Maura Higgins Partner: What We Know About Her Relationship Status and Mark Ballas Friendship

Maura Higgins has never been shy about talking honestly about relationships, and right now her message is pretty simple. The Irish television personality is enjoying being single. While fans will see her spending plenty of time with professional dancer Mark Ballas on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars, their partnership is for the ballroom, not a confirmed romance.

The distinction has become important as interest in Maura Higgins’ partner continues to grow. Higgins and Ballas already knew each other before Dancing with the Stars, having formed a friendship while appearing on The Traitors US. Their reunion as dance partners naturally generated attention, but Maura has recently made her feelings about dating clear.

After several public relationships over the years, including romances connected to Love Island and the entertainment world, Higgins appears more interested in career opportunities, television projects and having her own space than finding another boyfriend.

Who Is Maura Higgins’ Partner?

Maura Higgins does not currently have a publicly confirmed romantic partner.

Her current high-profile partnership is with professional dancer Mark Ballas on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars. The pair are competing together, but that should not be confused with a romantic relationship.

Maura has publicly described herself as happy being single.

Speaking at Hulu’s Get Real event in April 2026, she gave a characteristically direct answer when asked about the possibility of continuing her reality television journey through a dating show.

She rejected the idea and explained that she was enjoying life without a man in her personal space.

Her comments quickly attracted attention because they were less about being disappointed with dating and more about genuinely enjoying independence.

For Maura, being single currently appears to be a choice that fits her busy professional life.

Is Maura Higgins Dating Mark Ballas?

There is no confirmed romantic relationship between Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas.

Ballas is Maura’s professional dance partner for Dancing with the Stars Season 35.

Their connection, however, did not begin inside the ballroom.

Maura and Mark had previously spent time together while participating in The Traitors US Season 4. That experience allowed them to become friends before they were eventually paired on Dancing with the Stars.

Their existing friendship could prove useful during the competition. Dancing with the Stars partnerships require long rehearsal hours, trust and a willingness to accept criticism while learning routines under considerable pressure.

Having an established friendship means Maura and Mark did not have to begin that process as complete strangers.

Still, close chemistry between celebrity contestants and professional dancers often creates dating speculation. Unless either Maura or Mark says otherwise, their relationship is best understood as a friendship and professional dance partnership.

Maura Says She Is Happy Being Single

Maura’s own comments offer the clearest answer about her current romantic situation.

During an April 2026 interview with Entertainment Tonight, she was asked about the possibility of becoming The Bachelorette.

Her response left little room for confusion.

Maura said she was happy and did not want a man in her space. She also joked about enjoying returning to a clean home without having to pick up after somebody else.

Behind the humor was a more serious point.

At this stage of her life, Maura does not appear to believe that being in a relationship is necessary for her happiness. She also said she simply did not have much time for dating.

That makes sense considering how much her career has expanded since she first became famous through Love Island UK.

Love Island Changed Maura Higgins’ Life

Maura was born in Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland, and became a recognizable television personality after entering Love Island UK in 2019.

She arrived as a bombshell during the show’s fifth season and quickly became one of its standout personalities.

Her confidence, humor and willingness to say exactly what she was thinking helped her build an audience beyond the program.

Instead of disappearing from television after Love Island, Maura used the exposure to develop a broader entertainment career.

She subsequently appeared on Dancing on Ice, Cooking with the Stars and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! before expanding her profile in the United States.

She also became closely associated with the Love Island franchise again through presenting work connected with Love Island USA and Love Island Games.

Her move into The Traitors US and Dancing with the Stars has strengthened her American television presence even further.

Maura Higgins and Curtis Pritchard

One of Maura’s earliest widely followed relationships was with Curtis Pritchard.

The pair met while appearing on Love Island UK. Their relationship developed inside the villa and continued after the cameras stopped filming.

Because both had become recognizable through the same show, their relationship received substantial media attention.

Eventually, however, the romance came to an end. Maura announced their separation in March 2020.

The relationship remains closely associated with her Love Island era, but Maura’s personal and professional life has changed considerably since then.

Her Relationship With Chris Taylor

Maura also had a relationship with another Love Island personality, Chris Taylor.

Their connection developed after the show, and the pair eventually confirmed they were dating.

The romance did not last long term, but they remained part of the same reality television circle.

Chris and Maura’s relationship is sometimes overlooked when discussions of her dating history focus mainly on Curtis Pritchard or her later relationships.

Like several chapters of Maura’s romantic life, it played out while public interest in her was growing rapidly.

Maura Higgins and Giovanni Pernice

Maura later dated professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, known for his work on Strictly Come Dancing.

Their relationship became public in 2021 and attracted plenty of interest because both already had substantial television profiles.

The romance ultimately ended in October 2021.

Maura generally moved forward without making her former relationships the defining feature of her public image.

Ironically, she has now entered another major ballroom competition herself, although this time she is the celebrity contestant learning routines rather than dating a professional dancer.

Her Romance With Bobby Holland Hanton

Another significant relationship came with Bobby Holland Hanton.

Hanton is a professional stunt performer known for working as Chris Hemsworth’s stunt double and for his extensive career performing demanding action sequences.

Maura and Bobby were linked in 2023.

Their relationship became increasingly public through appearances and social media, but the couple eventually separated in 2024.

By 2026, Maura was speaking much more openly about enjoying single life rather than actively looking for another serious relationship.

Her comments suggest that her priorities have shifted toward work and independence.

Why Her Career Is Taking Priority

Maura’s schedule provides another explanation for why dating does not seem particularly important to her right now.

She has successfully moved beyond being known only as a former Love Island contestant.

Her presenting work has become an increasingly important part of her career, particularly through the American versions and spin-offs of the franchise.

The Traitors US introduced her to another large audience, while Dancing with the Stars presents a completely different challenge.

Training for the ballroom competition can involve demanding rehearsal schedules. Contestants must learn choreography, improve technique and prepare a new performance while dealing with the pressure of a live television competition.

For Maura, that workload comes alongside other hosting and entertainment opportunities.

Her claim that she does not have much time for a boyfriend therefore seems fairly understandable.

Mark Ballas Is Her Ballroom Partner, Not Confirmed Boyfriend

The arrival of Mark Ballas in Maura’s latest television chapter is likely to keep generating interest.

Mark is an experienced Dancing with the Stars professional who has spent years performing and choreographing on the show. Pairing him with Maura gives her an experienced partner as she adjusts to ballroom dancing.

Their earlier friendship through The Traitors adds another layer to the partnership.

Fans may notice chemistry between them as they perform, but chemistry is also a basic requirement of successful ballroom dancing. It does not establish a romantic relationship.

As things stand, Maura has not announced Mark as her boyfriend or suggested that their partnership has become romantic.

Maura Higgins Is Enjoying Life on Her Own Terms

Maura Higgins’ relationship history has attracted attention since her first appearance on Love Island, but her current situation looks very different from those earlier years.

She is single and seems perfectly comfortable keeping things that way.

Rather than searching for another relationship, Maura is concentrating on an entertainment career that has expanded from British and Irish reality television into major American productions.

Mark Ballas is now an important part of that professional chapter as her Dancing with the Stars partner, but there is no confirmed romance between them.

After relationships with Curtis Pritchard, Chris Taylor, Giovanni Pernice and Bobby Holland Hanton, Maura appears to be enjoying something simpler: her career, her independence and a home she gets to keep exactly the way she wants it.