Maura Higgins has shared a glimpse of her grueling Dancing With The Stars training as she prepares for her debut on the US show.
The 35-year-old Love Island star has been linked to her boyfriend and Shirley Ballas’ professional dancer son Mark in a move that has sparked a ‘fix feud’ with her unimpressed co-stars.
Still, Maura put the drama aside when she got stuck in rehearsals in new Instagram photos shared Saturday, and it looks like Mark is definitely putting her to the test.
Among the photos documenting her time on the program so far, one image shows the Irish beauty hunched over on the floor as she sips from a bottle of water.
Dressed in black gym clothes and gold dancing shoes, an exhausted-looking Maura appeared lost in her own world as she tried to catch her breath during training.
However, another photo showed that Mark has already pushed her to the limit, as Maura lay sprawled on the floor.
Maura Higgins has shared a glimpse of her grueling Dancing With The Stars training as she prepares for her debut on the US show
Maura put the ‘fix row’ drama aside as she got stuck in rehearsals in new photos shared on Saturday, and from the looks of it, she’s certainly being tested
The 35-year-old Love Island star has been linked to her boyfriend and Shirley Ballas’ professional dancer Mark in a move that has sparked a ‘fix feud’ with her unimpressed co-stars
Further footage shows Mark hilariously pulling on Maura’s shoe, later giving a thumbs up as she sat on the floor with a bin nearby.
Maura’s album features several behind-the-scenes shots of Maura and Mark having fun while promoting the show, with the two having struck up a friendship on The Traitors US earlier this year.
But while the pair are having fun, Maura’s appearance on the show has already ruffled some feathers before the competition has even started.
After her pairing with Mark was revealed and the star was spotted shoulder-to-shoulder with judge Bruno Tonioli on a night out, her co-stars are reportedly less than happy.
A source revealed: ‘Maura has rubbed everyone the wrong way, even before their first spray tans have dried.
‘She was desperate to work with Mark, who is hugely popular, and was terrified of Gleb, who is now out of a job. It’s like what Maura says is true.’
They told The sun: ‘She even made sure to get close to judge Bruno Tonioli and wasted no time in posing arm in arm with him after a night out.
‘It has not gone unnoticed within the cast that she is given preference. It’s like she’s being set up to win.” The Daily Mail has contacted Maura’s representatives for comment.
Further footage shows Mark hilariously pulling on Maura’s shoe
While later he gave a thumbs up while she sat on the floor with a container next to it
Maura’s album features several behind-the-scenes shots of Maura and Mark having fun while promoting the show, with the two having struck up a friendship earlier in the year of The Traitors US.
The pair seem to get along well
The duo dressed to impress while taking promotional photos
Maura wasted no time showing off her moves
Maura – who was recently announced as co-host of I’m A Celebrity US – will earn £93,000 even if she is kicked out in the first two weeks, increasing by a further £7,000 per week in the third and fourth weeks.
If you make it to week five, there’s another £11,000 on the table and another £20,000 for week six. In weeks eight and nine, celebrities will earn an extra £22,000 per week.
Maura appears to have already bonded with judge Bruno as they went out together on Tuesday evening.
And Maura and Mark already know each other after they both appeared in the US Traitors earlier this year and are now taking on a new challenge together.
Their coupling comes after Maura was very vocal about a certain professional dancer she didn’t want to work with.
She sparked controversy after saying she didn’t want to face it Russian professional dancer Gleb Savchenko because she disagrees with the ‘way he talks about women’.
She said she will remain fiercely “loyal” to her best friend and former DWTS contestant Brooks Nader, who dated Gleb.
Gleb has since responded to Maura, explaining that he has “never heard of the star” and insisting that he “won’t lose any sleep over the opinion of someone I’ve never met.”
After her pairing with Mark was revealed and the star stood shoulder to shoulder with judge Bruno Tonioli on a night out, her co-stars are reportedly less than happy.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, he said: ‘Until I was asked to comment on this story, I had honestly never heard of this girl, Maura, so I certainly won’t lose any sleep over the opinion of someone I’ve never met.
‘It’s strange to publicly attack someone you’ve never met, but if she wants to make headlines like that before the show starts, that’s her choice.
“I stay focused and leave the unnecessary drama to everyone else.”
Gleb and Brooks had a ‘messy’ breakup after rekindling a romance while working together on the show in 2024.
Maura told E! News: “I would be happy with anyone but Gleb. That’s just because I’m loyal and friends with Brooks [Nader].’
She added: ‘I don’t really like the way he talks about women. I don’t want to spend all my time with someone like that. I’m like, ‘No, thank you.’
