Who is Ope Sowande? Love Island UK contestant faces gay rumours for being 'too expressive' — Tasha Ghouri defends him

Okay, so we know how harsh Love Island viewers can be. They are supportive, but they can also be brutal. So, Ope Sowande, a contestant from the upcoming season of Love Island UK, has already come under scrutiny from many fans. The reason? Well, it is simply because some people do not find him “masculine enough” — you know, the classic template of a ripped body, a chiselled jaw, and that mysterious broody vibe these guys are expected to have.


On X especially, many users have been digging through his Instagram profile and sharing pictures of him with boys (presumably his friends), claiming he is just not suited for a show about hot and happening singles. The trolling became so severe that Tasha Ghouri, the Season 8 fan-favourite herself, stepped in to defend Ope.

Imagine guessing someone’s sexual orientation online in 2026 based solely on their Instagram photos. Well, that is exactly what has been happening with Ope, the 27-year-old contestant from Lincolnshire who also happens to be the only Black man in this year’s Love Island UK cast.

He is expressive, smiles a lot, and, judging by the viral photos circulating online, clearly loves spending time with his friends. However, some users have started calling him gay, with others alleging that the show cast “one Black man” who they believe is “not masculine enough.”

The timeline on X spiralled after the highly anticipated cast announcement dropped on Tuesday. The most-viewed tweet was the one in which the official Love Island account introduced Ope, Jasmine, and Aidan, with the attention quickly shifting to Ope. The post has already crossed 18 million views, and many people in the comments section were far from kind.


One particular repost also went viral. It featured multiple photos of Ope from his Instagram account, with the user writing, “I need to see him in motion because…,” which many believed implied that he was being 'too touchy' with his male friends. As the tweet gained traction, so did the trolling, and fans have now dubbed it 'homophobia'.

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One person commented, “They tried to find the most unmasculine Black man they could find lol… Out of all the auditions, this is the best they could come up with? That’s when you know this choice was calculated. But we’re going to see six different types of white men lol.”

Another user pointed out the assumptions being made about his sexuality, writing, “Why does everyone act like bisexuality isn’t a thing? Lmao. He might just like both, which there would be nothing wrong with. I wish him luck in the villa, he looks like a nice guy.”

A different post also called out the intense scrutiny, stating, “This level of inquisition into his sexuality is really weird. He strikes me as someone very secure and comfortable in his skin. If he was gay, does he really strike y’all as someone who would hide it? Or go on a straight dating show? Let’s put our thinking caps on please.”


After the intense online bullying and speculation, one TikToker came forward to defend Ope and quickly found support from former islander Tasha Ghouri, who commented, “Preachhhhh!!! And he is also so lovely!!! He was in one of my numbers on Strictly, literally so so sweet xx.”

Ope is more than an upcoming Love Island contestant. Before entering the villa, Ope, a West End performer built a career in musical theatre and live performance, appearing in productions such as The Lion King and Hercules. He has also worked as a professional dancer on major British TV shows, including Strictly Come Dancing and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. In 2024, he performed in a group number on Strictly set to “Popular” from Wicked.


Ope has been described as confident, expressive, and naturally outgoing. In his introduction ahead of the season, he said he loves making people laugh and feel comfortable around him, adding that he never likes to “play it safe.”

Love Island UK is said to premiere on ITV from June 1.


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