Ekin-Su spills the tea on 'Traitors' elimination & drama with Janelle

Unfortunately, the three Traitors of the season were challenged to “murder” someone by “poisoning” them with a chalice… and Ekin-Su ended up being the victim without even being directly targeted.

During her exit interview with PRIDE, Ekin-Su talked about how much love and support she has for the LGBTQ+ community, reflected on her Traitors journey, gave us an update about her relationship with Davide, and revealed how she feels about costars like Parvati and Janelle.

Scroll through to read PRIDE’s interview with Ekin-Su about The Traitors season 2 — and keep tuning in every Thursday for new episodes on Peacock.

PRIDE: Ekin-Su, what a pleasure! We're an LGBTQ+ publication, but you are absolutely considered a reality TV queen and legend for the gays. It's so great to speak with you today about The Traitors season 2!

Ekin-Su: Thank you. I have a big love for the LGBTQ+ community. You guys are the biggest fans of me as well. I've got so much love.

In general terms, how would you compare your experiences on The Traitors versus on Love Island?

So, Love Island was a lustful competition for me. It's more about appearances, and having a connection with someone, and getting to know people on a romantic level. But The Traitors [turned out to be] more of an emotional [journey]. If you're using emotion, it's emotional intelligence you're using. Things like using your people skills and socializing, that's very similar between those shows. But Love Island is a love program, and The Traitors is about murdering people… it's a completely different concept!

The most important thing that I'm proud to say is that I was myself in both programs. On The Traitors, I wanted to show my intelligent side more while keeping my bubbly and quirky side still there. I didn't want to change myself or my personality on the show.

I feel like this season has been tough for the contestants who don't have other people from their original reality shows in the cast, like Peppermint (Drag Race), Bergie (Love Island USA), and you from Love Island. It feels like y'all are on individual islands, while people from Real Housewives and Big Brother and Survivor have plenty of costars from the same shows. Did you feel that energy while you were filming the show?

On the first day, when I saw everyone, I didn't actually know who everyone was, apart from probably John [Bercow]. I recognized John and I knew some other people, but I still wasn't quite established. And, for me, I saw everyone as an equal. I knew there were Real Housewives people quite close together, but I only saw that after a while… kind of the backstabbing going on between the Housewives as well.

Eventually, people get paranoid in there. I think everyone also feels quite lonely in there. I am used to kind of being my own best friend, so it wasn't hard for me to be on my own. I made friends with them all and there was no one in there that I clashed with. Even though there's been games and shields moments, I still freaking love them all. What a great bunch to be in a castle with!

This is one of the best reality TV casts of all time. It's just stacked with legends. Even if some of the contestants weren't familiar with you, you're like the biggest star of Love Island in the UK. Peppermint is also huge for us Drag Race fans.

Thank you. And yes, Peppermint is huge!

So, Parvati gave you the chalice that led to your elimination. Are you and Parv friends now? What's the status of your relationship with her?

Listen, I've always been friends with Parvati. I haven't got anything bad against her. I think she's sweet. She's a lovely girl. I look back and I didn't know she poisoned me, but it's a shame. I mean, the good thing about the whole death is that my death was iconic. I definitely feel like I left a mark, and it wasn't even intentional. No one wanted to kill me, at least. And that's the irony of life, isn't it? Sometimes you're here, and the next day you're gone.

The public fell in love with you and Davide on Love Island precisely because you were both keeping it very real, and not gaming like other people sometimes do on Love Island. But on The Traitors you're all kind of required to do some gaming. How did you feel about that?

Oh, I love gaming. I love competitions, and I do well. I think, if I didn't die, I would've done well in that show. Even in Love Island, there were times when we would do challenges and I was always competitive. And in the relationship with me and Davide, there was always the side where people called us mom and dad. Sometimes we'd have that competitive side with each other, and that element is still there.

But I think with The Traitors, it's more about speaking your mind. I didn't want to be intimidated by anyone older than me. I was one of the youngest in the castle, as a female, and I actually get along better with people older than me. Just a sense of maturity. I also didn't really see any sort of intimidation with other people's statuses. I saw everyone as equals. I just wanted to make friends with everyone and play the game.

And speaking of which, if you don't mind me asking, how are things with Davide?

Yeah, really good, thank you. We're good. He's busy, I'm busy.

Can you share what has been his reaction to seeing you on The Traitors?

He's really supportive. He obviously knew that I'd do well before I went into the show. He just rooted for me all the way through. He was not worried about me. He was like, 'Look, you're a strong woman and you'll do well. I have no doubts about you.' But it's unfortunate that I got poisoned.

One of the most iconic memes and GIFs from your season of Love Island was Davide's "as fake as the Louis Vuitton from China." So here comes a tricky question: is there any contestant on The Traitors that you'd call "as fake as the Louis Vuitton from China?"

No! I mean [laughs], it's weird. I don't have grudges, man. Even the Janelle thing, people looking at it going 'Ekin, do you not have hate towards her?' I've seen the scenes where she's spoken quite negatively about me. And I just want to say… Janelle, there's no need!

I don't know. I haven't b*tched about anyone like that on the show. I don't need to. I love everyone, and it's a game, for god's sake! We know the truth. My hand was in there before hers. She's a selfish person and she knows that, but that's it. I don't hate anyone. I don't think, 'Oh my god, she's fake.' But I've seen people online spreading that meme [laughs].