I'm A Celeb's Maura Higgins reveals heartbreak fuelled her Love Island journey
25 November 2024, 12:03 | Updated: 25 November 2024, 16:15
Maura Higgins revealed what happened with her ex-boyfriend that led her to join Love Island in 2019 full of anger.
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I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 2024 knew exactly what they were doing when they had Maura Higgins walk into the Australian jungle alongside Richard Coles, they were making some damn good television, that’s what.
After finding her fame in Love Island, Maura is winning over a whole new demographic of fans with her quick wit, pretty face and hilarious craic alongside the incredible 2024 cast, who include; Coleen Rooney, Alan Halsall, Danny Jones, Tulisa, Jane Moore, Barry McGuigan and more.
Her time on Love Island saw her place fourth with Curtis Pritchard on the same season that saw Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury meet.
But those who watched the season know that Maura was taking no prisoners. She came into the villa fiery, called people out, took what she wanted and left a champion, but on a recent episode of I’m A Celeb, she revealed just why she was so angry in 2019.
- Read more: I'm A Celeb's Tulisa opens up about shocking 'Fake Sheikh' scandal
- Read more: Inside Maura Higgins' relationship with Barry McGuigan's son Shane
The 33-year-old media personality revealed on an episode that aired on the 24th of November that her ex-boyfriend at the time was the reason she was "so angry" when she entered the villa.
According to Maura, she found things on her ex’s phone that made her realise she "didn’t have a clue who that man was".
Speaking to campmates Jane Moore and Danny, the Irish brunette revealed she had a boyfriend at the time she contemplated joining Love Island: "So, I had a boyfriend at the time. This guy, I was like, 'Oh, I really like him'.
"And I was chatting to my bestie, and I was like, 'Yeah but like, I'm not going to break up with him to go on a reality TV show - I actually really like him'."
Maura went on to reveal that her friend didn’t want her to miss out on such a big opportunity for a man: "And then she was like, 'But what if you turn it down and then he's up to no good?'. And I went, 'Well, would he be though?'.
"And she went, 'I don't know but you might need to find out', and I was like, 'Maybe I need to go through his phone'."
Maura admitted went through her former partner’s phone at the time and she’s so grateful she did because of what she found. "I didn't have a clue who that man was," she told her campmates.
"I said, 'I'm going to get revenge on him'," she explained.
I'm A Celeb's Maura tells how she got revenge on a cheating ex
It was her ex-boyfriend’s betrayal that had her join the reality series that ultimately made her career, but Maura went into the show "angry": "I went in like a bull in a china shop because I was so angry about that whole thing."
Talking about how she dealt with her ex before entering Love Island she admitted: "I had a plan and no word of a lie, when he went to the gym the next day I got his toothbrush and I filmed myself scrubbing in the verges, he had a dentist appointment that day!”
In response, Danny said: "You don't wanna mess with Maura!" Jane high-fived the Love Island star as she said: "You are fierce! I love it!"
Who did Maura Higgins date before Love Island?
Maura hasn't revealed the identity of the man she set out to get revenge on and very little is known about her dating life prior to her break on Love Island.
In a small world moment, it's been reported that in 2018 she dated her fellow I'm A Celeb star Barry McGuigan's son, Shane McGuigan in 2018, but we don't think for a second she is talking about him.
According to Grazia, prior to Shane, Maura dated her high school sweetheart Irish car salesman James Finnegan for nine years before they split in 2017.
However, if you're looking for the mystery man Maura's story is about, look elsewhere because according to the publication, as of 2019 the two are on good terms with James even fixing Maura's car now and then.
Read more about I'm A Celeb here:
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