Ekin-Su Culculoglu says backlash against Elma Pazar ‘breaks my heart’
By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Reality star Ekin-Su Culculoglu has said the backlash against her fellow Love Island: All Stars contestant Elma Pazar “breaks my heart”, after the two women engaged in confrontations on the show.
More than 2,000 complaints were made to media watchdog Ofcom last week, predominantly about alleged bullying by The Only Way Is Essex star Pazar amid a row with Culculoglu and her partner Curtis Pritchard.
Their spat started on the ITV2 dating show after Culculoglu kissed Pazar’s partner Sammy Root during a challenge, and the row later intensified.
Pazar claimed Culculoglu and Pritchard had the weakest connection in the villa, leading to a blazing row, with Pazar telling the couple to “shut your mouth”, and storming off.
Culculoglu told ITV’s Lorraine on Friday: “Do you know what? I love her, and it breaks my heart to see backlash on Elma.
“We should be kinder and show love. Yes, there was that thing in there but listen, it’s a show and things are heightened in there. We made up, we moved on. She’s found love, I’ve found love and I wish her the best.”
Casey O’Gorman and Gabby Allen won the second series of the spin-off ITV2 dating programme, with Culculoglu and Pritchard in third, and Pazar and Root coming fifth.
Culculoglu also dismissed speculation that she and Pritchard faked their romance for the show.
She said: “Everyone is entitled to an opinion and it’s okay if some people call it a ‘showmance’, fake, real, or whatever – that’s okay.
A post shared by Elma Pazar (@elmapazar)
“But what is important is how we feel, and that’s real… If you put me and him together it becomes a theatre performance, so I get why people may think that, but it’s fine because it’s just an opinion and it doesn’t affect me or you (Curtis).”
Pritchard said: “We are who we are and I think we both went in there with open minds and to actually find someone.
“Like Ekin said, we’re theatrical, we’re over the top.”
Culculoglu previously won the main Love Island series with her former partner Davide Sanclimenti, before going on to star in other reality shows including the Traitors US and Celebrity Big Brother.
Pazar did not make it to the final during her original Love Island appearance, and then moved on to appearing in ITVBe’s Towie.