Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu is breaking her silence and revealing what caused her to skip attending the Celebrity Big Brother UK finale on Friday, March 22.

All the housemates from Season 23 of CBBUK reunited to celebrate the show’s grand finale after 19 days in the house. However, notably missing was The Traitors US Season 2 star, who is now opening up about why she opted out of coming back to the ITV reality competition.

“I know it’s unlike me to hide away, but I’ve been taking some time to reflect,” Cülcüloğlu said in a statement shared on Instagram Stories. “Sometimes in our lowest moments, we learn the most important lessons about ourselves.”

She continued, “I hope you don’t think I was selfish for setting boundaries and putting my own needs first last night. I’m fully aware that not everybody will understand my absence, or think it was the right decision to make, BUT it was the right decision for me. I chose to remove myself from a potentially uncomfortable situation that I preferred to avoid. I’m proud of myself for recognising what I need during this time, despite the hate that might come my way.”

RELATED: ‘Celebrity Big Brother UK’ 2024 Crowns Winner On ITV

Following her exit, the former Love Island UK star received a lot of backlash from CBBUK viewers for her actions in the house. During her exit interview on Celebrity Big Brother: Late and Live, Cülcüloğlu expressed her discomfort with the edit she got during her stage in the house. However, host Aj Odudu noted that she had just gotten out and wondered how she would know how she was portrayed on the show.

“Accountability is key and when I’m ready, I will give some context around these past few weeks,” she added. “Thank you to everybody who has sent kindness my way, I see you, and I appreciate you. The new chapter starts now.”

Cülcüloğlu ended her note congratulating the winner of CBBUK Season 23 and hoped “everybody enjoyed watching the final.”

Read the full note below.