AFTER keeping fans guessing about her romantic life, Maura Higgins has now revealed she hopes fellow Love Islander Christopher Taylor pops the question.
The 30-year-old, famed for her “fanny flutters” catchphrase and no-nonsense attitude, says she has finally found the man she wants to settle down with.
In an exclusive interview, Irish Maura told The Sun on Sunday: “We’re very much in love and we use the L-word a lot. I look into the future and see myself with a family.
“I don’t want a baby any time soon, but when I’m ready and settled. I want to be married before I have a baby, so Chris better hurry up and give me that engagement ring, because I’m not getting any younger.”
The couple became good friends after appearing on the 2019 series of Love Island. As the pair spent more time together last summer, fans would comment on social media that they would make the perfect couple.
They went public in November, posting a loved-up snap on Instagram from their trip to Dubai to celebrate Maura’s birthday.
At the time Maura’s ex-boyfriend, ballroom dancer Curtis Pritchard, accused the pair of stabbing him in the back.
Maura and 24-year-old Curtis had coupled up in the reality show’s Majorcan villa, eventually finishing fourth on the ITV2 dating show. But they split seven months later.
She insists her romance with Chris blossomed out of friendship after her break-up from Curtis.
Maura said: “We were friends for ages before it ever turned into a relationship. We know each other very well, we never argue, we have such a laugh. It’s really good.
“He’s the male version of me. We’re always goofing around and giggling. We take the mickey out of each other all the time, it’s a lot of fun, and that’s so important in a relationship.”
Maura, who was championed in the villa for being open about female sexuality, also confessed she has had a fling with a woman in the past but says Chris is the only one for her now.
She said: “I’ve experienced women, but I feel like growing up it’s good to experience things when you’re young.
“I don’t know if people question my sexuality. For me it’s definitely men — well I would say men, but it’s Chris.”
Chris, 30, a former business development manager from Leicester, hasn’t just charmed Maura — her mum Sharon is onside too.
She said: “I’m very close to my mum and he’s spoken to her loads on FaceTime. They get on very well and he calls her ‘Mammy’, like I do.”
Production companies are even in talks with the couple for their own reality show.
Maura said: “We’ve had the idea pitched to us already, it’s definitely something we would do.
“We have so much fun together so it would be a fun job.”
But for now Maura, who has had collections with lingerie brand Ann Summers, online fashion giant Boohoo and Inglot Cosmetics, is trying to stay positive during lockdown and playing house with Chris.
She said: “I’ve turned into a housewife, I’ve been cooking a lot.
“I’m trying out new recipes from scratch. It keeps me busy, it’s good to experiment with food. I enjoy it.
“I’ve been cleaning every single day because that kills a lot of time. I’ve been working out a bit, but not as much. Some days I won’t even get out of my PJs. I’m trying to get through it as positively as possible.
“Even when I’m feeling down I get up and try to put make-up on, even though there is nowhere to go, as it makes me feel so much better about myself.
“It helps me to stay positive and remind myself that we’re not going to stay in this situation for ever, so just enjoy the downtime.”
This time last year Maura was competing on ITV’s Dancing On Ice with pro skater Alexander Demetriou, 29.
The new series kicked off last week, with celebrity contestants including presenters Denise Van Outen and Myleene Klass, Olympian Colin Jackson and singer Jason Donovan.
Maura said: “I’m loving watching it and so jealous I’m not doing it. I know how daunting it is.
“My advice to the contestants would be not to be too hard on yourself and don’t take the negative comments from the judges too seriously.”
Despite always being pictured with shimmering, bronzed limbs, Maura is naturally fair skinned and swears by Bellamianta Luxury Tanning, who she has just released a collection with.
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She said: “I’m the palest person. My nickname in high school was Casper the ghost because I’m so fair.
“I have tanned naturally and get freckles, so I don’t do it. I’m really conscious of my skin and tanning is ageing. I want to look as young as possible for as long as I can.”
She’ll make a very yummy mummy.
The full Bellamianta x Maura Higgins collection is available to buy online and in stores at Boots and Bellamianta’s website from Sunday January 24
How she bagged her man
AFTER flirtations with boxer Tommy Fury and model Tom Walker in the Love Island villa in 2019, Maura left on the arm of Curtis Pritchard.
They split acrimoniously in March 2020, following speculation she had grown close to her Dancing On Ice partner Alex Demetriou.
A month later the pro skater announced he had split from his wife of four years. But Maura and Alex have always insisted they were just friends.
She was pictured spending the weekend with Chris at her home in June last year.
But in October she was snapped on a date in London with Merlin actor Bradley James, 37.
The romance was short-lived because the next month Maura went “Instagram official” with Chris and they have been inseparable since.
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