Molly-Mae Hague reveals she knew Maura Higgins before Love Island – and opens up on them being love rivals
MOLLY-Mae Hague has revealed how she knew Maura Higgins before Love Island - before opening up on them being love rivals.
The 23-year-old discussed the first time she met Maura, 31, in a new vlog on YouTube from her time in Dubai.
As she enjoyed the sunshine on a lounger at Cove Beach club, Molly-Mae said: "Fun fact, this is the beach club in which I first saw Maura before we even knew who each other were.
"Then when she came on the show [Love Island] I was like 'I recognise you. I saw you at Cove Beach Club' and she was like: 'Oh my gosh, I saw you too! I recognise you as well'
"And the rest is history really. But that was about four years ago now."
Both women appeared on the 2019 series of the hit ITV2 dating show, arriving as bombshells at different points.
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Molly-Mae had arrived first and soon coupled up with Tommy Fury, but Maura threatened to put a spanner in the works when she made a pass at the boxer during her first couple of nights in the villa.
However, Tommy remained faithful to Molly-Mae and the couple now live together in their swanky new Cheshire mansion, while Molly-Mae and Maura have become BFFs.
Writing in her recent memoir, Molly-Mae recalled of their brief time as love rivals: "Of course on Love Island she was interested in Tommy for a bit, but there is no issue there.
"After Tommy started getting closer with me, she said to me: 'Look, I'll never go near him again in that way, you know', and ever since then we've been best friends."
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Maura and Tommy also have a good friendship, with Molly-Mae adding: "They're like brother and sister - they make fun of each other 24.7."
While some might wonder how she can be comfortable with their friendship, she said: "When you have a friend like Maura you have that complete trust."
While Molly-Mae and Tommy have been loved up since the show, Maura has had some ups and downs in her love life.
After splitting from villa beau Curtis Pritchard, she had a romance with fellow islander Chris Taylor, before dating Strictly Come Dancing pro Giovanni Pernice.
However they split after a four month romance, but now the Irish beauty is dating MK Dons footballer Connor Wickham.
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