From her terrace crawl to 'I'm Ekin-Su babe', the reality TV star is a classic Islander.
Love Island is set to look back at 10 years of romance and rivalry in an anniversary special ahead of the new series start. One fan favourite whose iconic moments on the dating show are sure to get a mention is Eki-Su Culculoglu.
The series eight winner became Love Island royalty thanks to her 2022 starring appearance in the villa, and after splitting from Davide Sanclimenti she returned to the 2025 All Star series looking for love once more.
Culculoglu came third in All Stars with partner Curtis Pritchard, who she announced her split from earlier this week after just three months of dating. Her villa romances might not have worked out long-term, but the reality TV star has provided the show with some of its best scenes.
Terrace crawl
By far Culculoglu's most famous moment was her terrace crawl, where she put all her acting skills to use in a sneaky meet-up with bombshell Jay Younger behind partner Davide Sanclimenti's back.
She and Younger had agreed there was an attraction between them and Culculoglu asked the newcomer to meet her in secret up on the terrace.
To avoid being spotted by the rest of the Islanders sitting downstairs, Culculoglu crawled across the floor to share a kiss with Younger, and repeated the whole scene again the next day.
She became so well known for her terrace crawl that it even featured in a Dancing On Ice routine when she later took part in the skating contest.
'I'm Ekin-Su, babe'
Making sure no one would forget her name any time soon, Culculoglu held her own in a food-related row with Nathalia Campos.
The pair couldn't agree on pizza toppings and which one Sanclimenti would prefer, but things quickly became heated as they both refused to back down.
Culculoglu said: "Best way to end an argument is cooking. So you can prove to me, with your pancakes, who is the best."
An irritated Campos fumed: "Who are you for me to to prove you anything?"
Delivering her immortal Love Island line, she said: "I'm Ekin-Su, babe. And there's only one of me." But Campos shot back: "Who is that to me? Ekin who?" to the amusement of the other Islanders.
Eventually, they agreed to settle their differences in a pancake battle with Sanclimenti as blin taste-tester. Things remained frosty in the kitchen as both women swore at each other, but Culculoglu was deemed the queen of the pancakes after Campos burned her bananas.
Stormy relationship with Davide Sanclimenti
They might have been the 2022 winners, but Culculoglu and Sanclimenti had a rocky road to the final. From her secret kisses with Younger to his sharing a bed with bombshell Mollie Salmon in Casa Amor, the couple had some fiery rows.
In one memorable scene, Sanclimenti questioned Culculoglu's commitment, sparking a furious reaction from her. He then stormed out, muttering that she was "fake as the Louis Vuitton from China".
Culculoglu ended up in tears on another morning, speaking to her fellow Islanders about her devastation and claiming that she never usually cried. Sanclimenti's crime? Not bringing her usual oat milk coffee to her that morning.
Elma Pazar feud
The Love Island legend's return for the 2025 All Stars series was headline-grabbing news as fans looked forward to seeing what drama she would bring to the villa this time.
Culculoglu didn't disappoint, ending up in a bitter spat with Elma Pazar over the heart rate challenge where she had kissed Pazar's partner Sammy Root.
But despite their row, Cuculoglu hit back at viewer accusations that Pazar was bullying her. The TV star had often championed other women in the villa and made time to stick up for her rival after the series ended.
Speaking on ITV's Lorraine, she said: "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've moved on, she's found love, I found love and I wish her the best. Everyone deals with conflict differently and that's ok and that's that, I have nothing bad to say."
Bonding with Curtis Pritchard
Her All Stars relationship with Pritchard might not have been quite such a classic Love Island romance as her 2022 series with Sanclimenti, but it featured some memorable moments as they started to bond.
Not long after meeting, former Turkish soap actor Culculoglu asked Pritchard about his much-panned cameo in Hollyoaks which he seemed mortified about.
Many of the other Islanders, as well as viewers, didn't find the relationship convincing but one particularly strange moment came when Culculoglu's attraction to Pritchard appeared to grow stronger over an anecdote about him cutting off his own mother.
During a row about who was being authentic, Culculoglu said she wished her parents were there for advice. It prompted Pritchard to share: "I cut my mum out of my life at one point, because she was being a mum. I needed to grow up and learn things for myself. Now I’m back in contact with her. I’ve actually spoken to her."
It seemed to spark something in Culculoglu, who walked over to him and began kissing him midway through the story, to the confusion of viewers.
Love Island: A Decade of Love airs on ITV2 at 9pm on Sunday, 1 June. Love Island is set to return to ITV2 in June.
