Just weeks after her boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti was filmed getting into a taxi with two mystery women, Love Island star Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has admitted that having a relationship in the public eye is "not easy".
Ekin-Su, who met Davide on the ITV2 show, has revealed exclusively to new that this alone has shown her the importance of trust.
"One thing I’ve learnt in this relationship, you have to trust your boyfriend or girlfriend because in the public eye, it’s not easy," Ekin-Su tells us.
"Especially when people will make rumours or say things, or they see things, or things could look different from a picture. You just have to communicate with your partner, trust your partner and keep your relationship private."
Ekin-Su, 28, was chatting to us at the launch of her new Oh Polly clothing range, one of the many collaborations the star has signed up to since she won the series with Italian business owner Davide, 27, in August this year.
And juggling these new work commitments with her relationship is also proving testing for the Turkish TV star.
"Having a relationship is a job on its own!" Ekin-Su jokes, adding, "We want to make sure that we’re both supporting each other and seeing each other. It’s not easy."
During their time on Love Island, the couple were known for their fiery arguments in the villa, with one now-viral row seeing Davide brand Ekin-Su a "liar" and "actress".
But since getting away from the pressures of the reality show, their romance has gone from strength to strength.
"It feels like our relationship changed. It was almost like in the villa we liked each other but now it feels like we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. We really feel for each other," Ekin-Su reflects.
"You know, like the bickering, when you really care about someone, stuff can upset you. I can see that now.
"When you really love someone you get jealous. And whereas before it wasn’t that intense, now it’s like, 'Oh my God, we really care about each other!'"
As life away from the villa has brought them closer together, the couple have now started to think about the future.
Asked if they’d like to get married, Ekin-Su insists, "We would, of course we would, but not now. Maybe in two years, three years, you know? Or who knows? I don’t know, whenever the relationship and my life seems like it’s on the right [path].
"I feel like with marriage, you can either go one way or the other. You could rush it, get married and divorced in a month. Or you could get married and stay together for a long lifetime. So you have to make sure that it’s the right moment in your life."
In the meantime, fans can get a sneak peek of what married life will look like for the couple in their new ITV2 series, Ekin-Su & Davide: Homecomings, where they will travel to Davide’s beloved Italy and Ekin-Su’s hometown in Turkey.
"It’s everything that you see in married couples… You’ll see some arguing there, you’ll see some real s**t. Be prepared, it’s all on camera!" Ekin-Su teases.
Being "authentic" and "sticking up for yourself" are important to the actress, as she wants everyone to "be themselves".
"My life ambition was to be always authentic and to be a role model to women and men – to just be yourself and to never let anyone change who you are," Ekin-Su reflects. "Just be authentic and stick up for yourself because it’s a hard world we live in, especially in 2022 with social media.
"I feel like people close off their feelings, especially men. And women, they just always compare themselves. We live in a very fake world on Instagram, I’m against that.
"So I think just being authentic and being a good role model and standing my own ground… I hope people can learn from that and be themselves, whoever they want to be."
Being "real" is something Ekin-Su also wanted to incorporate into her Oh Polly range, which pays homage to her Turkish background.
"The thing is, I’m not a size zero, OK? I’m very real and I feel like women are real, no one is perfect," Ekin-Su points out. "And for me to model just being me is nice, it’s normal. I’m not a model, I’m me, I’m an actress, I’m just a person.
"Being able to do a catwalk and be proud to be showing such an authentic range, it felt really good. I didn’t have to be a certain way, I was myself, and I want every woman to be themselves."
The Oh Polly x Ekin-Su collection is available at www.ohpolly.com.
READ MORE:
- Love Island's Ekin-Su praises 'thoughtful' Davide as she wows in new Oh Polly shoot
- Love Island's Ekin-Su packs on PDA with Davide on night out with her brother
- Love Island's Ekin-Su and Davide's romantic New York City getaway in pictures
- Love Island's Davide sweetly kisses Ekin-Su during reunion as busy schedules keep them apart
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