I went off the rails to ‘numb the pain’ after toxic relationship with Ekin-Su, says Love Island’s Davide Sanclimenti
LOVE Island hunk Davide Sanclimenti says he went off the rails to “numb the pain” after a toxic relationship with his show ex, Ekin-Su Cülcüloglu.
The 29-year-old Italian-born star was pictured on a bender abroad — days after plummeting into a deep depression over the failed romance.
He told The Sun on Sunday: “I was surrounded by temptation in Ibiza. I found myself in a really difficult situation and feeling pressured.
“I partied too hard after spiralling into a really bad place. My heart was broken and I’m still trying to heal it.”
We revealed video footage of him inhaling a substance up his nose in an Ibiza club last July.
Davide — who won the ITV2 show with Ekin-Su in 2022 — says he is “embarrassed” by his behaviour and has quit the UK for a fresh start in America.
He said: “I’m only human and when you’re heartbroken and dealing with a break-up, you go into a dark place. I regret dealing with the break-up the way I did.
“It was out of character, but I tried to numb the pain. I went through a big depression. I became unrecognisable to my loved ones.
“To try to save the relationship, I adapted myself to appease my ex and try to make her happy. But by doing that I lost myself and became depressed.
“Yes, the post-show hype gave me good opportunities and I finally had everything I’d ever dreamed of — a nice car, a good job, friends, etc — but the truth is, I was living inside a miserable house and had a miserable existence.
“I felt there was no consideration for my feelings from someone I was in love with — and that hurt”.
Ekin-Su has previously told how Davide’s “endless deceit” led to the end of their 18-month relationship.
The Italian heart-throb was accused of cheating with model Harriet Wilson in March 2023.
However, Davide — who is still friends with Harriet and her partner — denies the allegations.
He said: “I genuinely was in love with Ekin, but she broke my heart and I had no choice but to leave the relationship for my own sanity.
“I ended up going out and being surrounded by the wrong people in the wrong environment, doing what most men my age would do — party and have fun.
“Yes, there were girls at the parties, but that doesn’t mean I was intimate with them all.
“I was with people I thought I could trust, but actually I couldn’t trust anyone.
“That also hurt me, but I have learnt a lot through my pain.”
Davide says he dumped Ekin-Su in June 2023 — months after his cheating accusations with Harriet.
But they reunited less than a month later and were spotted leaving the ITV summer party together.
The on-off couple finally called it quits for good in January this year, a month before Ekin-Su’s disastrous stint on Celebrity Big Brother.
She blames the backlash about her behaviour on being “angry, hurt and insecure” in the wake of their bitter split.
Talking about how their rows turned nasty, Ekin-Su, 29, previously admitted: “I never betrayed Davide, but I was hurt and I did get angry. There were a few times he would start a row and I’d react. I’d scream and get in his face.”
Reacting to claims of their toxic relationship, Davide said: “People don’t realise what I went through.
“As a man, when you don’t say anything, they think you are the reason for the split.
“I never set out to hurt Ekin the way she hurt me.
“Like most men, I’m not a communicator and I bottle things up and deal with it in my own head — and doing that took me to a very dark place.
“Just because I am masculine, strong, muscular and fit doesn’t mean I’m not vulnerable or hurting or heartbroken.”