Love Island's Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has said she was 'proud' to represent Ireland - even though she'd never set foot on the Emerald Isle and has no Irish connections.
Guesting on Friday's Late Late Show, the British actress, model and television personality of Turkish origin also told host Ryan Tubridy about her thoughts when heading to this year's villa, why Davide is her type, and how to handle bullies.
"We're so happy to have you here because the place has been a buzz since we mentioned you were coming," Ryan told her when she joined him on the show. "Does that buzz follow you around these days?"
"It does, and it’s so overwhelming. Can I just say that I love Ireland already?" she said. "I’ve been here for eight hours and everyone’s been so welcoming, so warm and just lovely. I want to come back!"
Ryan then asked her how life has been for her since she won Love Island. She took a deep breath and told him: "It’s just been a whirlwind - I mean, it’s been so busy. Non-stop. I’ve literally been like been in LA, been back in Essex, been in London, now here. I just have not had time for myself.
"Or my man really," she added, referring to her fellow Love Island winner, Davide. "It’s been absolutely crazy but just so surreal, and I’m so grateful for everything."
And how is it for her man? "He’s fine, he’s absolutely fine. He’s in Manchester with is friends, and he’s busy right now."
Ryan then asked her what her expectations were like when she first arrived on Love Island, and she was very honest in her response.
"I’m 28 and need to meet the love of my life. This show is such a success I thought, let me find someone who doesn’t know me, who doesn’t stalk my Instagram and gets intimidated and just runs off - let me give it a try.
"But never did I know that I would find the man of my dreams and someone with not just the perfect body, but a perfect heart in my eyes.
"He’s a lovely guy and such a sweetheart," she added. "I think that people who don’t know him might think he’s just a good-looking guy, but he’s got a heart of gold."
"It was very fiery because we’re such like the same people. No relationship’s perfect, and I think real relationships - marriages - got to have arguments. You’ve got to disagree on things. Because not everything is perfect . . ."
Ryan also wondered about the rumours of mysogony and bullying on Love Island.
"Do you know what?" she said to Ryan. "There’s always going to be bullying in life. There’s bullying in work, there’s bullying in school, there’s bullying on the street. People just projecting themselves on to you.
"And the best thing you can do is be confident, and smile - just know who you are and be authentic. Don’t be bothered about these bullies."
And as for representing Ireland, she told Ryan: "When I was 17 I did Miss Asia Pacific and it was my first beauty contest. I was very young and very confident, I just went away. And my manager at the time said, 'Could you represent Northern Ireland?'
"And I said 'Sure' and it was like the whole of the island - the country. Yeah. Why not? And I had to research about Ireland itself, the Bailey's, the Guinness - the Guinness I tried, by the way, amazing!
"I'd two weeks in South Korea" she added, noting that she represented the whole of Ireland. "I was proud. I'd never been to Ireland before, but I was very proud."
