Maura Higgins has confessed she and Pete Wicks are “taking things slow.”
On Monday night’s I’m A Celebrity episode, GK Barry asked Maura about her experience being in the public eye since Love Island.
Discussing media interest, Maura shared with GK that the interest was always in her love life, as she said: “I get it in a sense because I know I was on a dating show, but it was five years ago.”
Mentioning a situation where the press asked her if she was dating Pete Wicks, she told them: “You know more than me! No, I’m single. People can date and not be in a relationship and take things slow.”
As she added of the press: “What’s the point in getting them involved too soon, when you just don’t know where it’s gonna go, you know?”
As GK explained she tried to keep her relationship with her girlfriend Ella under wraps, Maura said of her and Pete: “Well we’ve already been papped, tongues down each other’s necks and we had no idea!”
On Sunday night’s episode, Maura finally addressed her romance with Pete Wicks.
The reality stars first sparked romance rumours in August, and have been spotted on a number of romantic outings since.
Despite this, Maura declared she was single when she entered the jungle two weeks ago.
When asked if she was in a relationship, the Irish star told The Daily Mail: “I’m not [in a relationship with Mr Wicks].
“I’ve been on dates with many people. I mean, I date, but I’m very much single. Everyone goes on dates.”
During Sunday’s episode, Maura admitted she was seeing someone before she entered the jungle, but insisted they weren’t “in a relationship”.
The campmates were speaking about their love lives around the fire when Oti asked Maura whether or not she’s single, to which she replied: “I am but I was seeing someone before I came in but I’m not in a relationship.”
Richard then asked: “Was it exclusive? Or if I’ve put you on the spot, sorry!” Maura paused, and looked pensive, as she said: “I dunno.”
Dean questioned: “Is it someone we would know?”
Maura looked coy, and said: “Yeah..”
Richard said: “Well that’s great, go Maura!”
Dean then asked: “So recently since you’ve been in here then have you gone ‘oh my god I miss him’?” and Maura replied: “Yeah.”
Maura then opened up that she thinks she’s never been in love.
Richard described looking for his late partner David in a crowd and feeling his heart go, as Dean said: “I know that feeling.”
Richard offered: “I think you’ll know when it happens, it’s just different.”
Dean asked about her current situation: “Does it feel different this time?”
She answered: “It does, but then is it because we’ve known each other for a long time?”
Richard added: “You’d know if he was an a**hole or not, by now.”
Maura then smiled to herself, and replied: “Yeah, he’s not an a**hole.”
