‘She’s like the copy and paste of me’: Love Island’s Davide on finding ‘real love’ with Ekin-Su

‘She’s a very strong character and she’s very caring with me,’ reality TV star says of his girlfriend

Love Island winners Ekin-Su and Davide (Getty Images for boohooMAN)

Love Island’s Davide Sanclimenti has praised girlfriend Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu’s “strong character” and caring nature as he reveals that he is prepared to move to Essex to live with her.

The couple met on this year’s series of popularITV dating show, where they were crowned winners.

They were previously marred by claims that Sanclimenti had been unfaithful during a night out in London. But the rumours were quickly shut down by Cülcüloğlu, who clarified that she had been speaking to him “the whole night”.

Sanclimenti has now given an update on their relationship in a new interview, telling Mail Online that the couple’s affections for one another have developed into “real love”.

“I feel like since we left the villa we are closer and closer. Naturally there were feelings in the villa, but when we entered the real world and started living as as actual couple, we felt real,” Sanclimenti said.

He added that both partners feared the relationship might not last in the real world, “but in the end we found we were working better”.

“But when you enter the real world you have moments just you and her, so you start being a real couple and that’s where you start feeling the real love,” Sanclimenti said.

The 28-year-old also praised his girlfriend, sharing that he has “never met” anyone else like her.

“I feel like we are very similar – she’s like the copy and paste of me in a female version. We like the same things, have the same interests, same sense of humour, we like the same films. And then we have so much fun as well.

“What makes Ekin special, is she’s a very strong character and she’s very caring with me, and I really like when a woman is caring. She wants the best for me and she’s very ambitious.”

The couple have been inundated with work opportunities since appearing on the TV show.

Last month, Cülcüloğlu made her runway debut walking for Oh Polly during New York Fashion Week, shortly after signing a £1 million deal with the fast fashion brand. In January 2023, she will appear as a contestant on ITV series Dancing on Ice.

On Tuesday (4 October) ITV announced that the Love Island winners were returning to the small screen with a new series, Homecomings.

The two-part series, of which a release date is yet to be announced, will see them travel to Sanclimenti’s native Italy and Cülcüloğlu’s hometown in Turkey.

The couple plan to move in together in the future, with Sanclimenti disclosing that he is prepared to leave his home in Manchester to be closer to Cülcüloğlu.

“I went to Essex a few weeks ago to see Ekin’s dad and I actually liked the area, so I think if we move together I would say yes to coming down to Essex,” he said.

“Most of our jobs are in London, and it’s a nice area and I liked it. I’m thinking it’s the next step, but nothing is sure yet and we don’t have a date yet.”