Love Island star Maura Higgins revealed a sexual assault by a taxi driver that occurred six years ago during her October 30, 2024 appearance on We Need To Talk podcast. The incident took place before her 2019 Love Island appearance when she worked as a ring girl. The Love Island USA Aftersun host shared how she woke up to find the driver assaulting her after her friends had been dropped off.
Maura Higgins made this disclosure to podcast host Paul C. Brunson, marking her first public discussion of the assault. The reality TV personality, who recently launched her Oh Polly collection in April 2024, gave specific details about the night, her immediate reaction, and her decision not to report.
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She described experiencing intense fear during the incident, followed by physical tremors that left her struggling to enter her home afterward. The 32-year-old Irish television presenter explained her reasons for keeping quiet, primarily citing concerns about living alone and the driver knowing her address.
Love Island star Maura Higgins speaks out about taxi assault six years later
The assault took place during a taxi ride following a night out with friends. Maura Higgins explained she took the front passenger seat while her companions occupied the back seats. She shared specific details about how events unfolded after her friends left the vehicle. Her statement was,
"We got in a taxi coming home from a night out. My friends got in the back, I got in the front because there was no more seats in the back…My friends got dropped off before me, and I fell asleep in the front seat. I had a short dress on, and I woke up and his hand was up my skirt."
The reality star described her immediate response to the situation. "I never sobered up so quick in all my life," she said, detailing the moments after she awoke. Fear prevented her from speaking out during the incident.
"I did not say anything because I thought if I say something he could genuinely knock me out," Higgins explained.
She recalled experiencing intense fear throughout the remainder of the journey, constantly worried the driver might stop the vehicle. The final moments of the ride left a lasting impact. Upon arriving at her residence, Higgins struggled to enter her home due to physical tremors from the experience.
"I remember getting out at my house and I could not get the key in the door. I was shaking that much," she shared in the podcast interview.
The incident occurred before her television career began, during her time working as a ring girl and brand ambassador. Prior to her Love Island appearance in 2019, Maura Higgins worked at professional boxing matches, including Anthony Joshua's fight with Alexander Povetkin in 2018. She also served as a promoter for Monster Energy, appearing in promotional content including a 2018 advertisement filmed in Abu Dhabi.
Following the incident, Higgins chose not to report the assault to authorities. Living alone at the time factored heavily into this decision. She explained during the podcast that her primary concern centered on the driver knowing her home address. "I'm not living in fear," she stated while acknowledging regret about her decision.
"I should have because, you know, he could do that again. I do regret not reporting him, he could do that to so many more women. But I was scared," she shared with podcast host Brunson.
More about Maura Higgins
Maura Higgins went on to gain public recognition through Love Island in 2019, finishing fourth place on the show. Her career trajectory since then has shown significant growth in the television industry. She took on presenting roles at This Morning following her Love Island appearance, hosting segments about relationship advice and Irish travel destinations.
Her professional achievements include participation in Dancing On Ice 2020, where she competed until week seven with partner Alexander Demetriou. In 2021, she secured her first major hosting role on Glow Up Ireland. She later expanded her television presence by becoming the social ambassador for Love Island USA in 2023.
Recent months mark significant career advancement for Higgins. In April 2024, she collaborated with Oh Polly for their HOTFIX collection, featuring the Amaya dress she wore at their February runway show. June 2024 brought a promotion to host of Love Island USA Aftersun for series six, building on her previous role as social ambassador.
Additional ventures include her acting debut in the film The Spin, filmed in Northern Ireland and scheduled for release in 2024. Producer Edward McCaffery praised her performance, noting her ability to hit cues and maintain consistency across takes.
Maura Higgins is the current host of Love Island USA Aftersun
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