Maura Higgins says some of her exes ‘didn’t like her overshadowing them’ following her split from Pete Wicks

Many men would love nothing more than dating world famous beauty Maura Higgins, but she has confessed that some exes didn’t enjoy being overshadowed by her.

The Love Island star, 35, has seen her profile sky rocket since leaving the ITV villa back in 2019 and now has well and truly cracked America with appearances on Celebrity Traitors and the upcoming series of Dancing With The Stars. 

Earlier this year Maura, whose last known relationship was with Pete Wicks, revealed she has been celibate after a run of bad romances. You can read the full story here. 

She’s also dated Strictly Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice, Joey Essex, Hollywood stuntman Bobby Holland Hanton as well as fellow Islander Curtis Pritchard. 

Opening up on what she is now looking for in a man, Maura said friends have advised her to look for someone who is happy for her to take the lead.

‘Some of my ex-partners didn’t like me overshadowing them, it was probably an ego thing’.

Many men would love nothing more than dating world famous beauty Maura Higgins, but she has confessed that some exes didn't enjoy being overshadowed by her

Many men would love nothing more than dating world famous beauty Maura Higgins, but she has confessed that some exes didn’t enjoy being overshadowed by her 

She told The Sun: ‘My friends keep saying that my next partner needs to let me shine and be who I am’.

Maura previously revealed she goes through a man’s phone just a week into dating him because she has ‘serious trust issues’.

She said she has turned into an ‘investigator’ when it comes to dating men after years of ‘men doing her dirty’.

Last year, Maura took a public swipe at her ex-boyfriend Pete and suggested he cheated on her after she discovered texts to other women on his phone.

Insiders told Daily Mail at the time that Pete was never unfaithful to Maura and was hurt by the accusations. 

In an interview with Glamour Magazine, Maura detailed her red, green and beige flags and said: ‘I’d say my biggest red flag in a relationship is I’ve got serious trust issues. 

‘If I’m dating you and it’s only a week in, I’ve already gone through your phone. I’ve turned into a bit of an investigator because men have done me dirty. So like, I mean, I’d probably say it’s a beige flag, but we call it red.

‘We call it red because it’s not okay to go through someone’s phone, but I’m going to do it again.’

TV star Maura has regularly dated in the public eye. 

She fell for Curtis Pritchard on Love Island before dating Chris Taylor, whom she met on the same series.

Earlier this year Maura, whose last known relationship was with Pete Wicks, confessed she has been celibate after a run of bad romances (pictured together 2024)

Earlier this year Maura, whose last known relationship was with Pete Wicks, confessed she has been celibate after a run of bad romances (pictured together 2024)

Following their split, Maura was in a relationship with axed Strictly professional Giovanni Pernice, but they parted ways after four months.

After being spotted sharing a kiss at the National TV Awards in 2022, Maura and TOWIE’s Joey Essex denied that they were romantically involved.

In March 2024, Maura split from stuntman Bobby Holland Hanton after ten months together.

Maura was then seen sharing a ‘drunken kiss’ with McFly’s Danny Jones – who has been married to his wife Georgia for over a decade – as they attended Universal Music’s BRIT Awards afterparty. 

Most recently, Maura sparked romance rumours with her Traitors US co-star Rob, 27.

The pair knew each other through Love Island US, where Rob appeared as a contestant in 2023 and 2024.