‘The Kardashians made me love my heritage!'

Geordie Shore legend Sophie Kasaei tells us why it took her decades to feel comfortable in her own skin

- NIAMH SHACKLETON

Straight-talking Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei never fails to light up a room and make people laugh. But when we caught up with the 32-year-old, who shot to fame on the MTV show in 2011, she had far more on her mind than Jägerbombs and slut-dropping.

Instead, she spoke candidly about her ongoing battle with endometriosis – a condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows in other places, such as the ovaries – and coming to love her Persian heritage.

Since embracing her Middle Eastern identity, Sophie has begun to proudly show off her beautiful, natural curls, and has launched her own hair care line, Mane London, which provides pre-curled hair extensions for women with hair like hers.

“Growing up, nobody really embraced who they were,” she says. “The kids at school used to make fun of my surname, my dad, and all that kind of thing.”

Here, Sophie tells us why she hid her heritage and how the Kardashian family helped her to finally embrace it…

Ho, Sophie. Why did you hide your Persian heritage?