Maura Higgins is not interested in pursuing romantic connections at this point in her life.
“I’ve been celibate for like a year and a half now, which is great,” Higgins, 35, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her partnership with Wingstop. “I feel great. I’m like a new woman, not dating, not even speaking to anyone.”
Higgins noted that she doesn’t “have the time” for a love life considering she’s heading to the ballroom soon to begin Dancing With the Stars season 35 and will be “on a flight every three days” beforehand.
“I actually don’t have time for it, even if I wanted it — which I don’t, by the way,” Higgins quipped with a laugh.
After Rob Rausch infamously betrayed Higgins in season 4 of The Traitors (which Rausch, 27, ultimately won), she shared during press interviews that she had been celibate for a whole year. While reflecting on her time in the show’s Scottish castle, Higgins told Us that she learned one valuable lesson: “Don’t trust men.”
“It’s a hard one, because I do tend to trust people until they do me wrong,” Higgins explained to Us. “A show like Traitors, it’s just a game. Yeah, there was that initial shock and all of that, but it’s not real life. But I am a loyalist, and loyalty means a lot to me. With friends and in relationships, if you can’t trust someone, then what really is left?”
In the wake of Rausch’s onscreen betrayal, the pair hashed out their friendship, and he ultimately gifted Higgins a burgundy-colored Birkin bag. For Higgins, “all was forgiven” before receiving the luxurious gift from Rausch.
“The Birkin was just the cherry on top, really,” Higgins told Us. “I didn’t really take it hard, if I’m being honest. Like, yeah, I was shocked — and because I thought I was gonna win — but I didn’t really take it that hard. Like, I got over it so quickly. I knew it was just a game, and I had a lot of fun. I met amazing friends, and Rob played a fantastic game. And then I got a Birkin out of it, so I kind of feel like the winner.”
Higgins — who knows a thing or two about loyalty — is bringing this mentality to her partnership with Wingstop to launch their new rewards program, Club Wingstop. While celebrating the launch, Higgins curated a limited-edition “Club in a Box” (featuring one of her signature berets and more) for fans to purchase online for 94 cents starting Monday, June 1.
“Obviously, I know a lot about loyalty from doing reality TV for many years. This is kind of like a taster of what members can get. They can get access to new flavors and events, and it’s just very exciting,” Higgins told Us, sharing that her go-to order is lemon pepper, fries and a “big-ass ranch” on the side. “Fans have been wanting this for a long time, so it’s about time.”
