Six ways ‘saucy’ Maura Higgins overhauled her image from ‘desperate cut & paste reality star’ to ultra-polished A-lister

RENOWNED for her sky-rocketing career and jaw-dropping good looks, Maura Higgins has shown she has both the beauty and brains to conquer the showbiz world. 

At 33, Maura first burst onto the scene on Love Island in 2019, and she’s now officially the third most successful contestant from the show. 

With an estimated net worth of £3.2 million, Maura is not just a reality TV star, she’s a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry.

This week it was revealed that she has a new love interest with Strictly Come Dancing star Pete Wicks, as The Sun's exclusive images show the pair enjoying a kiss after a date at east London hotspot Gloria.

Since joining the fifth season of the ITV dating show, brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes that Maura has had a huge overhaul of her image. 

He says: “Maura Higgins has truly become a style star, commanding attention every time she steps onto the red carpet. 

“Her current ultra-polished look is worlds away from her early days, where her style was more of a cut-and-paste reality starlet vibe. 

“She's now found fame on both sides of the Atlantic, evolving into a bona fide style icon with no signs of slowing down. 

“Despite this incredible transformation, Maura has kept her sensational sense of humour and that irresistible, sexy attitude.

“She’s even caught the eye of Pete Wicks - who knows, she might just make a decent man out of him yet.”

Whilst in the villa Maura was labelled as “desperate” as she made her intentions with Tommy Fury clear since she first arrived at the villa.

But the former ring girl, then 28, left viewers “cringing” after she was continuously rejected by the boxer, then 20. 

She then was drawn to Curtis Pritchard and ended up leaving the show with him. 

At first, their split seemed amicable, but after photos emerged of Curtis kissing dancer Amber Pierson, Maura seemed to be angry.

Curtis has always denied cheating.

Body language expert Judi James believes her desperate attempts to seduce Tommy, only to lose her to Molly-Mae though, could have been a fatal career hiccup.

She says: “Equally damaging could have been her clingy, opportunistic attachment to Curtis Pritchard, which appeared to be a transparent, sell-out effort to remain on the show.”

But since leaving the show, Maura has shown her talent for being a star in her own right, with or without a celebrity arm to hand off. 

Her little black book might look like a reality booker’s go-to manual, but the guys she dates are no longer necessary to her level of fame. 

Nick says: “Maura started her TV career as just another wannabe on Love Island, often remembered for her messy antics in the villa. 

“She was a memorable character who people loved to hate, which only piqued fans' curiosity about her life. 

“Her relationship with Curtis Pritchard continued for months after the show, quickly establishing her as a star outside the villa.”

Being memorable

But the public ended up falling for her directness and calling the men on the show out. pls can you add his age at the time into this line? But the former ring girl, then 28, left viewers “cringing” after she was continuously rejected by the boxer.

Judi adds: “She was as direct as an Exocet missile whenever a fit man crossed her path, exuding a magnetic charm that was both captivating and commanding. 

“Her legendary ‘fanny flutters’ were matched only by her boldness in calling men out, effortlessly putting them in their place. 

“With a sassy, saucy streak, she became a feminist icon, blending empowerment with an irresistible flair.”

Stylish and demure

With her racy outfits, Maura also became a fixture on every red carpet.

And now, she's completely revamped her image, transforming into a stylish celebrity everyone wants to emulate.

Nick says: “After Love Island, Maura was fortunate enough to land a spot on Dancing on Ice. 

“This opportunity helped her build a larger fan base and cement her status as a bona fide celebrity. 

“Her social media presence exploded, allowing her to secure numerous brand deals. 

“She transitioned from promoting fast fashion ranges to showcasing more exclusive pieces, further elevating her style.”

Brand deals

In November 2019, Maura launched her first lingerie collection with Ann Summers and has since done several collections.

Nick says: “Her collaboration with Ann Summers was a massive hit, turning heads and winning her a legion of male and female fans alike. 

“Instead of being perceived as tacky, it was a stylish move that solidified her brand.”

Maura's talent as a TV host became evident when she hosted the Aftersun shows in the UK in June this year, and her charm didn't go unnoticed across the pond either. 

Nick says: “The US also recruited her to host, where she proved she has both beauty and brains, commanding the screen with ease.

“Unapologetic in her life choices, especially when it comes to men, Maura still has them wrapped around her finger. 

“But she’s upped her game in the style stakes, rising from a typical Love Island contestant to a celebrity in her own right. 

“By polishing her look, creating an aura of mystery, and maintaining the big personality that everyone fell in love with, Maura has truly become an unstoppable force in the world of fashion and entertainment.”

Judi believes her transformation is partly thanks to her breath-taking poses that have taken her from Love Island wannabe to marketing herself as a confident, high-status woman leading the celebrity life on her own terms.

Effortlessly A-list 

Maura doesn’t just scrub up well for red-carpet events, her styling and her poses create the look of a true Hollywood A-list star. 

Judi says: “Her focus is clearly on elegance and class, which propels her image and her perceptual celebrity status skyward, away from her D-list launch pad of fanny flutters and string bikinis.

“The trick here is as much about the pose as the pearls. 

“Maura’s upper torso forward bend and then the lift of her head creates an haute couture look from 50’s Vogue. 

“Her facial expression is pure Marilyn Monroe, with the heavy lids and partly-opened lips mimicking a very high-class version of sexual arousal. 

“This is not the same girl we saw desperate to lure guys like Tommy off to Hideaway, this is the look of a girl who would barely be aware of his existence.”

Splayed Goddess 

When capturing the perfect shot, Maura uses space and a sense of unapproachability or being untouchable.

Judi believes this sends a signal of a high status that she has parted ways from since Love Island.

She says: “On the show she was begging Tommy for a massage, here she looks like a human assault course in terms of blocking access to anyone. 

“Space is one of the most powerful signals of high status, which is why we feel powerless in crowded tubes and lifts. 

“Forget the lift for Maura though, in this dramatic pose she lets the world know she now takes up a whole staircase to herself.”

Adored, not adoring 

Maura’s recent pics with celebrity guys show a very powerful message in terms of power in relationships and who now calls the shots. 

With Pete Wicks, Giovanni and Kai Waddington her body language shows she’s now allowing them to do the running rather than the other way round.

Judi says: “Her recent photo with Pete Wicks shows him hugging her in an act of adoration while she grins over his shoulder, looking distracted and way more interested in the cigarette she’s holding.

“These looks suggest she’s happy to date these men but that they are not vital to her career or even her happiness any more. 

“She registers control here, which is a message her fans will adore.”