Love Island’s Maura lands ITV2 reality show WITHOUT boyfriend Curtis Pritchard
HER infamous fanny flutters and rollercoaster love life made Maura Higgins one of Love Island’s real stars.
And now Maura, who was a late arrival on the island, has landed her own ITV2 show.
But she will be going solo, without ballroom dancer Curtis Pritchard.
Bosses chose not to do spin-off couples reality shows this year because previously they’ve all hit the rocks during filming.
Straight-talking model Maura, 28, has already landed a role on This Morning.
She is set to trial a host of activities on the new show, ticking off her turning-30 bucket list items, from bungee-jumping to pottery.
A telly source said: “She is great on screen so bosses want to create a platform where viewers can still get their fix.
"While her and Curtis are still together, no-one really knows what the future holds for them as a couple so producers are focusing on Maura.
“They are ironing out details at the moment.
"She has ratings-winner potential, they just have to settle on the right tone.”
Last month Curtis revealed to The Sun that he would be open to having a relationship with a man or a woman in the future, saying: “You can never put a label on anything, it’s a cliche to say, but love is blind.”
But this week Maura insisted all was well in their romance.
She said: “Obviously, we’re going to be busy now, but I feel like if we both like each other enough we will make time for each other.”
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Fun in store for Anton and Belle
LAST time Love Island’s Anton Danyluk was in a supermarket, he nearly got the boot for flirting with a till girl.
But I’m told he is heading back to the shops, with girlfriend Belle Hassan, for a Love Island episode of the rebooted Supermarket Sweep.
They will try to win cash for charity in the show hosted by Rylan Clark-Neal.
The late, great Dale Winton has left big shoes to fill but I think Rylan will be the perfect fit.
bizbit
NETFLIX series I Am A Killer is getting a second season.
It will continue to follow the longest serving death-row prisoners in the US but will feature women for the first time and explore themes of repentance and redemption.
Crafty Dragon flies in
SARA Davies has been forced to translate for her fellow Dragons' Den investors after her north-eastern twang left them puzzled.
Sara made her debut on the BBC2 show this week and in an exclusive interview, she said: “It’s been really funny, we’ve been on set and especially when I’ve been really into the business and really passionate I’d be throwing things out like, ‘You know what mate, you’ve got a canny little business there’.
“And afterwards the cameras would stop rolling and Peter Jones would come and ask, ‘What does canny mean? Because the setting you’ve just used it in does not marry up with the canny I understand’.”
It wasn’t all work and no play for £30million Crafter’s Companion founder Sara during filming in Manchester though.
Talking of a boozy session with Deborah Meaden, she said: “I was shattered. I tried to go home and she said to me, ‘You’ve got to be kidding – it’s only 11 o’clock. Let’s have another bottle of wine’.
“The lads had all gone to bed but if Deborah Meaden tells you you’re staying up and having another bottle of wine, then you do it.
"That was me told.”
I can’t imagine she was chugging any kind of cheap plonk, though.
must watch
WHAT? Jade: The Reality Star Who Changed Britain, Wednesday 9pm, Channel 4
WHY? Jade Goody’s story takes a sinister twist in this haunting series when a racist comment in Celebrity Big Brother is her undoing.
Time for Turkey Currie
AFTER appearing on Strictly and I’m A Celebrity I’d have thought Edwina Currie would have had her fill of reality shows.
But the former MP has now signed up for BBC2’s new series The Pilgrimage: Vienna To Istanbul.
She joins a host of celebs for the cultural trek to Turkey, with filming starting this year.
Edwina said: “It’s the routes of the Sultan Suleiman and will take us through several different countries.
"I’m rushing around to try and get fit for it, I’m a bit nervous but it will be great fun.”
It comes after the politician attacked ballroom show Strictly for not hiring enough older contestants.
She said: “I think it’s extremely disappointing.”
At least the Beeb has given her some work this year.
Nic's Scher to find a man
NICOLE Scherzinger won’t have a problem bagging a new fella after her split from tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov.
The former Pussycat Doll stepped out in a thigh-high split skirt in Sydney on Monday, showing her ex exactly what he has been missing.
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Nicole and Grigor went their separate ways earlier this year but she hasn’t wasted any time since then, flirting up a storm with the male contestants as she judges Australia’s Got Talent.
It won’t be long before someone’s pressing their Golden Buzzer for her.
soapbox
AS Robert is heading out in Coronation Street, Michelle asks him to take her engagement ring to the jeweller to be resized.
But when Tyler then calls Robert to say they are off, he heads straight over.
An angry Vicky tells Robert to go away and refuses to be his dirty secret any longer. But as he leaves, she finds something that changes her mind.
Meanwhile, Emma tells Audrey she has no desire to trace her real father as she loved the man she thought was her dad and wants to respect his memory.
In Emmerdale Faith and Zak talk about their joint history. While they reminisce, they share a brief kiss before the door springs open as the others return home.
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