Maura Higgins shocks I'm A Celebrity fans after revealing her real age (2024)

I’m A Celebrity contestant Maura Higgins has shocked viewers after her real age was revealed in the jungle.

The reality star, who rose to fame as one of the finalist on Love Island’s 2019 series, has had a intriguing start to her time in Australia.

After battling speculation over her relationship status with her rumoured lover Pete Wicks, who is currently on Strictly Come Dancing, she declared she’s ‘single at the moment’ while on the show.

And now Maura is truly looking forward to the future as she celebrated her birthday on the ITV reality series. It was during an episode earlier this week that she revealed she has turned 34.

Although that’s not old by any stretch of the imagination, the discovery still came as a surprise to many viewers who had expected her to be in her early to mid 20s.

‘How is Maura Higgins 34!!! I thought she was 28 tops,’ @davinamarieb posted on X.

‘Maura Higgins is 34??? Thought she was about 22/23,’ @THFCHarvey18 added.

‘Would never have thought Maura was 34. She looks much younger,’ @kevqgs shared.

‘No way is Maura 34? She looks so much younger,’ @gricks echoed.

‘WHAT DO YOU MEAN MAURA IS 34?! I THOUGHT SHE WAS 26,’ @jongdaisy_ said.

The TV personality celebrated the special day by taking a freezing cold shower. She later said: ‘Birthday in the jungle! This is definitely going to be one I will never, ever forget,’ as her campmates shared their best wishes.

Meanwhile, Maura cryptically addressed her situation with Pete on the We Need To Talk podcast last month.

‘He’s an amazing person,’ she said.

‘We’re friends. We met very soon after me coming off the show, very soon, and we just instantly clicked.

‘I never come out and go, “This is so not true,”‘ she said, going on: ‘My friends know the truth, my family knows the truth, I know the truth, that’s all that matters.’

The Irish screenstar has already won audience’s over after she struck up a sweet, but unexpected, relationship with campmate Rev Richard Coles.

The pair debuted on the show last week and immediately had to convince their fellow competitors that they were living in squalor in the Jungle Junkyard rather than absolute luxury.

Although Coleen Rooney (aka Wagatha Christie) eventually cracked the case, the dynamic pair has already done plenty of bonding.

Fans called them a ‘genius pairing’ and an ‘iconic duo’.

It’s not the only surprise connection Maura has in the jungle. She is also going head-to-head with one of her ex’s fathers, Barry McGuigan.

Maura briefly dated his son Shane, a boxing coach, in 2018 after the pair met at a boxing match, although the relationship was not meant to be.

Discussing whether Maura and Barry would get along, however, Shane has faith they could find something to connect over.

‘‘Maura, as well, she’s an Irish girl so her coming into the camp…she’s from a tiny town in Longford in Ireland so they’re both from the sticks we’d call it in Ireland, the middle of nowhere.

‘They both reached big fame they wouldn’t have been able to comprehend as kids growing up in their small towns. So could be similarities there as well,’ the 36-year-old said on Good Morning Britain.

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