Katie Piper

Katie Piper
OBE
Piper in March 2012
Born (1983-10-12) 12 October 1983 (age 40)
Andover, Hampshire, England
Occupation(s)Activist, writer, television presenter
Spouse
Richard Sutton
​
(m. 2015)​
Children2

Kate Elizabeth Sutton[1] OBE (née Piper; born 12 October 1983) is an English writer, activist, television presenter and model from Andover, Hampshire.

In March 2008, she was attacked with acid by her ex-boyfriend and an accomplice, causing major damage to her face and blindness in one eye. Piper underwent pioneering surgery to restore her face and vision.[2] Both attackers were convicted and given life sentences.[3] In 2018, one of the attackers was released after serving nine years in prison.[4]

In 2009, Piper gave up her right to anonymity in order to increase awareness about burn victims. Her experience was documented in the 2009 Channel 4 documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face part of the Cutting Edge series. It has subsequently been sold internationally.

More recently, Piper has appeared in follow-up series for Channel 4, released a best-selling autobiography, and had a regular column in weekly magazines. She also presents the Channel 4 television series Bodyshockers about members of the public about to undergo body-altering procedures and those who regret procedures they have had. Her main work has been for the Katie Piper Foundation, which she founded to help victims of burns and other disfigurement injuries. On 13 August 2018, she was announced as the first contestant for that year's Strictly Come Dancing. On 11 September 2020 BBC media announced that Katie Piper would be joining their BBC1 Songs of Praise team as a feature presenter, scheduling her debut broadcast on 20 September.[5] Piper had previously appeared as a guest, with her mother on the 2020 Mothers Day edition, when she explained the moment she found her faith.[6] In July 2021, Piper became a panellist on Loose Women. Katie currently hosts a Saturday morning breakfast show for ITV.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference OBE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Acid attack model Katie Piper gets sight back". BBC. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Channel4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Katie Piper acid attacker Stefan Sylvestre released from prison after nine years". Sky News. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. ^ "BBC One's Songs of Praise welcomes Katie Piper".
  6. ^ Katie Piper was interviewed live (with excerpts) by the BBC1 Breakfast Team, on 19 September 2020 on her new Songs of Praise role.