Since being crowned champions of Love Island in 2022, Davide Sanclimenti, 28, and Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, 29, have faced their fair share of obstacles – but the Italian stallion tells us they’re back on track and happier than ever following a brief break-up in June. Here the Love Island 2022 bombshell talks to heat about their second wind, why he has no plans to move back to Italy anytime soon, and reveals which Islanders would get an invite to the wedding…
How are things going between you and Ekin-Su at the moment?
Very good, probably better than before. I’m Italian, I’m passionate – sometimes you make decisions and then maybe you realise they’re not good, but that’s life. We both realised that we could improve some things in the relationship. So, I’m different with her, she is different with me and it makes things better.
What’s changed since you got back together?
We just have more communication, and we understand each other’s position more. We don’t listen to a lot of outside noise.
Do you think you’ll get married in the future?
She’s waiting on my proposal, and I’m waiting on time. There’s beauty in taking small steps in life. It doesn’t really matter if we marry tomorrow, or if we marry in a year’s time. If there’s a feeling and intentions of doing that, then that’s all that matters.
Was it hard dating after being on a show like Love Island?
A lot of people say that if you want to make a relationship work, keep it private, and we couldn’t do that. It’s made things hard, because there are always people who have something to say about your relationship. You wouldn’t be happy if millions of people had something to say to you and your partner, but it’s a small price to pay.
What would you say to people who think your relationship is a showmance?
People might think that because it began on a TV show, but I feel the way me and Ekin have been acting over the past year – the breaking up and the getting back together – you cannot actually believe that we are a fake couple.
Have you been teaching her Italian?
She knows more Italian than I do Turkish. I only know how to say I love you in Turkish – that’s the only thing she has taught me!
Would you ever move back to Italy?
She would love to move to Italy, but I tell her, “Baby, it’s not the right time.” We need to wait a few years first. I’ve always said I want to retire in Italy, but I don’t want to spend all day, every day, in Italy. I love England and I also like to travel as much as I can.
Could there be an Italian wedding on the cards?
I think we’ll have two weddings – the main one will be in Italy, and then we’ll fly to Turkey and have the second one. It’s going to be a very big event.
Will you invite any former Love Islanders?
Some of them are close friends of ours now, and some of them are just people we know. I will invite my close friends, and some are from Love Island. From the boys, I’m probably closest to Dami [Hope], Andrew [LePage], Luca [Bish] and Jay [Younger].
Would you do another fly-on-the-wall reality series, just you two?
Of course! Working with Ekin doesn’t feel like work.
What about a cooking segment on something like This Morning? You could be the new Gino D’Acampo…
I would love to do something on This Morning – it’s a good programme and Gino is really funny. Not just because he’s Italian, but because he’s got a good personality.
Davide spoke to heat at his SCI-MX Nutrition launch in London.
