Maura Higgins is an Irish television personality, presenter, model and social media personality who rose to international fame after appearing on the fifth series of the British reality television programme Love Island in 2019. Born on November 25, 1990, in Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland, she became one of the most recognisable personalities to emerge from the programme and later built a career across television, fashion, modelling and entertainment.
Following her Love Island appearance, Maura Higgins expanded her career beyond reality television by taking on presenting roles, modelling campaigns and appearances across British, Irish and American television. She has presented Glow Up Ireland and Love Island USA: Aftersun, while also appearing on programmes including Dancing on Ice, Cooking with the Stars and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!.
By 2026, Maura Higgins had developed an increasingly international entertainment career. She appeared on The Traitors US, was named to the TIME100 Creators list and joined the cast of Dancing with the Stars Season 35. She has also been announced as a co-host of Peacock’s upcoming Get Me Out of Here alongside Rob Rausch, marking another major step in her American television career.
Maura Higgins’s Early Life
Maura Higgins was born on November 25, 1990, in Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland, to Sharon and Seamus Higgins. She grew up in County Longford with her siblings and spent her childhood in the rural Irish community that she has continued to reference as an important part of her identity.
Higgins has two sisters and a brother, and her early years were spent largely in Ballymahon. Before becoming known internationally, she lived a relatively ordinary life in Ireland and worked in local employment while developing an interest in modelling and promotional work.
Before entering reality television, Higgins worked in the beauty and promotional industries. She trained as a hairdresser and later worked at a salon in her hometown. She also became involved in promotional modelling, including work as a ring girl and grid girl, experiences that helped introduce her to the entertainment and fashion industries.
Maura Higgins’s Education
Maura Higgins attended Forgney National School before continuing her education at Ballymahon Vocational School in County Longford. Her early education took place close to her family home and formed part of her upbringing in rural Ireland.
After leaving Ballymahon Vocational School, Higgins pursued vocational training rather than attending university. She studied hairdressing in Athlone, developing practical skills that later enabled her to work professionally in a salon in her hometown.
Her educational path ultimately became part of a broader career journey that moved from hairdressing into modelling, promotional work and television. Rather than entering entertainment through formal media training, Higgins built experience through practical work, modelling opportunities and eventually television appearances.
Maura Higgins’s Career
Maura Higgins began building her modelling and promotional career before becoming a television personality. She worked as a promotional model and ring girl and was involved with Monster Energy, including promotional work connected with Formula One. She also appeared in the music video for “Get Low” by Zedd and Liam Payne, giving her experience in front of cameras before her major television breakthrough.
Higgins became widely known in 2019 when she entered the fifth series of Love Island. She quickly became one of the most recognisable contestants of the season and eventually reached the final, finishing fourth alongside Curtis Pritchard. Her appearance dramatically increased her public profile and helped launch a career in television, modelling and commercial partnerships.
Following Love Island, Higgins appeared across several television programmes and developed her presenting career. She competed on Dancing on Ice in 2020, presented the Irish version of Glow Up and later appeared on Cooking with the Stars and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!. She also became involved with the Love Island franchise in the United States, including work as a social media presenter and host of Love Island USA: Aftersun.
Higgins has also built a substantial career in fashion and commercial partnerships. Her work has included collaborations with brands such as PrettyLittleThing, Boohoo, Ann Summers, Victoria’s Secret, L’Oréal Paris, M.A.C Cosmetics and Guess. She has also signed modelling representation and continued to develop her presence as a fashion and lifestyle personality.
In 2026, Higgins expanded her American television career further. She appeared as a contestant on The Traitors US and reached the final before being eliminated after Rob Rausch, a fellow Love Island personality and Traitors contestant, betrayed her. She subsequently joined Dancing with the Stars Season 35 with professional dancer Mark Ballas and was announced as a co-host of Peacock’s upcoming Get Me Out of Here with Rausch.
Maura Higgins Makes Her Dancing with the Stars Debut in Season 35
Maura Higgins is currently attracting public attention after making her debut on the 35th season of Dancing with the Stars in the United States. She was announced as one of the celebrity contestants for the 2026 season and was paired with professional dancer Mark Ballas. ABC’s official cast announcement confirmed the partnership ahead of the season’s premiere.
Higgins made her competition debut during the show’s two-night premiere, performing a Foxtrot with Ballas. Her participation represents another major move into American television after her appearance on The Traitors US and her previous work presenting Love Island USA: Aftersun.
Her Dancing with the Stars appearance has also received attention because it adds another high-profile entertainment platform to an already expanding US career. Higgins has simultaneously been connected with Peacock’s upcoming Get Me Out of Here, where she is set to co-host with Rob Rausch when the programme premieres in 2027.
Maura Higgins’s Personal Life
Maura Higgins has had several high-profile relationships following her rise to fame on Love Island. During the 2019 series, she became romantically involved with Curtis Pritchard, with the pair reaching the final together. She later dated fellow Love Island personality Chris Taylor, with their relationship ending in 2021.
Higgins was also linked romantically with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice after meeting through the entertainment industry. Their relationship ended in 2021. She has subsequently kept much of her romantic life private, although her relationships have continued to attract media interest because of her public profile.
Higgins lives in Essex and has spoken publicly about making the area her home. In 2024, she confirmed that she had purchased her dream home there. By 2026, her professional life had become increasingly international, with work in the United Kingdom and Ireland alongside television opportunities in the United States.
