Embarrassing Dance Lessons with Love Island’s Curtis Pritchard: Cha Cha & Heart Rate Challenge
When Curtis Pritchard hit UK screens with his iconic hip swivel and carnival flair on Love Island, hearts were sent racing and the girls were…
Curtis Pritchard has thrown subtle shade at ex-girlfriend Maura Higgins while discussing his current relationship with Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu.
The professional dancer, 29, highlighted the importance of authenticity in a relationship, warning against ‘putting on a character’ to please a partner – a veiled reference to his past romance with Maura, which ended after their time on Love Island.
Speaking to MailOnline at the Smiley Charity Film Awards on Thursday night about his relationship with Ekin-Su, 30, – whom he met on Love Island: All Stars in 2025 – Curtis said: ‘Be yourself 1,000% because if you are being yourself, that is who you are, and a relationship will then either work or it won’t work.
‘But you always know you stay grounded in being yourself, and that’s the best thing to find somebody, and if they accept you for who you are, and you can accept them for who they are, that’s how it works.
‘That’s how it gels. But if you go in there trying to please somebody, or trying to not be yourself a little bit, to put the character on, give it a year, and you’ll be exhausted and it ain’t gonna work.
‘And that’s a long run situation. In reality, be yourself, let them be their self, and you’re gelling, it should, touch wood, work out. That’s my tip.
Curtis Pritchard has thrown subtle shade at ex-girlfriend Maura Higgins while discussing his current relationship with Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu (pictured together Thursday)
The dancer highlighted the importance of authenticity in a relationship, warning against ‘putting on a character’ to please a partner – a veiled reference to his romance with Maura
He spoke to MailOnline at the Smiley Charity Film Awards on Thursday night about his relationship with Ekin-Su, 30 – whom he met on Love Island: All Stars in 2025
‘And find them sexually attractive. I think that’s the key as well, which I do.’
His comments came shortly after Ekin-Su made a playful remark about Curtis teaching her to dance in the bedroom.
When asked about it, Curtis simply responded: ‘My lips are sealed.’
The reality star made it to the final of Love Island: All Stars earlier this year, where their chemistry was clear to see.
Since then, Ekin-Su and Curtis have gone from strength to strength after meeting at the start of 2025.
Curtis and Maura, 34, left Love Island together in 2019 and stayed together for eight months before eventually splitting in March 2020.
Mauara drunkenly kissed Danny Jones, 39, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month.
The McFly star later publicly said sorry to his wife Georgia, apologising for putting her ‘in this situation.’
Curtis and Maura, 34, left Love Island together in 2019 and stayed together for eight months before eventually splitting in March 2020 (pictured together in 2019)
Maura drunkenly kissed Danny Jones, 39, at a BRIT Awards afterparty earlier this month (pictured), with the McFly star later publicly saying sorry to his wife Georgia
Beyond his relationship, Curtis spoke about his ambitions in financial education and how he hopes to make an impact over the next few years.
He said: ‘In a few years’ time, I hope to still be doing the boxing 1,000% and making a real difference in education to do with finance.
‘I really want to teach as many people as possible, whether it’s changing the curriculum, whether it’s just getting into unis, schools or businesses, and teaching the younger generation about financial literacy—how to use their money smarter and how to just live their life in a better way when it comes to money.
‘There are so many mental health issues around money and so many scams out there that I don’t want people to get affected by it. So in the next five years, I really want to be making a difference, which we’re doing already through our business, Fins Invest.
‘It’s our financial investment company, and our aim is to make a difference in people’s lives. That’s what we want to do.’
Curtis also shared his own financial habits, revealing a simple but effective technique: ‘One time, actually, I still do it now, but I don’t do it as much—I wrote down everything I spent for about three months. When I say everything, I mean if I spent 1p, I wrote it down on this list.
‘So I knew exactly what I was spending, what my exact outgoings were throughout the month. This allows you to live your life how you want to and not be stuck in your head, like, ‘Can I do this? Can’t I?’
‘Most people don’t exactly know where their money’s going. If you write it down, you can visually see it all.
Beyond his relationship, Curtis spoke about his ambitions in financial education and how he hopes to make an impact over the next few years
‘I’m dyslexic, so seeing it written out helped. And once you know exactly what you’re spending, you know what to change to help your life. That’s my biggest tip—write down everything you spend, look at it, and think, ‘I can cancel that. I can stop doing that.’ Simple little habits like that make a difference.’
He added: ‘I read a lot of financial books now, and one thing they always say is—are you investing? Do your pension, pay all your bills, and have a little bit of money aside that you can spend on yourself.
‘But always have, whatever you want to call it, a reserve bucket, a ‘bucket bucket,’ whatever it is.
‘Always have one of them, because life will throw something at you when you least expect it, and most of the time, you’re not prepared for it. That’s when you need that little bit of spare cash.
‘Life will always throw it at you, and you don’t know when it’s coming. So always have a little ‘fuck-it bucket’—1,000%.’
