"Then she gave me the boot" — Love Island UK star Sophie Lee shares thoughts on Shakira after elimination

Love Island UK season 12 has already seen its first elimination, with Sophie Lee being the first Islander to leave the villa. In an exclusive interview with Cosmopolitan UK on June 17, 2025, Sophie spoke about her short time on the show and how quickly circumstances changed for her.

Sophie talked about her friendship with fellow Islander Shakira Khan, who subsequently chose Harry Cooksley during the recoupling. This decision left Sophie single and sent her home. Sophie said that she and Shakira got along well in the villa. They often helped each other while getting ready and spent time talking and hanging out.. However, things changed when Shakira decided to pair up with Harry.

“We were talking on the day beds, she was saying, ‘Oh you're going to go through such a journey in here,’ then she gave me the boot,” Sophie recalled.

Despite being sent home, Sophie said she didn’t hold any hard feelings toward Shakira for the decision. Her remarks are part of her post-show interviews, in which she also discussed Harry’s behavior in the villa.

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Sophie opens up about her bond with Shakira and reaction to being dumped from Love Island UK

During the chat, Sophie spoke about the dynamic she shared with Shakira in the Love Island UK villa before the recoupling.

“Me and Shakira got really close in there like when we were getting ready. The girl had my boob tape on, I was helping her put her dress on,” she said.

Sophie mentioned that they often talked on the daybeds and had encouraging conversations. However, Shakira still chose Harry when it was time for the recoupling. Sophie said that she wasn’t upset about the choice itself, but rather about how things turned out afterward.

“Like I said, she had to make a choice so I don’t feel bad for the choice, it’s more like how it’s turned out with Harry and everyone,” she explained.

Since then, Shakira has coupled up with Ben Holbrough, while Harry is now with Helena Ford. Nevertheless, Harry has continued to interact with Shakira at various moments in the villa, as Sophie also mentioned in her interview.

Sophie’s comments centered on her personal experiences during the early days in the villa, discussing evolving relationships and how her elimination unfolded. Her statements provided additional context to the events shown in the episodes that have aired so far.

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Sophie talks about Harry’s approach and behind-the-scenes friendships in Love Island UK

Sophie also addressed her former partner, Harry Cooksley, offering her perspective on his actions in the villa.

“He said he’s tried that route and gets labelled a f*** boy, so came in with a different approach,” she said.

However, she added that the change in approach didn’t last long. Sophie described how Harry teamed up with Dejon Noel-Williams and Shea Mannings during a challenge to kiss the girls they were actually interested in—none of whom they were coupled with.

This strategy did get them what they wanted during the game, but it also led to tension and drama in the villa. Sophie noted how quickly these alliances were formed, and how they affected relationships among the contestants. While she didn’t directly call Harry out, she made it clear that his behavior didn’t go unnoticed.

Despite being dumped early from Love Island UK, Sophie’s post-exit interviews have helped fans better understand the choices made inside the villa. Her insights shed light on how rapidly things change and how some Islanders navigate both friendships and romance under pressure. With new couplings already in place, viewers continue to follow how the relationships evolve in the coming episodes.

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Love Island UK episodes are available to stream on Hulu.