Maura Higgins has begun training for Dancing With The Stars while acknowledging the pressure to perform, amid claims that her pairing with professional dancer Mark Ballas has caused disquiet among fellow contestants.
The former Love Island star, 35, was seen arriving for rehearsals on Friday in a grey Alo Yoga sports bra and matching leggings, ahead of her debut in the launch show on Tuesday, September 15.
Higgins is partnered with Mark, the son of judge Shirley Ballas and a friend of the reality star. The pairing has reportedly prompted allegations of favouritism among some of the cast.
Higgins said she was determined to give viewers a strong performance despite having no previous dance experience.
“There’s definitely pressure. You want to give the audience a really good performance,” she said. “But I mean, everyone can do their best, and I’m definitely going to do mine. I am giving it my all.”
She added: “I’ve never danced in my life. So it’s very, very new for me. But I just want to enjoy it.”
Speaking about the physical demands of rehearsals, Higgins said: “It’s very early days, but my God, my body has taken a shock. I was expecting it to be hard, but holy God. It’s a serious battering; the blisters are something else. But I’m just loving it. I’m honestly loving it so far.”
A source claimed Higgins had been keen to dance with Mark and had been unhappy at the prospect of being paired with Gleb, who was subsequently left without a partner. The same source also alleged that her friendship with judge Bruno Tonioli had fuelled perceptions that she was being favoured.
Higgins was photographed with Tonioli after a night out, leading to further claims that she had been given preferential treatment. The allegations have not been established.
Despite the controversy, Higgins is set to receive £93,000 even if she leaves the competition within the first two weeks. The payment is reported to rise by £7,000 a week in weeks three and four, with further increases available if she remains in the contest.
The wider cast has also faced questions over previous dance experience, with former backing dancer Jenna Dewan receiving criticism over claims that she has an unfair advantage.
Dewan has rejected that suggestion, saying she does not know how to ballroom dance and that her professional training meant she had to “unlearn” certain skills for the competition.
