Earlier today (7 January), ITV began announcing the cast of this year's Love Island: All Stars series.
Amid the excitement, however, some fans have been left curious as to why one certified shoe-in has been left out of the line-up, with many claiming she'd be an integral part in bringing drama to the 2025 instalment.
This morning, the official Love Island Instagram account released a snap of the first four Islanders scheduled to strut into the famous on-screen villa next week.
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First up to feature was Gabby Allen, a 2017 star who dated co-star and former Blazing Squad member Marcel Somerville until a year after her series came to an end.
The 32-year-old scouser also enjoyed an almost four-year long romance with most recent boyfriend Brandon Myers, though she sparked fears last year that they'd gone their separate ways.
28-year-old Curtis Pritchard was also included in the first hotly-discussed photo, years after he broke Amy Hart's heart and dated Maura Higgins on the 2019 series.
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29-year-old Kaz Crossley, who appeared on the 2018 series, was also announced.
She previously struck up a romance with Josh Denzel - from whom she split after six months of dating on the outside world - and enjoyed a brief love affair with another fellow Islander, 2017 star Theo Campbell, but they broke up in 2020.
Nas Majeed, 28, was also announced in the line-up, less than a year after he split from 2020 co-star Eva Zapico.
A second batch - released an hour later - then saw 2024 ladies man Ronnie Vint, 28, announced in the line-up, after he famously dated Harriett Blackmore and Jess White on last summer's show.
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Joining him in the snap was 36-year-old Scott Thomas who enjoyed a fiery romance with 2016 co-star Kady McDermott during his time on the show, along with unlucky-in-love 2022 stars Olivia Hawkins, 29, and Catherine Agbaje, 24.
Later, a third batch - and presumably final - announcement saw another four ex-Islanders being shown in a photo alongside host Maya Jama.
34-year-old India Reynolds, who dated Ovie Soko on the 2019 show - and somewhat caused the break-up between co-stars, Anna Vakili and Jordan Haynes, after she caught his attention - featured in the photo.
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2023 star Luca Bish, 25 - who enjoyed a romance with Gemma Owen, before they split just weeks after the series ended - was also announced alongside 39-year-old Marcel Somerville, AKA Gabby Allen's ex!
Last up was 32-year-old Elma Pazar - who entered the 2019 series as a bombshell alongside Maura before going on to feature as a permanent fixture on TOWIE.
As we say, however, it sounds as though many fans of the show expected one huge-name star to make an appearance this year - none other than 2022's Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.
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The 30-year-old famously met Italian stallion Davide Sanclimenti on the series, with the pair going on to date for several months afterwards.
They sadly called time on their romance in 2023, both breaking the news on their Instagram pages.
As such, many Love Island fans were hoping to see Ekin-Su - who also appeared on the 2024 series of Dancing On Ice - in this year's line-up.
Their anticipation comes after The Sun claimed that the ex-Islander was currently hiding out in South Africa.
A source told the publication: "ITV bosses have long wanted Ekin back in Love Island and she’s finally agreed.
"After she split with Davide last January bosses immediately put her on their wish list."
They added: "ITV bosses haven't decided if she'll be a day one star, or a bombshell, but whatever happens she is telly gold and is going to be an incredible addition to the line up."
Taking to the comments of ITV's latest announcement - from which she was omitted - one hit out: "EKIN SU WILL COME THROUGH GUYS."
"WHERE'S EKIN?" another demanded.
Others, meanwhile, predicted that producers would be bringing in the much-loved alum as a late addition.
A series of bombshells are usually introduced throughout the duration of the six-week long series - though the last All Star version saw Molly Smith introduced during the first episode, surprising 2020 ex Callum Jones in the process.
As such, it's not totally outrageous to hope that Ekin-Su will rock up sooner than we first thought...
"I like everyone, make ekin su a bombshell," one fan begged.
Another wrote: "WE ALL NEED TO GATHER!!!! EKIN SU WILL COME THROUGH."
Tyla contacted Ekin-Su's representatives and ITV for comment.
Love Island All Stars season two premieres on Monday (13 January) at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
Topics: Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, Celebrity, Love Island, ITV, TV And Film, Reality TV
Rhianna Benson