Maura Higgins’s Age, Religion, Nationality, Height and Physical Appearance
Maura Higgins was born on November 25, 1990, making her 35 years old in 2026. She was born in Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland, and is Irish by nationality. She will turn 36 on November 25, 2026.
Information about Higgins’s personal religious beliefs is not consistently documented in reliable public sources. Some biographical profiles describe her as Catholic or Christian, but there is not a clear, recent primary source establishing how she currently identifies religiously.
Maura Higgins is generally reported to be approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, or about 1.70 metres. She is known for her long brunette hair, distinctive fashion style and polished red-carpet appearance, while her image has evolved from her early reality television years into a broader fashion and lifestyle profile.
Maura Higgins’s Social Media Presence
Maura Higgins has a large social media following, particularly on Instagram, where she shares fashion, beauty, travel, television and lifestyle content. Her Instagram handle is @maurahiggins, and she has built an audience of more than four million followers on the platform.
Her social media presence has played an important role in the development of her career since Love Island. Higgins has used her platforms to work with fashion and beauty brands while also maintaining a direct connection with the audience that followed her from reality television into presenting and international entertainment.
Maura Higgins’s Net Worth
Maura Higgins’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified. Published estimates in 2026 have placed her wealth in a range of approximately $4.5 million to $6 million, while another recent report estimated her net worth at around €5 million. These figures are media estimates rather than confirmed financial statements.
Much of Higgins’s income comes from her television and presenting career, modelling, brand partnerships, fashion collaborations and social media work. Her expansion into American television, including The Traitors and Dancing with the Stars, has added further opportunities to an already diversified entertainment career.
Based on the publicly reported estimates and the scale of her television, modelling and commercial work, Maura Higgins’s 2026 net worth can reasonably be estimated at around $5 million, although the actual figure may be higher or lower. Her upcoming hosting role on Get Me Out of Here and continued television work could provide additional sources of income.
Maura Higgins’s Legacy
Maura Higgins has established a career that extends well beyond her original Love Island appearance. Her transition from reality television contestant to presenter, model, fashion personality and international television figure demonstrates the expansion of her career across several areas of entertainment.
Her influence is particularly visible through her work with the Love Island franchise and her growing presence in American television. She has presented Love Island USA: Aftersun, competed on The Traitors US and joined Dancing with the Stars, giving her opportunities to reach audiences beyond the British and Irish reality television market.
By 2026, Higgins had also become part of major fashion, media and creator platforms, including the TIME100 Creators list. With her upcoming Get Me Out of Here hosting role and continued work in television and fashion, her career has continued to evolve from her 2019 Love Island breakthrough into an international entertainment profile.
Conclusion
Maura Higgins has built an international entertainment career from her 2019 Love Island breakthrough, moving into television presenting, modelling, fashion and American reality television. Her appearances on The Traitors US and Dancing with the Stars, alongside her upcoming role as a co-host of Get Me Out of Here, have expanded her profile beyond the British and Irish reality television world. With a growing presence in US entertainment and fashion, she continues to develop her career across multiple areas of the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maura Higgins
Who is Maura Higgins?
Maura Higgins is an Irish television personality, presenter, model and social media personality who became famous after appearing on Love Island in 2019.
How old is Maura Higgins?
Maura Higgins is 35 years old in 2026. She was born on November 25, 1990.
Where was Maura Higgins born?
Maura Higgins was born in Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland.
What is Maura Higgins famous for?
Maura Higgins is best known for appearing on Love Island in 2019 and later working as a television presenter, model and reality television personality.
What did Maura Higgins do before Love Island?
Before Love Island, Maura Higgins trained as a hairdresser and worked in a salon. She also worked as a promotional model, ring girl and grid girl.
What is Maura Higgins’s education?
Maura Higgins attended Forgney National School and Ballymahon Vocational School before studying hairdressing in Athlone.
Is Maura Higgins married?
Maura Higgins is not publicly known to be married in 2026.
Does Maura Higgins have children?
Maura Higgins does not have any publicly known children.
Who is Maura Higgins dating?
Maura Higgins has kept her current relationship status relatively private. In 2026, she has been focused heavily on her television career and Dancing with the Stars.
What is Maura Higgins’s nationality?
Maura Higgins is Irish and was born in County Longford, Ireland.
How tall is Maura Higgins?
Maura Higgins is approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, or about 1.70 metres.
What is Maura Higgins’s religion?
Maura Higgins’s current religious identity is not clearly confirmed in reliable public sources, although some biographical profiles describe her as Catholic or Christian.
What is Maura Higgins’s Instagram handle?
Maura Higgins’s Instagram handle is @maurahiggins.
What is Maura Higgins’s net worth?
Maura Higgins’s net worth is estimated at around $5 million in 2026, although her exact wealth has not been publicly verified.
Is Maura Higgins on Dancing with the Stars?
Yes. Maura Higgins is a contestant on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars in 2026, where she is partnered with professional dancer Mark Ballas.
What other television shows has Maura Higgins appeared on?
Maura Higgins has appeared on Love Island, Dancing on Ice, Cooking with the Stars, Glow Up, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and The Traitors US. She has also presented Love Island USA: Aftersun.
Is Maura Higgins hosting Get Me Out of Here?
Yes. Maura Higgins and Rob Rausch are set to co-host Peacock’s upcoming Get Me Out of Here, which is scheduled to premiere in 2027.