After first being linked in August 2024, when photos emerged of them sharing a kiss at the Broadwick Soho Hotel, Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins are rumoured to have called it quits on their romance.
A source claimed on Valentine's Day that the TV stars - who never formally confirmed their relationship but were photographed in public and on dates together regularly - had been embroiled in a 'few clashes' and agreed they were 'better as friends'. The insider added, 'Those closest to them know it's been a very on-and-off relationship, which is why they were so resistant to go public in the first place. They remain close and share a deep connection.'
However, I'm A Celebrity contestant and former Love Islander Maura, 34, appeared to suggest that there could be more to her split from Staying Relevant podcaster Pete, 36, whom she has been friends with for several years. As she spent Valentine's Day with her friend, hairstylist Carl Bembridge, in London, a photographer quizzed Maura on Pete's whereabouts. 'Dunno, probably cheating,' she replied. Posting about the evening on Instagram, the Irish star also hinted at her single status by sharing a bunch of roses with a card attached reading, 'To me, love me.'
It has since been alleged that Maura was spurred on to leave Pete after she discovered he was messaging other girls. A source said, 'Maura was suspicious of Pete and whether he might have been messing her around. There have been some rows over trust. She felt she was proved right when she saw loads of messages with other women on his phone. She knew she’d never be able to feel like she could trust him - even if the messages were all innocent, it’s not something she could get past.'
The source continued that Maura isn't going to 'bad-mouth him' but just wants to 'move on'.
Last month, Pete opened up for the first time about his connection with Maura on Paul C. Brunson's podcast, We Need To Talk.
After revealing that he's known Maura for six years, Pete said, 'We have the same sense of humour, she's super intelligent and I think that is sometimes what people don't realise about Maura.
'She's incredibly witty and we have always been there for each other in the past six years at a distance -where we have always kind of been friends and been there for each other and whatever else. And that, I mean, is different now.
'We spend more time with each other than we did before. I think she's an incredible person, she was incredibly supportive to me when I was in Strictly and as I did to her when she was in the jungle.'
Starring on the same podcast three months earlier, Maura told Paul that she and Pete get on 'very, very well', explaining, 'I adore him, he's an amazing person… Do you know what's so weird? We met very soon after me coming off Love Island and we just instantly clicked.
'Our humour is the same. It's like that sick, dark humour. It's very abusive. We abuse each other. Very nasty, it's hilarious.'
Aside from Maura's cheating jibe, neither she nor Pete have publicly commented on the split speculation.
Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia. She has specialised in showbiz interviews, features, articles and roundups for over three years and loves combining her love for writing, talking and all things popular culture.