Love Island legend Maura Higgins is trying her hand at another reality TV show in the United States but has admitted she has no plans to look for love anytime soon. The 35-year-old Irish model and reality star has ruled out romance while participating in the US version of Strictly Come Dancing, known as Dancing With The Stars, for the next few months. She says she needs 'space' from annoying and distracting boyfriends.
Why Maura Higgins Is Avoiding Romance
Higgins insists she will not follow in the footsteps of contestants like David Seaman and Natasha Kaplinsky, who enjoyed relationships with their dance partners. She has not been on a single date for a year and is pushing her love life aside to concentrate on winning the dance contest. 'I have not been on a date in over a year. Nah, I don't want a man. I am so happy. I don't want anyone in my space,' she said.
She explained that she enjoys coming home to her clean house and does not want to pick up after a messy partner. 'I like to come home to my beautiful clean house. I have to pick up their s***. I don't want it. Well, I don't actually have time anyway. I have to dance. I have to get into rehearsals. I need to get my trophy so I can pop it in my free Birkin.'
No Interest in The Bachelorette or Gleb Savchenko
Stateside TV fans have campaigned for Higgins to be the next star of ABC's The Bachelorette, but she has rejected the idea outright. 'Absolutely not. I never had any intentions of doing The Bachelorette - because I don't want to do another dating show. Guys, come on. I am 35,' she said.
She also dismissed any possibility of a romance with Russian dancer and choreographer Gleb Savchenko, who has famously enjoyed on-screen romances. 'Absolutely not. No. No, the way he talks about women. No. Sorry. No. Don't like that. Not for me.'
Focus on Winning and Fear of Falling Live
During promotional events for the show, host Alfonso Ribera advised Higgins to 'be careful of the men.' She agreed, saying she has learned from past experiences. 'I'm there to compete and I'm there to work hard. I'm not there for any love story. Sorry.'
Higgins's biggest fear is falling down live on television during a performance. 'The fact that it's live, I'm nervous. If I fall or forget my steps, that's scary to me. I'm nervous because it's something I've never done. I don't really know what to expect. I'm just like getting it in my brain that it's probably going to be the hardest thing I've ever done physically and mentally. But aside from that, I'm just so excited. Like, I know it's going to be a lot of fun. I can imagine like you're in this little dance bubble, building relationships with everyone and just having fun with it.'
Speaking to CBS ET, Higgins confessed her focus is on winning the show and pushing her dance partner to succeed. 'I am very hard on myself when I can't get something right. So, he's going to have to listen to just that moaning of 'come on make me a star. Let's get that trophy.''
