zoo, which offers tickets for just £3 for those on Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, or Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Peak tickets usually start from £33.
Meanwhile you can get in for free at York Castle Museum, or for just £1 at Kew Gardens or any of the Historic Royal Palaces.
You can see the full list of places here.
Cut childcare costs
You may be able to get tax-free childcare that can save you 20% on childcare costs over the summer.
If you have two kids in clubs for five weeks, that’s worth about £300.
The help is available for children aged under 12, or 17 if your child has a disability.
Eligible parents get up to £500 every three months — a total of £2,000 per year — per child to help with care such as nurseries and after-school clubs.
You can also use it toward the cost of holiday clubs.
You cannot use the scheme if you are on Universal Credit or receive tax credits – and you risk losing your benefits if you apply.
However you can claim for help with childcare costs separately through Universal Credit instead.
How to survive six weeks of school summer holidays
IF you are struggling with the six week summer holidays, you've come to the right place...
BATTLING BOREDOM: Despite hours of activities and playdates, if your kids are already complaining there’s nothing to do, parenting expert Liat Hughes Joshi says: “Don’t feel you have to organise every second of the holidays. Kids benefit from boredom and learn to make their own fun.
“Boredom can trigger creative and imaginative play but you need to encourage kids to get used to not being told how to spend their time.
“Ride out the pleas of boredom. Counter it with comments such as, ‘What do you think you could do?’ and maybe have a list of ‘I’m bored’ activity ideas on the fridge.”
SCREEN OVERLOAD: It’s tempting during the holidays to rely on a digital babysitter but don’t let them gawp their whole summer away in front of a screen.
Liat says: “It’s unfair to expect older kids to power down but it’s important to set some ground rules.
“Set family tech rules together. If you’re often distracted by your phone, follow the rules too. Maybe tell the kids they aren’t allowed any screen time until they’ve done set chores, some exercise, or a board game.
“Are there times when you’d like to ban screens completely? Perhaps during dinner or when they have friends over to visit.
“Tech is a battleground for parents, but you have to set boundaries. Stand firm and be prepared to be unpopular.”
TOO MUCH TOGETHERNESS: You love your kids, but being with them 24/7 can be exhausting. Do not feel guilty if you need a bit of downtime.
Liat says: “If you’re juggling work and household tasks as well as occupying the kids, it’s normal to start feeling overwhelmed or jaded and in need of some peace.
“If you can’t afford or don’t want to send your kids to all-day camps, look for free kids’ workshops so you can get on with jobs or have a break for a couple of hours.
“Seeking a spell of quiet every now and then doesn’t make you a bad parent — in fact it will probably make you more positive and enthusiastic when you are with the kids.”
SCHEDULING CONFLICT: Schedules can go out the window during holidays, but late nights and early mornings can mean tired and unhappy children.
Dr Tamara Bugembe, paediatrician and founder of Helperbees.co.uk says: “Children get grumpy, test boundaries and become challenging when routines are broken.
“Sticking to some kind of routine during the holidays is a good idea.
“We release hormones at different times of the day and when regular meal times and bed times are broken, it causes dips and peaks in mood.
“Holidays are about having fun but an early night once or twice a week will make everyone happier.”
EXCESS ENERGY: Make sure kids get out in the fresh air to tire them out — and make them healthier and happier.
Dr Bugembe says: “Sunshine also tops up vital vitamin D levels which helps improve bone strength and energy levels in children. Our levels run low in winter so let the kids stock up in warmer weather.
“Letting them run around in shorts and a T-shirt is the best way to top up. Make sure they’re wearing sun cream, get outside and have fun.
“Encourage them to try healthy habits such as cycling and walking. They’ll hopefully get hooked and want to carry them on when the weather gets colder.”
Brit athletics champion, 81, is a MONK who took 70 YEARS to claim first gold after ‘nearly collapsing’ on first run
A MARATHON monk has become a British athletics champion after SEVENTY YEARS despite “nearly collapsing” on his first run.
Father John Gribben is a sprightly 81 years old and can now claim to be top of his field after winning a gold medal at the British Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Known as the “sprinting monk” among parishioners, he won the 400 metre dash in two minutes, three seconds and 190 milliseconds.
Gribben also took home bronze medals in the 60 metre and 200 metre events in London.
But it took him 70 long years to finally achieve running stardom, with Gribben’s first attempt at the sport coming in the 1950s.
That didn’t exactly go to plan, with octogenarian admitting he could barely stand up straight after a half-mile effort.
He told The Times: “I nearly collapsed after that first run. I said, ‘I’m not a runner’, but I never stopped after it.”
Gribben started to master the art of running when he moved to Mirfield, West Yorkshire, in 1979 — where he remains this day.
And like any good athlete, Gribben dedicates himself to a gruelling mid-week training schedule.
He explained: “Three nights at least of a 5km run, most days I’ll do a 60 metre sprint, and then the other things are an hour at the local gym a couple of days a week.”
The Belfast native, who attended a theological college in Dublin, mainly gets his racing kicks at Greenhead Park’s Parkrun in Huddersfield.
He’s since completed over 250 events, boasting an impressive 5km Personal Best of 26 minutes.
Gribben, who takes TWO buses to reach the course, started attending when he was nearly 70 years old.
He now runs 5km in around 40 minutes, and those Saturday morning slogs finally paid dividends when he clinched gold at the Masters.
Gribben also revealed the spiritual kick he gets from running, adding: “There’s something in the spring, you hit one point where it is ecstasy, you’re outside yourself almost, when you hit that speed that carries you the last whatever you need to get to the line.
