Love Island winner Ekin Su breaks her silence on All Stars return and reveals real reason for bombshell comeback

LOVE Island legend Ekin Su Cülcüloğlu has lifted the lid on why she’s returning to the All Stars show.

The actress and model became a fan-favourite when she first appeared on our screens in 2022.

Ekin, 30, fell head over heels for Davide Sanclimenti, 30, and they went on to win the show.

The pair went on to star in their own travel programme and moved in together shortly after leaving the villa.

Their love wasn’t meant to be and they split after Davide was accused of cheating on her with a woman named Harriet Wilson.

The Turkish national said she signed up to the 2025 spin-off to “re-write her story”.

“I want to return to Love Island again because it’s where my journey started and has a special place in my heart,” she said.

“It’s somewhere I’ve laughed, cried and learnt so much.

“The fact that there’s an opportunity to do it again – why not!”

Ekin landed huge gigs in the wake of her break up, including a £1million contract with fashion label Oh Polly.

“Why can’t a winner go back in and re-write her story and have a second chance?!” she continued.

“I think you should follow your gut and my gut is telling me to go back, so I’m listening to it.”

Ekin entered the villa in 2022, as a bombshell on the third day of Love Island season eight.

She began a romance with Davide, but they quickly ran into problems as Ekin-Su secretly kissed Jay Younger.

Davide famously accused his partner of being a “liar” and an “actress” but the pair quickly put their differences aside.

When asked what her biggest red flag in a guy is, Ekin said: “Someone selling me the dream at the start, being perfect – because that’s not real.

“Real love and connection starts with the journey, a friendship and getting to know one another first.”

She also revealed her biggest ick, and it’s an unusual one: “When men touch metal! If they have coins in their pockets and then their hands smell of metal – smelly hands in general too!”

Over the years, the show has been accused of only signing men and women who look a certain way.

Whilst Ekin fits the programme’s stereotype, she said: “You don’t have to be a typical Barbie or Ken doll.

“You can feel confident no matter your looks or where you’re from and to be an authentic Islander you have to be humble and real so people can relate to you.”

Ekin said she is inspired by Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow’s relationship after the couple met on Love Island in 2017.

Camilla and Jamie now have three children together.

“I’ve always admired Jamie and Camilla, they’ve had kids, he’s a sensible dad, she’s a sensible mum – they’re so cute, I really crave that. I’d love a sensible man that I can have fun with!” she added.

While many fans are excited for Ekin to bring some fun to the villa, some have called her a “phoney” and questioned her intention.

She slated the ITV programme during her explosive stint on Celebrity Big Brother last year.

Reacting to the news of her return, one person on X said: “Not Ekin-Su kicking off that people keep mentioning she was on Love Island only for her to go back into Love Island…”

Another echoed: “The same Ekin-Su who didn’t want to be defined by her time on Love Island is… going back into the villa? Oop.”