Maura Higgins makes stance clear on Pete Wicks romance as ITV I’m A Celebrity star breaks silence on relationship status
Former Love Island star Maura Higgins has opened up about her relationship status whilst appearing on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, cryptically revealing she was seeing someone famous before entering the jungle.
During Sunday night’s episode, the 34-year-old Irish television personality admitted to her campmates that whilst she considers herself single, she had been dating someone prior to joining the show.
When asked by Oti Mabuse about her relationship status, Higgins responded: “I am but I was seeing someone before I came in but I’m not in a relationship.”
The reality star later confirmed the mystery man was someone the public would recognise, coyly answering “Yeah” when questioned if it was a famous face.
She also admitted to missing the unnamed individual – widely suspected to be TOWIE star Pete Wicks – since entering the camp.
During the fireside chat, Reverend Richard Coles pressed further about the relationship, asking: “Was it exclusive? Or if I’ve put you on the spot, sorry!”
“I dunno,” Higgins replied after a long pause, before BBC Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough quipped in the Bush Telegraph that Coles may not know the identity of Higgins’ mystery man due to him not being a “fan of TOWIE” – Wicks’ old reality TV show.
Radio 1 DJ McCullough then questioned whether this romance felt different from previous ones.
“It does, but then is it because we’ve known each other for a long time?” Higgins pondered.
The Reverend added: “You’d know if he was an a**ehole or not, by now,” to which Higgins smiled and confirmed: “Yeah, he’s not an a**ehole.”
During the conversation, Higgins also made the surprising admission that she believes she has never been in love.
Coles described looking for his late partner David in a crowd and feeling his heart go, prompting Dean to say: “I know that feeling.”
The Love Island star’s admission comes after weeks of speculation about her relationship with TOWIE star Wicks, with the pair being spotted kissing in public following the Pride of Britain Awards afterparty.
Wicks, who is currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing, has shown his continued support for Higgins during her jungle stint, encouraging his social media followers to vote for her.
He recently posted: “I’ve been George of the Jungle but now its time to vote for Maura of the Jungle.”
Higgins’ family have reciprocated the support, sharing clips of Pete’s Strictly performances with dance partner Jowita Przystal, writing: “Waltzing into the quarter final like… known em dead tony!! Best of luck tonight @p_wicks01 we are all supporting you.”
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The Mail on Sunday has revealed Wicks has ended his romantic liaison with Przystal to focus on pursuing Higgins.
Sources close to Wicks say he has been telling friends he is “completely smitten” with the jungle star, whom he has been casually dating for five months.
Before Higgins entered the jungle, Wicks reportedly wanted to make their relationship exclusive.
A friend revealed: “Maura, aware of Pete’s reputation and his close bond with Jowita, decided to slow things down. She gave him an ultimatum: either commit to her or let it go. So she went off a single woman.”
However, Higgins’ best friend Danika O’Connor recently downplayed romance rumours, telling OK! magazine: “They’re just really good friends. Pete is supporting Maura in the jungle and she was supporting him on Strictly. It just shows what a good friend she is.”