Last year’s Love Island winners Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti have announced that they have broken up, after less than a year together.
The pair won the popular ITV reality dating show in August 2022 and were a fan favourite, securing nearly two-thirds of the public vote.
But fans were heartbroken on Thursday night (29 June), after Sanclimenti posted on his Instagram Story to announce that they have parted ways.
He wrote: “Ekin-Su and I are no longer together. I am grateful for the memories and opportunities we shared together and I wish her nothing but the best.
“I would like for everybody to respect this decision during this difficult time, I will continue to support Ekin in any way possible.”
Cülcüloğlu has not yet addressed the break-up publicly. Her last Instagram Story was shared earlier on Thursday and showed her being reunited with her mother and aunt.
The pair, both 28, were last seen together in public attending the London premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Since winning Love Island, they secured a deal for an ITV spin-off show about them exploring their home countries of Italy and Turkey.
Following the devastation caused by an earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria in February, Cülcüloğlu praised Sanclimenti for his support after she discovered some of her extended family had been affected.
Love Island winner Davide Sanclimenti announces he and Ekin-Su are ‘no longer together’ after 10 months of dating— (Instagram/Davide Sanclimenti)
She told Women’s Health magazine at the time that he “has been great, supporting me emotionally”.
“I was with him when we heard, and I just couldn’t comprehend the devastation,” she added.
But earlier this month, Sanclimenti appeared to hint that there was trouble in paradise between him and Cülcüloğlu, who entered the Love Island villa as a bombshell.
Speaking toThe Sun, the Italian businessman said the couple were facing “struggles” in their relationship “due to our public position”.
“If there’s something I would change or would have done differently [with Ekin-Su in the villa], maybe I would have taken things a bit more slowly,” he said.
Ekin-Su and Davide attend the European Premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” at Cineworld Cinemas on June 07, 2023— (Getty Images for Paramount Pictu)
However, he gushed about his now-ex-girlfriend and declared: “The best thing about dating Ekin-Su is that we understand each other – not just because we are literally the same person. She is my copy-paste.”
Cülcüloğlu has also previously spoken out about the challenges of having a relationship in the public eye. She told OK! Magazine last year: “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.
“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.”
The pair were known on the reality show for their hot-headed personalities, which led to some big romantic gestures but also explosive arguments.
One of the most memorable moments from last year’s series involved Sanclimenti accusing Cülcüloğlu of being “a liar” and “an actress” after she kissed another contestant in secret. The scene went on to become a viral meme on social media.
In October, two months after leaving the villa, the former couple were set to move in together.
However, they were hit by cheating rumours after Sanclimenti was photographed getting into a cab with two other women after a night out. The Turkish model defended her then-boyfriend against the rumours and said: “I trust him, he didn’t cheat, and he’s my man.”
