Former Love Islander and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! contestant, Maura Higgins set tongues wagging this week after appearing to confirm that she is dating Towie star Pete Wicks.
Fans of the show have taken this as confirmation that she is dating the Strictly Come Dancing star – although she hasn’t yet mentioned him by name.
The TV personality explained to her campmates how she had been romantically involved with someone before entering the jungle – but didn’t yet know the ‘rules’ of their relationship.
Reverend Richard Coles and Dean McCullough quizzed the star over her mystery man, with the radio presenter asking: ‘Does it feel different this time?’
‘It does, but then is it because we’ve known each other for a long time,’ Love Island star Maura replied.
The pair were spotted kissing as recently as last week, looking loved up after an apparent date in East London.
Who is Maura Higgins dating?
Maura and Pete became linked after claims that they shared a smooch at the Pride of Britain Awards afterparty in November.
They were then snapped on their date the following week, cuddling and kissing out in public.
In a recent interview, she spoke of how she ‘instantly clicked’ with Pete, telling Married At First Sight expert Paul C Brunson on his We Need To Talk podcast that they get on ‘very well’.
‘He’s an amazing person,’ she said, without actually confirming a relationship.
‘We’re friends,’ she insisted. ‘We met very soon after me coming off the show [Love Island] very soon, and we just instantly clicked.
Maura Higgins’s past relationships
Before finding fame on Love Island, Maura was engaged to childhood sweetheart James Finnegan, who she met in school as a teenager.
Their relationship ended in 2017, after nine years of dating. Two years later, Maura joined the cast of Love Island.
It was here that she met and dated Curtis Pritchard, during the show’s fifth season. The pair remained together for eight months after leaving the villa, before announcing their separation in March 2020.
Maura announced on Instagram: ‘Curtis and I have made the decision to separate. We enjoyed a great experience from our time in the villa and want to thank everyone for supporting our relationship.
‘There is no easy way to get through a break-up and no bad feeling on either side. We tried to make it work but it wasn’t to be and I wish Curtis nothing but the best for the future.’
In November 2020, she began dating Love Island co-star Chris Taylor, announcing their new relationship with a photo on Instagram.
After splitting from Chris in 2021, Maura became linked with Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice. The pair confirmed the rumours that they were dating in July, sharing a series of pictures at the beach together.
‘I’m yours,’ Maura declared on Instagram, sharing a love heart emoji in the caption.
After a four-month romance, Maura and Giovanni split – and she removed all pictures of the Strictly star from her Instagram page.
In 2022, she sparked rumours of a relationship with another Towie star – Joey Essex – after they were pictured sharing a steamy kiss at that year’s Pride of Britain Awards.
When asked what had happened between them, Joey later told Heat Magazine: ‘I don’t know – I can’t even remember.’
By February the next year, Maura was enjoying a cheeky Holiday romance in Mexico – sharing a series of selfies with American businessman Yisroel Solomon at a cosy beach bar.
In May 2023, she became linked with Hollywood stuntman Bobby Holland Hanton, who has doubled for Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Craig in a number of explosive action films.
Maura confirmed their relationship during an appearance on the RTE Late Late Show that year, telling host Patrick Kielty: ‘I am no more single. Very happy relationship.’
Not for long though – and the pair broke up in March 2024, after reportedly realising that their relationship had no future.
How old are Maura Higgins and Pete Wicks?
Born in November 1990, Maura Higgins is 34 years old. Following her exit from the Love Island villa, she has become a reality TV mainstay, going on to appear on Dancing On Ice, Cooking With the Stars and Love Island Games.
Strictly star Pete Wicks is 36 years old, having risen to fame as one of the stars of The Only Way is Essex.
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Like Maura, he has a long and storied history outside of his breakthrough show, appearing in Celebrity SAS, Celebs Go Dating and Celebrity MasterChef.
Rumours of their romance come amid speculation that the trio are involved in a love triangle with his Strictly partner, dancer Jowita Pryzstal.
Pete was quick to shut down these rumours, saying: ‘They called it a “passionate kiss”, it’s the choreography, and we didn’t.’
He and Maura may not have officially confirmed their romance, but Pete has been a public supporter of Maura, posting on Instagram: I’ve been George of the Jungle but now it’s time to vote for Maura of the Jungle.’
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