Exclusive Interview
‘Love Island’s Maura Higgins Talks Going From the Villa to ‘The Traitors’ Castle
Maura Higgins may have just wrapped Love Island Games, but her reality TV days are far from over.
After getting her start on Season 5 of the U.K. dating series, Higgins climbed the ranks from contestant to the franchise’s social media producer in just four years. After that, it didn’t take long for her to take over the Aftersun post-show hosting duties for Love Island USA and Love Island Games.
The end of Love Island Games Season 2 means that the franchise is now in the off-season, but it won’t be long until Higgins returns to the small screen. Next up is The Traitors Season 4, which wrapped filming earlier this summer. Swooon caught up with the reality star ahead of the new season, reflecting on her time on the show and her increasing involvement in the Love Island world.
Higgins says her Love Island experience has been wonderful so far, entering Love Island UK at the peak of fan engagement and then working on Love Island USA when “it’s the biggest it’s ever been.” The host helps recap the events of the previous week, interviewing eliminated contestants and bringing in ex-Islanders and super-fans for a villa debrief.
“I feel so lucky to experience the heights of both shows. I don’t think anyone else has gotten to do that!” Higgins said. “It’s very different being on the other side of the camera hosting, it’s what I love and where I thrive. However, I wouldn’t have got to where I am in my career without being Maura from LIUK Season 5, so I’m very thankful for the journey.”
Given her trajectory, does Higgins have any hopes of hosting the main show? After all, she did come into the Love Island Games villa to guide the contestants through one of their challenges. “It would be an honour to one day host the main show of Love Island,” she said. “The current hosts do such a great job, and I truly admire them,” she added. “They’ve set the bar high and it would be a privilege to follow in their footsteps.”
In terms of the current host, Higgins has nothing but glowing things to say about Ariana Madix, who’s been the face of Love Island USA since Season 6 and Love Island Games since Season 2. “She’s a queen and I always look forward to our reunions in Fiji,” Higgins said. “We’ve actually hung out in LA and London since working together so safe to say I’ve found a friend, not just a work-mate in Ariana.”
Though Higgins’ days as a dating show contestant are “well and truly over,” you’ll see her enter The Traitors castle soon, with episodes dropping early next year. In fact, Higgins stepped away from Aftersun during Love Island USA Season 7 to film the Peacock series.
She isn’t the only one representing the Love Island franchise either: Love Island USA Season 6’s Rob Rausch will compete alongside her. “Before The Traitors, I had only met Rob once when I interviewed him on Aftersun so I couldn’t say I really knew him much before, but it was nice to see a familiar face enter the castle on day one because I really didn’t know anyone else!” Higgins said.
Of course, The Traitors is a game of deception, where the participants try to manipulate their way to the top, so it’s a completely different premise compared to Love Island. Still, we couldn’t help but wonder if Higgins thought her time on the dating show might’ve helped her in any way when the game began.
“On Love Island, trust helps you succeed. However, in The Traitors, trust can get you banished or murdered if it’s misplaced, so you really have to flip your instincts,” she explained. “I actually hadn’t watched The Traitors before I went on it, so in all honesty, I wasn’t prepared in any way, but Love Island taught me to always be myself and that’s been my approach to everything I’ve done since.”
The Traitors, Early 2026, Peacock
