Traitors’ Maura Higgins Reveals Why She’s Been Celibate for a Year

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Maura Higgins has banished sex from her life for the time being.

I was so gutted for her when she made it to the final of Traitors only to be betrayed by Rob Rausch! He really used that alliance to win the $220,800, and it was heartbreaking to watch. She actually shared recently that dealing with unreliable partners in the past has led her to choose to be celibate now, and honestly, I completely understand where she’s coming from.

Maura admitted to Elite Daily on February 27th that she generally doesn’t trust men, especially after Rob’s betrayal. She explained that if she hadn’t dealt with similar behavior before, she likely would have been devastated and ended things with him immediately.

She explained that she struggles with trusting people, because most of her past partners were unfaithful. That’s why she’s chosen to abstain from dating and intimacy for the past year.

Maura Higgins said that while filming The Traitors last summer, she and Rob Beckett never flirted, despite some of their fellow cast members hoping they would get together. She shared this at the show’s cast reunion, confirming there was no romantic connection between them during filming.

“We were genuinely just friends,” Maura continued. “We were just having fun.”

I was so excited to hear from her! She shared that she’s still enjoying the single life, and it made me happy to see her doing well. Meanwhile, Rob, who’s a bit younger at 27, mentioned he’s actually started seeing someone new, which is great for him!

On the reunion show on February 26th, Maura told Rob that if he fulfilled a previous promise to get her a Birkin bag, she would be willing to forgive him and consider rebuilding their friendship. She stated that their future relationship would depend on him following through.

Although Rob often plays strategically, he plans to keep his promise. He told Andy Cohen, “I need to get Maura a Birkin bag.”

Maura was thrilled when she told her partner she expected a Birkin handbag as a thank you. She felt she deserved it, explaining that he wouldn’t have been successful without her help, as she told Elite Daily.

For more behind-the-scenes secrets about The Traitors, read on…

Deception is a key part of the game in The Traitors, but players are randomly assigned as either Traitors or Faithful. Starting in season two, contestants like Phaedra Parks and Kate Chastain had the opportunity to try and convince host Alan Cumming of their innocence.

The selection process for ‘The Traitor’ is crucial, and Alan’s input is also very important,” explained executive producer Mike Cotton in an interview with Variety. “It’s similar to a job interview – we carefully consider everyone and make a final decision right before the selection. We aim for a diverse group of contestants with different strengths and abilities to make the game compelling.”

The players didn’t initially know how many Traitors were among them. Cirie Fields, a winner from the first season of Survivor, explained to TopMob News in 2023 that they were told at the start of the game there could be three to five Traitors.

Players were also asked to take the Traitor’s Oath, which involved promising to lie and deceive others throughout the game, being willing to eliminate fellow players each night, and keeping both their own and other players’ identities hidden.

To gauge who might be skilled at deception, the show uses a personality test to identify potential liars and bluffers, according to Cotton Variety. However, the producers don’t actually know who the Traitors are until the moment Alan Carr secretly selects them.

Alan Cumming was thrilled to join the project, enjoying the over-the-top nature of his character. He told The Daily Beast in 2023 that he initially pitched the idea of playing a Bond-villain type, and even bringing his dog to be petted on set. The producers loved the idea, and that convinced him to take the role.

With his rescue dog, Lala, by his side, he fully embraced his on-camera role, playfully quoting lines from the works of William Shakespeare and Plato. He described his performance as intense, explaining, “I was really getting into character.” He also admitted to improvising a lot, often receiving lines through an earpiece. He likened the experience to stand-up comedy, saying he was essentially making it up as he went along.

While the actors are filming at the beautiful Ardross Castle in Scotland, they aren’t actually staying there as residents.

Cumming told The Daily Beast that the cast and crew didn’t actually stay in the castle during filming. Instead, they stayed at a hotel near the Inverness airport. He personally had a room in the castle, which he used to get ready, though he didn’t sleep there overnight. He mentioned the room had a large bed and he would often nap there during the day.

