Maura Higgins, the former *Love Island* star,
recently revealed she was once approached to appear on the popular reality show *The Traitors* but chose to turn down the offer.
The 46-year-old, who gained national attention during her time on *Love Island* and more recently appeared on *I’m A Celebrity…
Get Me Out Of Here!*, discussed her decision on *Loose Women* on Friday, 17 January.
During her appearance on the talk show, Maura was joined by panellists Frankie Bridge, Nadia Sawalha, Katie Piper, and Kaye Adams.
The conversation quickly shifted to her experience in the *I’m A Celeb* jungle, where she was praised for her ability to deceive others.
In particular, her fellow celebrities noted her cunning skills in convincing the other contestants that she and Reverend Richard Coles were struggling in a separate camp while, in reality, they were enjoying numerous luxuries. This ability to mislead the other participants led them to believe she would be a perfect fit for *The Traitors*, a show known for its strategic gameplay and manipulation.
However, Maura had other plans. Despite the flattery of being considered for the show, she admitted that she had turned down the opportunity when it was offered to her. “I actually turned them down, maybe a year ago,” she revealed. “I turned it down because I think people will work me out, and I would probably rather be a Traitor than a Faithful. I like to be a bit devious!”
Her candid confession about her decision was met with interest from the panel, as they all agreed that her cunning nature would have made her a strong contender for the game. But despite her admitted love for deception, Maura insisted she wouldn’t take up the challenge on *The Traitors* anytime soon, stating, “I don’t think I would ever do it. I think it is a great show but I think I would be figured out.”
Instead, Maura reflected on her decision to appear on *I’m A Celebrity*, where she faced intense trials in the Australian jungle. She explained that it was the right time for a change in her life and career, especially after having spoken publicly about her struggles with mental health. “I was ready for something like that,” Maura said of her *I’m A Celeb* journey. “I’ve done a podcast talking about mental health, and I really struggle about opening up, but then I did that and I thought, ‘maybe this is the year for change’ and to take myself out of my comfort zone.”
Since her time in the jungle, Maura has remained close with her fellow campmates. She shared that the group chat remains active, with the stars keeping in touch constantly. “The group chat is popping off 24/7,” she revealed. “We are all really close, and some of us even met up the night before at Coleen Rooney’s launch of her new wellness range.”
At the event, Maura was joined by fellow campmates Oti Mabuse, Barry McGuigan, and Danny Jones, who all came together to support Coleen at the launch of the Applied Nutrition wellness range. The reunion marked the first time the campmates had gathered since leaving Australia, and it was a heartwarming moment for them to reconnect.
Coleen herself shared how nice it was to see everyone again, even if not all the campmates could make it. “We’ve had a few FaceTimes and stuff [since leaving the jungle], but today was the first day when I’ve actually physically seen them,” she told the *Mirror* after the event. “It was so nice to get the group together, and you could see everyone was buzzing just to be back together again.”
Despite their busy schedules and the distance between them, Coleen added that the group plans to arrange a bigger reunion in the future. “Obviously it’s hard to meet up regularly, because we’ve all got busy schedules and we all live in different places, but we said when and if we can, we’re going to organise a big reunion.”
Maura’s journey on *I’m A Celebrity* may have come to an end, but it’s clear that the bonds she formed with her fellow campmates are strong, and they’re making plans to reunite whenever they can. As for *The Traitors*, Maura’s decision to pass up on the offer may have been one of the right calls—though it’s clear her knack for deception would have made for some interesting gameplay!
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