Ekin-Su Culculoglu said she is following her gut in returning to the Love Island villa, almost three years after winning the ITV dating show.
On the launch of the second series of the spin-off show, based in South Africa, Culculoglu, 30, arrived as a bombshell contestant among those returning to find love.
She won the eighth series of the show in 2022, alongside Italian former partner Davide Sanclimenti.
“I want to return to Love Island again because it’s where my journey started and has a special place in my heart,” Culculoglu said.
“It’s somewhere I’ve laughed, cried and learnt so much. The fact that there’s an opportunity to do it again – why not.
“Why can’t a winner go back in and rewrite her story and have a second chance. I think you should follow your gut and my gut is telling me to go back, so I’m listening to it.”
Culculoglu said she has no regrets appearing on the show, but has learnt to stand up for herself and “be vulnerable with men” as she looks for someone who is aware of their flaws.
“I’d like someone supportive, I don’t care about looks and money – I want someone to be my biggest cheerleader,” she said.
Culculoglu also said “I really crave” the relationship that former 2017 islanders Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow have. The couple have three children together.
The next episode will see her choose three boys, who are all coupled up, to date in the secret garden.
Scott Thomas, who was in series two, told his partner India Reynolds, from series five of the show, that Culculoglu had “slid into my DMs a few times”.
In the Monday episode Curtis Pritchard, who appeared in series five, returned, with series eight islander Luca Bish, Scott Thomas, who was in series two, and Kaz Crossley from series four.
Meanwhile former Blazin’ Squad singer Marcel Somerville was confronted by his former girlfriend Gabby Allen, as she questioned him about what happened between them after he was unfaithful to her during a couple’s holiday.
Somerville and Allen were partnered in the 2017 series of the show, where they came fourth, and became a couple outside the villa for about a year.
Professional dancer and qualified personal trainer Allen, 32, said: “I have mixed feelings about you. It’s nice to see you, but I also think you’re a knob. Do you know what I mean?”
Somerville said he had made a mistake and regretted his actions “immediately”, describing it as “out of character” before they made amends.
In 2022, Somerville tied the knot with Rebecca Vieira, with whom he has a son, and took part in pregnancy reality series Celebrity Bumps.
The line-up also includes series six islander Nas Majeed, series nine star Olivia Hawkins, series five islander India Reynolds, series 11 contestant Ronnie Vint, and series 10’s Catherine Agbaje.
Love Island: All Stars airs on Monday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
