Exclusive Interview
‘Love Island’s Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu on Curtis Pritchard Romance & Moving Away From Reality TV
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu might just be the most quoted reality TV star of this generation. She was a standout in Series 8 of Love Island, where she managed to crawl on the floor and carry herself with a consistent air of dignity and confidence. She won that season, taking the crown with her partner-at-the-time Davide Sanclimenti. The couple dated until June 2023, and judging by the veiled Instagram captions, the breakup seems to have left them both burned.
But Ekin-Su wasn’t done with reality TV, and reality TV was certainly not done with the British-Turkish icon. The regal reality queen has taken on The Traitors, Dancing on Ice, The Wheel, and Big Brother. Love her or hate her (and for us, it’s certainly the former), Ekin-Su is a powerhouse.
When Swooon sat down to talk about her second run at romance on Love Island: All Stars, we were not expecting this goofy, silly side of Ekin-Su, a far cry from the fiery temper we’d been watching every night. She opened up about her romance with Curtis Pritchard, her plans for the future, how it feels to be a big personality on a small screen, and, obviously, her favorite UFO conspiracies.
Why did Ekin-Su go back on Love Island?
It had only been three years since Ekin-Su stole our hearts on Series 8 of Love Island (and made us laugh until our stomachs hurt), so why was she already prepared to return to the villa? She’d kept busy since her last time on the blow-up sunbeds but found herself single again at 30.
“There’s always a perception of ‘a winner shouldn’t do this, a winner shouldn’t do that, a winner won’t be able to go back on, she’s an icon,'” she told Swooon. “But actually, I wanted to go back on because I wanted to rewrite my love story. I also wanted to have fun again and let my hair down. I’m 30, and I don’t think I’d ever have a time to go back on it again, so I thought, why not?”
During her first round, Ekin-Su entered on Day 3 and ended up winning with her on-again, off-again match, the Italian Stallion Davide. This time, Ekin-Su arrived as the first bombshell immediately after contestants were coupled up by the public, and she was allowed to break up one couple. She coupled up with Curtis Pritchard (sorry, Kaz Crossley), and despite a few bumps along the way, the pair landed in third place.
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We asked how different it was for her to go on the show at 30. “I feel like age is a number, and I feel like any age is beautiful,” Ekin-Su grinned. “I just feel like there is a difference between how I react now and how I would react probably two years ago. I’m still the same person, very fiery and opinionated. I say what I say, and I’m never afraid to stand up for myself, but I do deal with conflict perhaps very differently now.”
She continued, “So maybe instead of running over the fire pit screaming and shouting, I’d probably be just thinking about it. People say things out of anger, so let it die down a little bit. Let’s see what they mean. Understand what the other person’s coming from. Sort of meet in the middle.”
This change was visible in Ekin-Su, although she did enter into some fraught discussions with Elma Pazar, who is facing bullying allegations by the public. Like Elma, Ekin-Su is a woman with a big personality, and it seems like sometimes our little TV (or laptop) screens can’t handle such bold and fiery women, preferring them to be meek.
“The U.K. loves opinionated people,” Ekin-Su rolled her eyes. “We criticize people who have an opinion, but actually, why are we watching the show? You’ve got to have a voice and an opinion. So, I feel like big personalities definitely bring out the best in reality shows.”
What the latest on Ekin-Su and Curtis?
As you can tell by now, Ekin-Su is not a person who does anything halfway. Who could forget her entrance dress? A gorgeous pearl-lined contraption that stole the show. Ekin-Su laughed when we asked about this incredible look.
“My god, that was a nightmare. The pearls kept coming off at the back. So it’s a very dangerous dress to wear when walking into a villa. I remember just some of the pearls kept falling on the floor while I was in mid-conversation with the boys, and I was like, ‘Ekin-Su, don’t let this all come off.’ Then I’d just be in a bodysuit.”
She added, “I feel like my fashion sense is changing the older I get. I’m loving it. I’m looking back to my outfits from two years ago, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I would never wear that dress, it’s too skimpy.’ In your 30s, you want to dress classier, and the colors have changed. I quite like more neutral pieces. Sometimes, I like greens a lot.”
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The dress seemed to do the trick and caught Curtis’ eye. The two quickly hit it off. The internet has a lot of opinions about the pair, but we think it’s a classic case of two theater kids in love, complete with drama and a touch of showbiz.
“Definitely theater kid energy,” Ekin-Su agreed. “And even if I’m 100 and about to be on my deathbed, I’d still be the theater kid. I’d probably be overreacting to the scene and be like, ‘I can’t breathe.’ You know, that’s just who I am.”
This theater kid energy comes with a tendency to crawl on floors, something we saw on Love Island and Love Island: All Stars. We discussed the possibility of a line of Ekin-Su-branded shin pads, and the star is definitely on board for them: “Shin pads for crawling in the bedroom, ladies.”
Ekin-Su explained that Curtis made her “feel more relaxed to be even more goofier,” something she hasn’t experienced in past relationships. “I feel like we weren’t afraid to be unapologetically ourselves.”
But she’s learned a lot about love and how to handle herself in a relationship, and she’s taking these lessons into the burgeoning romance. “You should never make someone your universe, as that’s when it becomes unhealthy. So for me, this is just amazing,” Ekin-Su explained. “I don’t feel anxious. I trust my man. He trusts me. If I’m going away on a work trip to America or somewhere else, I don’t feel like I have to reassure him. It’s just easy, and that’s how it should be.”
What’s next for Ekin-Su?
Given how much the camera and viewers love her, it’s hard to imagine Ekin-Su stepping away from reality TV. But while she specifies she’s definitely open to more reality TV appearances, she’s also interested in broadening her horizons.
She acknowledged that people aren’t always on Love Island actually to find love. “It’s a TV show. They know what it will bring,” she shrugged. “People are on there for all sorts of things: following, Instagram, brand deals, or their career. Obviously, if you find love, it’s a bonus.”
“It’s definitely a stepping stone to do what you want to do. But I would never say no to reality TV because I just feel like I was born for it, without sounding big-headed.”
Fans might remember that Ekin-Su got her start in Turkish soap operas. Now, she’s hoping to pursue acting further. She’d like to act in a thriller or appear in a play or musical on the West End.
Ekin-Su also recently walked in London Fashion Week for designer Helen Anthony in a stylish Burberry outfit—with Curtis proudly watching in the front row. It seems like these branded shin-pads could be a fashionable step forward.
What’s that about Ekin-Su and aliens?
We finished off our chat with something Ekin-Su is really passionate about: UFO conspiracies. As if we needed another reminder not to box up this leggy brunette, she geeks out about aliens.
“I have definitely interacted with aliens, twice even. My brother was there at the time. This was three years ago in my bedroom,” Ekin-Su explained eagerly. “And also, I have seen UFOs many, many times, and I feel like I have dug in so much on documentaries, like about Area 51. I’ve really been getting myself involved. There is no way humans are the only living things out there.”
She continued, “God, this is a really f**ked up thing to say, but I want them to take me and analyze me, I want them to abduct me. I’m ready. You can observe me. You can brainwash me, and bring me back to Earth. I don’t know. I just find it so fascinating. People might think I’m crazy, but I believe in them.”
Someone get this woman a podcast!
