Ekin-Su Culculoglu's big Love Island return hasn't gone down too well with her former partner Davide Sanclimenti.
The Turkish actress, who won the won the eighth series of the show with Davide in 2022, made her Love Island: All Stars debut during the show's launch on Monday night. Ekin-Su said she is following her gut in returning to the vil la, almost three years after winning the ITV2 dating show.
On the launch of the second series of the spin-off show, based in South Africa, Ekin-Su, 30, arrived as a bombshell contestant among those returning to find love. Davide and Ekin-Su split for good last year but it's claimed Italian business owner Davide isn't too happy to see his ex return to the show they found love on.
"Davide is absolutely furious about Ekin-Su's decision to join Love Island: All Stars. He feels like it's a slap in the face, especially since he turned down the opportunity himself because it didn't feel right," a source close to Davide has revealed. "They're no longer together, but this has still hit a nerve for Davide."
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ITV)Speaking to Closer magazine, the insider went on to add: "He feels like Ekin-Su's decision shows a complete lack of emotional empathy: not just for him, but for everything they went through as a couple. He can't believe she'd jump at the chance without considering how it might look."
"I want to return to Love Island again because it’s where my journey started and has a special place in my heart," Ekin-Su said as she returned to out screens on Monday night. "It’s somewhere I’ve laughed, cried and learnt so much. The fact that there’s an opportunity to do it again – why not. Why can’t a winner go back in and rewrite her story and have a second chance. I think you should follow your gut and my gut is telling me to go back, so I’m listening to it."
Ekin-Su said she has no regrets appearing on the show, but has learnt to stand up for herself and "be vulnerable with men" as she looks for someone who is aware of their flaws. "I’d like someone supportive, I don’t care about looks and money – I want someone to be my biggest cheerleader," she said. The Celebrity Big Brother star also said "I really crave" the relationship that former 2017 islanders Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow have. The couple have three children together.
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Dave Benett/Getty Images for boo)Tuesday night's episode will see her choose three boys, who are all coupled up, to date in the secret garden. Scott Thomas, who was in series two, told his partner India Reynolds, from series five of the show, that Ekin-Su had "slid into my DMs a few times". In the Monday episode Curtis Pritchard, who appeared in series five, returned, with series eight islander Luca Bish, Scott Thomas, who was in series two, and Kaz Crossley from series four.
Meanwhile former Blazin’ Squad singer Marcel Somerville was confronted by his former girlfriend Gabby Allen, as she questioned him about what happened between them after he was unfaithful to her during a couple’s holiday. Somerville and Allen were partnered in the 2017 series of the show, where they came fourth, and became a couple outside the villa for about a year.
Professional dancer and qualified personal trainer Gabby, 32, said: "I have mixed feelings about you. It’s nice to see you, but I also think you’re a knob. Do you know what I mean?" Macel said he had made a mistake and regretted his actions "immediately", describing it as "out of character" before they made amends.
In 2022, Marcel tied the knot with Rebecca Vieira, with whom he has a son, and took part in pregnancy reality series Celebrity Bumps. The line-up also includes series six islander Nas Majeed, series nine star Olivia Hawkins, series five islander India Reynolds, series 11 contestant Ronnie Vint, and series 10’s Catherine Agbaje.
Love Island: All Stars airs on Monday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
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