What Maura Higgins REALLY thinks of nemesis Olivia Attwood shacking up with ex Pete Wicks: Insiders reveal her savage verdict on the ‘cheating’ lothario, the cause of their bitter rift and tell DOLLY BUSBY about shock next step

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Maura Higgins relaxed into her comfortable leather seat on the transatlantic flight, taking in the luxurious cabin around her.

Let me tell you, walking into her space was amazing. There, casually displayed, was this incredible Birkin bag – seriously, those go for around £17,000! – alongside chic Chanel sunglasses, a beautiful Louis Vuitton travel set, and a glass of chilled white wine. It all just perfectly captured how far she’s come and the success she’s building – those items really felt like symbols of her journey.

The 35-year-old shared a photo with her four million Instagram followers, playfully writing, ‘Feels like a daily commute now!’ She added an airplane emoji with the American flag.

The 11-hour flight from London to Los Angeles has become routine for the Irish actress. After appearing on the US version of The Traitors this year, she’s achieved a long-held ambition and done something many British celebrities haven’t: found success in America.

Last week, the editor of Cosmopolitan declared Maura Higgins to be incredibly popular, following her recent appearances on the Drew Barrymore Show and Andy Cohen’s late-night program, as well as her starring role in a new Uber US ad campaign.

Before becoming widely known, she made appearances on smaller radio stations like Heart and Capital FM, and on the TV show Loose Women.

The reality TV personality, who first became well-known on Love Island in 2019, seems to be doing very well for herself. She’s moved on from her life in Britain, and especially from her past relationships there.

Just this week, it came out that Maura Higgins’ ex, Pete Wicks from “The Only Way is Essex,” is now dating Olivia Attwood, his co-host at Kiss FM. This is particularly surprising because Olivia has a long-standing rivalry with Maura, and the relationship began only a few weeks after Olivia split from her husband, footballer Bradley Dack.

Over the weekend, photos surfaced showing Pete, 37, and Olivia kissing at a busy bar in Soho, confirming their romantic involvement.

Sources close to Irish influencer Maura Higgins say she’s completely unbothered by recent photos of her ex and rival kissing. They report there’s no lingering affection for him, and she’s moved on to exciting new opportunities, even finding the situation amusing from her current location.

In early 2024, Pete was dating Maura and also rumored to be involved with his dance partner, Jowita Przystal, following a kiss they shared during a performance on Strictly Come Dancing.

For months, Maura didn’t publicly acknowledge their relationship, even when I directly asked her about it before she appeared on ‘I’m A Celebrity.’ This led people to wonder if she was embarrassed about it.

Like many reality TV personalities, Maura is always willing to talk to the press. However, she intentionally kept her relationship with the TOWIE star, who now hosts a podcast, a secret for months. She didn’t want to create a ‘showmance’ – a fake romance used to boost both of their careers.

One friend described the relationship as genuine for Maura, but also suggested she saw it as somewhat beneath her.

She eventually found out Pete was messaging many women online, and that led her to end their six-month relationship.

Leaving a restaurant by herself on Valentine’s Day, Maura was questioned by a fan about her date’s whereabouts. She jokingly replied that he was likely being unfaithful.

A friend commented that it’s funny he’s now dating Olivia Attwood, implying Maura Higgins avoided a problematic relationship. This was a playful nod to Olivia Attwood’s show, ‘Bad Boyfriends,’ which features stories about difficult partners.

It comes after Maura faced relentless accusations that she was ‘copying’ the 34-year-old’s career.

Both women began their careers as Monster Energy brand ambassadors – they were promotional models at racing events – with Maura starting two years after Olivia in 2014.

Olivia joined Love Island in 2017, and Maura followed two years later. After leaving the show, both women were represented by the same public relations firm, Dundas Communications.

The conflict started because Maura appeared on I’m A Celebrity two years after Olivia’s hopes of being on the show were ruined. Olivia had travelled to Australia prepared to participate, but was unexpectedly forced to withdraw due to a failed medical assessment.

According to a source, Olivia became uncomfortable when she learned she and Dundas were both being considered for the same roles. This led to her ending their professional relationship, and shortly after, Maura also left the agency.

According to sources, Olivia was very upset last year when Maura joined Align, a company that helps build careers in the US. Align has worked with major celebrities like Madonna and Selena Gomez.

Both Olivia and Maura were set on breaking America, but this is where their paths split.

Early in the year, Olivia brought on a publicist who previously worked at ITV, as many predicted she would be the next big star like Holly Willoughby.

But Maura has landed an even greater deal across the Atlantic joining Creative Artists Agency.

This major entertainment company represents a huge range of talent, including popular artists like Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and Charli XCX. They have over 2,500 clients in total.

I’ve been a huge fan of Maura’s ever since she started hosting the American version of Love Island in 2024, but honestly, her career has exploded since she was a runner-up on The Celebrity Traitors US earlier this year. It’s been amazing to watch!

According to someone familiar with the industry, Maura has spent eight years working towards this, and it’s been a huge success – she’s incredibly popular. In fact, it’s now difficult to schedule her for appearances in the UK.

Although the influencer bought a £1.2 million house in Essex last year, she spends very little time there, as her work keeps her primarily based in the US. She still considers England her home, however.

Olivia is frequently seen at events across the UK and has become a regular presenter for ITV, hosting several shows for them over the last year.

Although she hired a publicist in the US, she’s only recently started to explore opportunities in American entertainment. Her activities have included a brand partnership with River Island and an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast in 2022.

The clearest indication that the dynamic has shifted between these two women is the news that she’s now dating Pete Wicks, who Maura previously dated.

Olivia seems comfortable continuing Maura’s pattern of dating the famous womanizer. They made their relationship public last Saturday night by sharing a kiss at 10pm in Soho’s Flute Bar, with friends reportedly cheering them on.

Last year at the Brit Awards, Maura Higgins was photographed kissing Danny Jones, her former campmate from ‘I’m A Celebrity.’ Jones is married and has a son.

It was a scandal that threatened briefly to topple her career.

According to a close source, Maura decided to concentrate on her career, which led to her increased efforts with ‘Mission America.’ She was determined to establish herself beyond being known as the woman who kissed a married Harry Styles, and her dedication has ultimately been successful.

After publicly sharing that she abstained from relationships for a year, the reality TV personality is reportedly taking on a highly sought-after role: she’s rumored to be the next Bachelorette, which means she’ll soon be meeting a lot of potential partners.

Rumors are circulating that someone is being brought in to help save the show, following reports that Taylor Frankie Paul, a cast member from ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Housewives,’ is under investigation for domestic violence.

The US TikTok star’s series was pulled by ABC at the last minute earlier this week.

Everyone’s predicting Maura Higgins will be the next lead on a popular American dating show where one woman dates several men, gradually eliminating them until she finds a potential match.

Maura responded to a post on the gossip site Deux Moi—which seemed to suggest her new job—with just a string of eye emojis.

If she joins the show, a large and dedicated audience of 3.5 million viewers will be watching, and she’d likely become well-known in Europe.

The question is, will Olivia and Pete be watching?

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2026-03-25 21:35