I don’t say this lightly: Ekin-Su borderline sent me into cardiac arrest with her performance on Love Island: All Stars. To be fair, that was kind of the point, since the Islanders were tasked with getting each other’s pulse races by doing a sexy costumed strip tease in the front of the group. Now, as a certified Love Island expert, I’ve seen a lot of heart race challenges in my day. I awkward laughed when Malorie bounced around like a kitty cat. My jaw dropped when Maura made Curtis’ eyeballs fall out of his head, also dressed like a cat. I’m even old enough to remember rewinding several times when they got Ovie to shake it in Camo around the firepit. But nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to what Ekin-Su whipped out on the second season of All Stars in an attempt to win the challenge for her girlies. (Not even Davide dressed as Batman.) As I try to slow my own heart rate, here’s a necessary breakdown of Ekin-Su’s wild Heart Race Challenge drama.

Ekin-Su’s Heart Race Challenge Controversy

What did Ekin-Su do on Love Island: All Stars?

Ekin-Su gave an intense strip tease that was so dramatic (including flipping, motorboating, and extended dry humping), most of the boys literally ran out of the area by the end because her dance was so outrageous. But it’s a strip tease, you ask, isn’t the whole thing over the top already? Well, yes, but let me explain a little more.

I had a feeling there was reason to be scared when Ekin growled at the other women in the dressing room that she planned to “bring [her] sexiness out tonight.” When Catherine and Elma told Ekin to maybeee consider playing it cool because kissing wasn’t a part of this particular challenge, Ekin said she was gonna do it anyway because “she’s Ekin-Su.” Ekin later promised Elma not to worry, because her partner Sammy would be focused on Elma anyway.

Well, that was short-lived, because a few scenes later Ekin came out crawling across the ground (dressed like the devil, no less) sending the boys into an instant fit of giggles. After giving Ronnie the motorboat treatment, Ekin knocked Casey to the ground in all of her excitement and later booped Ron in the face with her donk.

Love Island: All Stars Cast Reactions To Ekin-Su’s Heart Race Challenge

Why was this so controversial? Depending on who you ask, it wasn’t. Ekin certainly did exactly what the challenge asked for: surprise the boys into a spicy frenzy. But some of Ekin’s Love Island castmates, the fans at home, and, I’ll be honest, little old me, found Ekin’s dance to deliver something closer to an electric shock.

When Luca yelled, “This is illegal!” I actually agreed with the fishmonger, for once. I mean, I can’t say it wasn’t entertaining. At one point Ekin attempted a backward somersault over Casey’s crotch but fell sideways when she lacked the momentum to roll all the way around. But was it too much? Judging by the way poor Omar was trying to shrink into the island shrubbery, perhaps.

On top of her extra dance moves, Ekin upset her closest friend in The Villa (Elma) by kissing her man (Sammy). Elma had already confided in Ekin about being insecure about winning Sammy’s attention during the challenge. So for Ekin to then go out of her to smooth Sammy (I wouldn’t classify it as a “peck” but sure) felt like an intentionally shady move.

One person who was definitely satisfied with the situation, however, was Curtis. At first Ekin’s aggression seemed to be upsetting her recently rekindled fling, especially kissing his bro for no reason. That was until Ekin and Curtis made out so hot and heavy around the fire pit, with hands flying so fast, that they fell to the floor. The way those two were, um, shall we say, gyrating on the ground is the type of stuff you typically don’t see on network television. TBH, hats off to Ekin! A Love Island babe who forever makes history.