Maura Higgins ‘never forgave’ her dad after a horrendous phone call from him left her ‘unable to breathe’ as she details their estranged relationship

Maura Higgins has admitted she ‘never forgave’ her father after a ‘horrific’ phone call from him left her unable to breathe.

The model, 33, detailed their estranged relationship in a new interview on Tuesday, revealing how she hasn’t spoken to him for ‘a few years’.

Maura grew up in Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland. Her parents Sharon and Seamus divorced when she was younger, but her relationship with her father deteriorated further when she went on Love Island in 2019.

In Conversation with Paul C. Brunson is on his We need to talk podcastshe explained: ‘It’s a bit weird. We haven’t spoken to each other in a few years.

‘My father didn’t speak very nicely to me. I’m not saying it was just an argument. It was terrible that I physically couldn’t breathe after the phone call.’

The model, 33, detailed their estranged relationship in a new interview on Tuesday, revealing how she hasn’t spoken to him ‘in a few years’ (pictured with her father, mother and sisters)

Maura continued, “I thought to myself, ‘I wouldn’t let a partner talk to me like that. I wouldn’t let a friend talk to me like that. I’m not going to let my dad talk to me like that. “.

“But I also think that if I dig deep, I’ve never forgiven my father for not being there for me when my best friend passed away. And he wasn’t there for me.’

Her close friend Andrew Rowan tragically died at the age of 26 when his motorbike was involved in a three-car accident in Co Athlone, Ireland in 2017.

She continued, “I know my dad had a hard time with the divorce too, but he just did things that just weren’t….”

Paul added, “Not what a father should do.”

Elsewhere in the chat, Maura broke down in tears and admitted she ‘didn’t want to be here’ after her sudden fame on Love Island.

The model, who starred in the ITV dating series in 2019, said she suffered from ‘dark thoughts’ after being ‘dropped’ into London from her native Ireland.

In the emotional interview, Maura recalled the “very scary” period in her life when she found herself in the public eye without anyone to trust.

Maura grew up in Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland, her parents Sharon and Seamus divorced, but her relationship with her father deteriorated further when she went on Love Island (pictured on Love Island in 2019)

Speaking to Paul C. Brunson on his We Need To Talk podcast, she explained, “It’s a little weird. We haven’t spoken to each other in a few years. “My father didn’t speak very nicely to me.”

Speaking to Paul, she began: ‘Life after Love Island was a really difficult time in my life.

‘I’ve just been dropped off to Britain. It was as if someone had just picked me up, taken me to Britain and I was in the public eye. I had nowhere to live. I had no friends, no family, no one I could trust.

‘I did everything myself. I’ve been independent all my life. But that was a lot. That was scary. Very, very scary.

“And I remember I would often fake a smile. It was so busy at work. I barely got any sleep.

‘Everywhere I went I was chased by the paps. I had no clothes. I had a suitcase of nothing but Love Island bikinis that were probably crunchy.

‘I had nothing, nothing at all. I lived in a hotel in London because that’s where all my work was and it was very congested. There was no break.

“It went from one thing to another, from radio to this photo shoot until you signed contracts with brands.”

She admitted: ‘I had a breakdown. I had dark thoughts, very dark thoughts. And it got to the point where I don’t think I even told my mom. I tell my mother everything. I didn’t tell her how bad it was.

‘I didn’t want to be here anymore. I thought that would be best.’

She added: “I’m not saying it was just an argument. It was horrible that I physically couldn’t breathe after the phone call… I won’t let my dad talk to me like that.”

Maura added: “So much was expected of me. And because I was there alone, I thought, “I just don’t have anyone to help.”

“Moving across the country while being thrust into the public eye is terrifying. I felt so mentally exhausted just putting on the smile. There were so many things I did that I don’t even remember. I was miserable,” Maura revealed.

The TV personality, who finished in fourth place in the fifth series of the British show in 2019, is now the social media ambassador for Love Island USA.

She has since appeared on Dancing on Ice and presented segments on This Morning.