Former TOWIE star Joey Essex has signed up to celebrity dating app Raya following a quiet split from his model girlfriend Lella Soper. The 36-year-old television personality was first linked to the photographer last year before taking his search for love to the exclusive platform.
Essex previously stated that he is ready to settle down and start a family following his latest romantic breakdown. Speaking about his hopes for the future, he said: "If I found the right person, I'd settle down."
Lella Soper, 32, is a professional photographer whose work focuses on portraiture, editorial, and fashion photography, and she currently commands 9,000 followers on Instagram. She is the daughter of former British racing driver Steve Soper, who enjoyed a distinguished motorsport career competing in major sports car and touring car categories, including the British Touring Car Championship and international endurance events, throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Raya Profile Details
Details of Essex's profile on Raya, which were obtained by The Sun newspaper, indicate that he is based in London but regularly travels to Los Angeles. Raya is a private, membership-based social networking and dating application launched in 2015, which is widely frequented by high-profile entertainers, actors, and sports figures due to its strict vetting process.
Rather than referencing his extensive television career, Essex describes himself on his profile simply as "Life On Earth." One of the photographs featured on the account shows him standing underneath the famous Avenue of Stars sign in Los Angeles, California.
Past Relationships
Prior to his relationship with Soper, Essex was pictured in May 2025 sharing a passionate kiss with an unidentified woman at the luxury ME Hotel on the Mediterranean resort island of Ibiza.
That appearance followed his separation in September 2024 from Love Island contestant Jessy Potts, whom he met while participating in the ITV2 reality dating series. The pair split just seven weeks after leaving the villa, stating at the time that they had tried to make their relationship work but ultimately decided it was not meant to be.
Essex's most high-profile romance was with fellow reality television star Sam Faiers. The couple shared an on-off relationship between 2011 and 2014, during which they were engaged twice and became one of the flagship pairings on ITV's hit reality show The Only Way Is Essex before separating permanently.
New TV Projects and Boxing Career
Since his brief return to reality television, Essex has pursued a new athletic career in crossover boxing. He made his debut under the Misfits Boxing banner, securing a narrow points victory over Portuguese internet prankster Numeiro after surviving a chaotic four-round bout.
Essex is also set to participate in ITV's latest celebrity entertainment format, The Box, hosted by former England football captain and television presenter Gary Lineker. The program features ten celebrities sealed inside giant yellow boxes at mystery locations who must solve complex challenges to progress.
In addition to his appearance on The Box, Essex has joined the 2026 cast of ITV's culinary competition Cooking With the Stars, where he will feature alongside former Love Island contestant Zara McDermott and comedian Seann Walsh.
