Love Island alumni Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu starred on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year, off the back of a difficult break-up with her then partner Davide Sanclimenti.
Although Ekin-Su appeared to use the stint on our screens as a distraction, she has now admitted that her behaviour on the show was “fake” and that she wasn’t true to herself – a theory viewers had made back in March due to Ekin-Su’s unpredictable antics on the show.
Now, in a tell-all interview with Rylan Clark on his podcast How to be in the Spotlight, Ekin has revealed the truth behind her time on CBB.
Celebrity Big Brother star Ekin-Su finally admits viewers were ‘right’
Ekin-Su made up CBB’s 2024 comeback with a string of other popular stars including Nikita Kuzmin, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh. Although the Turkish beauty made an impression on viewers, it wasn’t for all the right reasons.
In fact, Ekin was accused of “toxic” behaviour and left viewers fuming with her antics, with some theorising she had even put on “crocodile tears” during an emotional episode on March 14.
Ekin-Su was brought to tears on the show after she was nominated by Fern Britton and Marisha Wallace, but viewers weren’t convinced, with one writing to social media at the time: “I’m fully aware of the #BeKind quote and I’m sure Ekin-Su is lovely irl but… Ekin-Su is coming across horrible, nasty and fake as anything.”
Another chimed in: “She is a toxic and narcissistic woman.”
Months on, Ekin-Su has finally had her say and lifted the lid on her on-screen behaviour. In a candid chat with This Morning star Rylan Clark, Ekin explained how she wasn’t herself.
Instead, her people-pleasing nature largely influenced her behaviour. She explained to Rylan: “It was about always pleasing the public. Whatever they want, moulding into it; shape-shifting into what they want.”
After starring on Love Island, Ekin-Su was a contestant on Dancing On Ice and then The Traitors US.
“The only time you’ve truly seen me be myself is probably Love Island and maybe The Traitors. Traitors was very me: quite eerie and dark – buried alive in a coffin,” she admitted.
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Ekin-Su owns up to ‘fake’ behaviour on Celebrity Big Brother
The reality star also explained how she wanted to prove to herself that she could do another reality project, shortly after splitting with Davide. She admitted: “I wanted to prove that I am a strong woman on my own after a relationship.”
It was here that she revealed that she wasn’t entirely true to herself: “I was faking it in there. It wasn’t me. People are right. I wasn’t myself because I was lying to everyone about how I actually felt. I look back now and I wish I just didn’t do it, or owned up to the things I said.”
Due to her trying time on the telly, Ekin-Su has also explained that she is in need of healing because of the damage it has caused. She said: “I’m owning it, I’m damaged from the whole experience of coming out [of Celebrity Big Brother]. Of my relationship going wrong, of not looking after myself.
“Going from one reality TV show to another, not putting myself first. But I’m on a road where I’m fixing the damage. It’s going to take ownership. It’s going to take recovery.”
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