“Sometimes I just say to my saviour, ‘Well I’ll run if you run with me’.
“I don’t know that I get an answer but… I start putting on my trainers and it feels good to do.”
Who is Alima Gagigo and when is she joining Love Island 2025?
ALIMA Gagigo not only has brains and beauty — she’s made the cut for the UK’s biggest reality dating show.
The Sun exclusively revealed the full line-up for Love Island 2025 — here’s everything we know about Alima.
Who is Alima Gagigo?
Alima Gagigo is a 23-year-old personal banker from Glasgow, who is set to star in Love Island 2025.
She graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University with a degree in international business.
Alima proudly posted about her achievement online, posing with a bunch of flowers on her graduation day.
She also shares images from her holidays around the world on social media, including updates from destinations such as Lisbon, Mykonos and Morocco.
One snap shows the rising reality star hanging out at Wayne Lineker‘s Ocean Beach Club in Ibiza.
She clearly left a good impression on the notorious party animal, who is now following her on Instagram.
Alima also loves a trip to London for a bouji dinner and cocktails with pals.
As of June 6, 2025, the Barclays employee boasts almost 8,000 Instagram followers — a number that will surely skyrocket during her stint on the show.
Speaking about her chances on Love Island, Alima said: “I’m a good flirt.
“I always ask guys on a night out to guess which country I’m originally from.
“If they get it right, they can get my number.
“But they never guess correctly so it works really well if you don’t want to give a guy your number.
“I’m originally from Guinea Bissau. If they’re close and I really fancy them, I’ll give them my number anyway.”
When is Alima Gagigo Joining Love Island 2025?
Premiering at 9pm on Monday, June 9, 2025, Alima is part of the starting cast for the show’s 12th season.
I always ask guys on a night out to guess which country I’m originally from. If they get it right, they can get my number
Love Island 2025 kicks off on ITV2 during the week following the Late May Bank Holiday — one of the show’s traditions.
Rather than joining later on as a bombshell, Alima is one of the initial batch of Islanders entering the villa at the very start of the season.
Maya Jama flew out to Mallorca on May 26, 2025, sharing videos of herself dancing on Instagram along with the caption: “On holiday until I start Love Island.”
The Love Island host spilled the beans about the latest series to her followers on TikTok, saying: “Do I even know who the Islanders are?
“Do I know what time and date I’m flying to Mallorca? No, but guess what?
“We are so back. We are so f***ing back. I’m really excited, guys. The sun is out!”
She added: “Summer Love Island‘s about to happen.”
Maya also said she wants the show to be packed with more ‘twists and turns’ in the trailer for this year’s series.
She said: “This year Love Island needs something bigger, something bolder, I want ideas.
“This year I want more drama, more bombshells, more break-ups, more makeups.
“I want more twists, I want more twists than ever.”
Love Island 2025 full lineup
- Harry Cooksley: A 29-year-old footballer with charm to spare.
- Sophie Lee: A model and motivational speaker who has overcome adversity after suffering life-changing burns in an accident.
- Shakira Khan: A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads.
- Blu Chegini: A boxer with striking model looks, seeking love in the villa.
- Meghan Moore: A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish.
- Scott Ali Gagier: International business graduate with brains and ambition.
- Tommy Bradley: A gym enthusiast with a big heart.
- Helena Ford: A Londoner with celebrity connections, aiming to find someone funny or Northern.
- Ben Hullbra: A model ready to make waves.
- Megan Clarke: An Irish actress already drawing comparisons to Maura Higgins.
- Dejon Noel-Williams: A personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, following in his footballer father’s footsteps.
- Aaron Buckett: A towering 6’5” personal trainer.
- Conor Phillips: A 25-year-old Irish rugby pro
Departures:
- Kyle Ashman: Axed after an arrest over a machete attack emerged. He was released with no further action taken and denies any wrongdoing.
Liverpool star Andy Robertson accuses Man Utd of disrespecting ‘king’ in major transfer mistake
ANDY ROBERTSON has hit out at Manchester United for “disrespecting” Scott McTominay.
The Scottish international was sold to Napoli last summer after being deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.
MAN UTD TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest deals and rumours from Old Trafford
McTominay, 28, was sold for just £25million but that fee has proved to be a bargain in Napoli’s eyes.
The midfielder has gone on to become a vital member of Antonio Conte’s team and helped them win the Serie A title.
McTominay has also become a cult-hero and firm fan favourite thanks to his 13 goals in his debut campaign.
And Robertson has now taken aim at the Red Devils for the decision to sell.
The Liverpool star believes that the club did not show McTominay the “respect he deserves”.
He said: “I think he went over there with a point to prove.
“I think he wanted to prove Man Utd wrong and prove people in the Premier League wrong. And he’s went over there and done that pretty successfully.
“That’s credit to him, credit to his attitude and his determination to be the best version of himself. Now he’s a king over there.
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“At Man Utd he probably lacked getting that run of games consistently, he was in and out and things like that.
“He probably didn’t get the respect he deserves.
“Then he goes over there, puts in a magnificent season and fair play to him, to end it with the league title.
“Scott is a winner, we see that every day in training because he sets standards, looks after himself.
“He talks to the young lads and tries to give off his experience.”
Meanwhile, Man United defender Lisandro Martinez has been linked with a reunion with McTominay.
Napoli have been monitoring the Argentine’s recovery from his ACL injury and could make a move for him this summer.
