I'm A Celeb viewers shocked as Maura reveals real reason she went on Love Island

It didn't take long for Maura Higgins' I'm A Celeb co-stars to begin bombarding her with questions about her days on Love Island.

And during a straight-up admission last night, the Irish reality TV favourite finally spilt the beans, shocking viewers by revealing her true motivation for the dating series stint.

For non-Gen Z readers who might need a little reminder about 34-year-old Maura's background, allow us to fill you in...

The brunette beauty first shot to fame all the way back in 2019 when she strutted into the Love Island villa as a bombshell.

Alongside the likes of Amber Gill, Ovie Soko, Chris Taylor, and Arabella Chi, she became one of the most hotly-discussed islanders just minutes into her appearance.

Her confrontational nature and no-nonsense attitude made her an instant hit with viewers, with fans constantly wondering who she'd call out next.

On the show, after briefly attempting to steal Tommy Fury off her, Maura also became instant BFFs with social media star Molly-Mae Hague, and struck up a relationship with dancer Curtis Pritchard - whom she split from less than a year later.

In the years that followed, Maura used the ITV2 stint to he advantage and - unlike many former islanders - became a huge name star in her own right, even going on to host the US version of Aftersun, Love Island's spin-off series.

Maura appeared on Love Island in 2019 (ITV)

Now she's in the I'm A Celeb jungle, however, Maura has taken the time to reveal what spurred her on to join the dating series in the first place, admitting she only went in there to make a former flame jealous.

Speaking to her camp-mates during last night's episode (24 November), Maura began by admitting: "So, I had a boyfriend at the time.

"This guy, I was like, 'Oh, I really like him', and I was chatting to my bestie, and I was like, 'Yeah but like, I'm not going to break up with him to go on a reality TV show - I actually really like him'.

"And then she was like, 'But what if you turn it down and then he's up to no good?'. And I went, 'Well, would he be though?'."

Maura then went on to explain: "And she went, 'I don't know but you might need to find out', and I was like, 'Maybe I need to go through his phone'."

The former islander then confessed to snooping through his mobile and stumbling on messages to other women.

"I didn't have a clue who that man was," she explained. "I said, 'I'm going to get revenge on him'.

Maura finally entered the jungle last week as a 'latecomer' (ITV)

"I had a plan and - no word of a lie - when he went to the gym the next day, I got his toothbrush, and I filmed myself scrubbing in the verges [of the toilet rim]. He had a dentist appointment that day."

She then went on to say: "He had a jacuzzi outside and - this is bad, what I'm about to say - but I considered taking a dump in it. I thought it was a bit far.

"And then, I went on Love Island. I went in like a bull in a China shop because I was so angry about what whole thing."

And let's just say, Maura's shock confession has left both I'm A Celeb viewers and Love Island fans mind blown.

"Maura rubbing her cheating man’s toothbrush around the toilet and then going on love island… what a queen," one gushed on social media in repsonse.

Another added: "Obsessed with Maura’s villain origin story being cheated on and scrubbing the loo with a toothbrush to then going on love island. A true diva."

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