The Love Island and Traitors fan favorite reacted to reports that ABC is eyeing her as its next Bachelorette following the abrupt cancellation of Taylor Frankie Paul’s already-filmed season.
Maura Higgins is fueling speculation that she could be the next lead of The Bachelorette. The Irish reality television star responded to an Instagram post from celebrity gossip account DeuxMoi, which claimed that an ABC executive confirmed the network is in talks with Higgins about taking on the role — and potentially filming the season live, a format the franchise has never attempted before. Higgins’ response to the post, a simple eyeball emoji, was enough to send fans into a frenzy.
The report comes in the wake of one of the most unusual moments in Bachelorette history. ABC pulled Taylor Frankie Paul‘s already-filmed and edited season from the schedule just days before its planned premiere, after a previously unseen 2023 video published by TMZ appeared to show Paul in a domestic altercation with her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen while one of her children was present. Disney, ABC’s parent company, announced it would not move forward with the season, citing a focus on supporting those involved. No new premiere date has been announced, and it remains unclear whether the footage will ever air.
A costly and highly unusual decision
The cancellation came despite substantial promotional investment from the network. Billboard advertising had already gone up, Paul had appeared on Good Morning America, and the season had been positioned as a significant ratings driver for the spring. According to reports, pulling an already-produced season likely cost the network tens of millions of dollars in lost production and advertising revenue — a price ABC’s executives were apparently willing to pay to protect the franchise’s long-term reputation.
The door has not been fully closed on Paul’s season. ABC’s statement stopped short of a permanent cancellation, leaving open the possibility that the footage could still be released if circumstances change. For now, however, the network finds itself with a gap in its spring programming schedule and mounting pressure to fill it.
Who is Maura Higgins?
For American audiences less familiar with her work, Higgins is one of the most recognizable crossover personalities in unscripted television. Born in County Longford, Ireland, she first broke through internationally as a late arrival on Season 5 of Love Island UK in 2019, where her direct humor and unapologetic approach to dating made her one of the series’ most memorable figures. She finished fourth alongside professional dancer Curtis Pritchard but arguably generated more lasting cultural impact than the season’s winners, with clips from her run on the show continuing to circulate years later.
After Love Island, Higgins built a sustained television career across multiple formats, appearing on Dancing on Ice and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! before expanding her presence in the U.S. market. She later returned to the Love Island franchise as a presenter, hosting Love Island USA: Aftersun and serving as a correspondent for several international editions of the show.
The Traitors brought her to a whole new audience
Higgins’ most recent high-profile appearance came on The Traitors, where her unfiltered commentary and partnership with fellow Love Island star Rob Rausch made her a fan favorite with a significantly broader American viewership. Her journey on the show ended in a dramatic finale reveal — Rausch, who had been a traitor from the beginning, disclosed at the last moment that he had successfully deceived everyone, including Higgins, leaving her without the $125,000 prize she had been counting on.
The moment was stunning television, and Higgins’ reaction generated enormous sympathy from viewers. By the time the reunion aired, however, the two had made peace, with Higgins acknowledging that Rausch had simply played the game better than anyone else. Rausch also made good on a promise to buy her a Birkin bag — not quite $125,000, but a gesture that landed well with fans who had been rooting for Higgins throughout.
What happens next
Higgins has not confirmed any formal discussions with ABC, and whether she has been officially offered the role remains unknown. Fan reaction to the possibility has been overwhelmingly positive, and her eyeball emoji response has done little to quiet the speculation. If the network does move forward with a live-format season featuring Higgins, it would mark a genuinely bold reinvention for a franchise navigating one of the more turbulent chapters in its history.
Source: Newsweek