The show nearly faced some serious production challenges. Creator Marc Pos told Variety his initial plan involved filming on a ship off the coast of Australia, with eliminated contestants having to swim to an island. However, he realized it would be too complicated and expensive to actually film that way.

Contestants didn’t have access to the entire castle. According to Cotton, who spoke with Variety, they’re using just one section – a wing of the castle – as the game-playing area. They also have full access to the outdoor grounds and are free to move around there.

He pointed out that with room for around thirty bedrooms, complete privacy would be difficult. While people could spread out and talk separately, the space was still compact enough that conversations could be overheard, and it would be easy to notice if someone slipped away for a private discussion.

It makes sense that Rachel Reilly, a former contestant on Big Brother, found car rides to and from challenges to be the perfect opportunity to strategize with other players. She told Reality Blurred that “You’re separated, and nobody can hear what you’re saying,” which was much easier than having to whisper in the house.

Players weren’t allowed to discuss strategy at the hotel. According to Dan Gheesling, a player from season two, this was because anything important said off-camera couldn’t be included in the show. He explained to Business Insider, “You’re not supposed to talk about the game when the mics aren’t ready or the cameras aren’t on, because if we say something that’s important and it’s not on camera, they can’t use it on the show.”

Chrishell Stause shared that contestants on season three weren’t provided with a hair and makeup team. She told Us Weekly that she would have loved to have professional glam services available at the castle, but Alan, the show’s producer, didn’t allow it.

Getting everyone settled for the nightly murders is a huge undertaking, according to Cotton, who told Variety it’s like a large-scale military operation. They have to ensure the ‘Faithful’ are put to bed in separate rooms and then allow the ‘Traitors’ to leave and hold their meeting.

Even Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan, who were a couple at the time, weren’t permitted to share a room during season two of the show. According to executive producer Sam Rees-Jones, the show’s producers didn’t allow it because it would have given them an unfair advantage over the other contestants.

Despite the rules, Reza Farahan from Shahs of Sunset tried to add some playful mischief. He told Digital Spy he attempted to slip notes under contestants’ doors while he was supposed to be confined to his room. The notes jokingly accused them of past misdeeds, signed ‘The Traitors’.

The production schedule is demanding, with the team aiming to film one episode each day. According to producer Rees-Jones, this fast pace is intentional, helping the cast stay focused and maintain the show’s immersive atmosphere. While it creates a lot of pressure, they believe it’s the best way to ensure quality. A typical day involves breakfast, a planning session, a mission, and then solving a murder, starting the process all over again. Filming sometimes runs late into the night – Stause mentioned one night they didn’t return to their rooms until 2 a.m.

According to Cotton, who spoke with Variety, breakfast on set is carefully scheduled with actors arriving at different times. However, the meals themselves don’t last long—about an hour at most, from beginning to end.

Producers of reality shows like Love Island limit alcohol consumption to help contestants stay focused. Ekin-Su Culculoglu, winner of Love Island and a participant on another reality series, explained to Entertainment Weekly in 2024 that contestants were only allowed one alcoholic drink per night, and the rules were fairly strict.

Let me tell you, filming can be intense, and it’s not always easy to find people you truly connect with on set. But the show really prioritizes our well-being! Each of us is assigned a dedicated welfare team member who’s there to support us constantly. I experienced this firsthand – as I shared on the Just Sayin’ podcast – they’re incredibly cheerful, professional, and made me feel genuinely cared for throughout the entire process. It’s a huge comfort knowing someone has your back!

When it comes to building relationships on camera, contestants don’t find out who their competition will be until they arrive in Scotland. Casting director Deena Katz told Time that this is intentional – they want to prevent players from researching each other or forming pre-game alliances. However, once the competition begins, players are given information about each other and a journal to keep notes.

In a 2023 interview with the Daily Beast, Cumming jokingly referred to himself as a “Traitor,” explaining his fascination with a game where players accuse each other of betrayal. He described how someone could be labeled a traitor for arbitrary reasons, like a simple pat on the shoulder, highlighting the game’s tendency for people to turn on each other based on flimsy pretenses.

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2026-02-28 05:20