Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti have been crowned by the public as this year's winners of Love Island. The couple, 27 and 30, has been voted to win the £50,000 cash prize for season eight of the ITV2 dating show.
Announcing the winner live on the show, presenter Laura Whitmore announced: "The public has been with you every step of the way and now its time to reveal the winning couple. The winners of Love Island 2022 are Ekin-Su and Davide."
The London-born actor appeared overcome with emotion after she was crowned Queen of the villa while Davide, a business owner from Rome, exclaimed: "I cannot believe it."
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Andrew and Tasha came in fourth place, Indiyah and Dami in third, and second for Gemma and Luca. Joint winner Ekin-Su was brought in after the programme first started as one of the new bombshells on day 3 while Davide was there from the start of the eighth season. The actress
The pair had a rocky start to their relationship with both Islanders sharing kisses with other contestants while they were coupled up, but have grown closer as the weeks went on after returning from Casa Amor. Tensions first grew when Ekin-Su shared a secret kiss with Jay on the balcony of the villa in a stand-out, scandalous moment of the series.
Meanwhile, it was revealed that Molly thought she "had a connection" with Davide while the boys and the girls were split at Casa Amor. Despite several lovers' quarrels during the series, the pair impressed the viewers and quickly became firm favourites with the people at home.
On their final date in the villa, the couple were taken to a romantic candle-lit setting and seranaded by opera singer Alfie Boe. Ekin-Su admitted how she was feeling, telling Davide: '"I feel like I'm in a dream."
"I feel that I have already won because I have found the person that I wanted. I have found the connection that I was looking for," Davide replied.
Fans flocked to Twitter to share their delight over this year's winners. Twitter user @1440Chicken said: "EKIN SU AND DAVIDE AND WORTHY LOVE ISLAND WINNERS #LoveIsland2022."
@yorke_holly wrote: "in ekin su we belived and in ekin su we got" while @Clohiddles_15 agreed: "GO EKIN SU AND DAVIDE, MY WINNERS!"
@Itz_jazzxx said: "The uk did us proud with this voting, I’m so proud of all of us."
@sweetylvpastels commented: "Wow so glad Ekin su and Davide won it! well deserved #LoveIsland2022 #LoveIsland will you be tuning to reunion show on Sunday?"
Love Island will return on Sunday, August 7 with a special reunion with some of the Islanders of season eight. The show also announced at the end that will be coming back with two full seasons in 2023.
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