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09 Sept 2025

New Love Island arrival not afraid to ‘tread on toes’

New Love Island arrival not afraid to ‘tread on toes’

New Love Island bombshell Ekin-Su Culculoglu has said she does not care about “treading on toes” in the quest to find true love.

The 27-year-old actress, from Essex, will appear in the programme on Wednesday alongside fellow new entry Afia Tonkmor, a 25-year-old lounge host at a private members club in London.

The public have decided which boys the pair will take out during the next episode of the ITV2 dating show.

Asked about how competitive she will be on the hit dating show, Ekin-Su said: “I don’t care about treading on toes.

“Of course I am there to make friends too but realistically I’m not there to make seasonal girlfriends, I’m there to find the love of my life.

“I need to find the man of my dreams so if there is another girl in the way, I don’t care.

“I’m quite fiery and passionate so if I want something, I don’t care what gets in the way.”

When asked why she joined Love Island, the actress, who stars in Turkish programme Kuzey Yildizi, said: “I’ve seen relationships that have worked out really well – and marriages.

“Dom and Jess, Camilla and Jamie – they’ve had kids as well. Dating for me has been very hard, especially in today’s world with dating apps.

“It’s a very false perception of somebody on these apps. I’m looking for that real, genuine spark and they just see me as me.

“I think the concept of the show brings back true and raw feelings.”

Ekin-Su said she is looking for someone with intelligence – “a serious man and a serious relationship”, she added.

Meanwhile Afia said she is “quite picky” but looking for “Mr Right”.

She said: “It just seems like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet someone, have an amazing summer, just have so much fun and have a bit of a summer romance as well.

“I like going on dates but I am just so done with it now, I just want the relationship, chill thing.”

She added that she falls in love “too quickly”.

“Two dates I am like, ‘OMG I am obsessed with this boy, he’s everything’,” she said.

Love Island continues on ITV2 and the ITV Hub.

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