Maura Higgins reunites with rumoured flame Pete Wicks days after BBC Strictly star's 'sad existence' love life admission

The former Love Island star shared a mirror selfie on her Instagram Stories showing herself beaming alongside friends, with Wicks lurking in the background at the Me Strand hotel.

Higgins could be seen holding a glass of red wine and wearing a beige hoodie, whilst Wicks sported his trademark frown and a black beanie hat as they posed in front of jungle-themed balloons.

The reunion comes after Wicks was eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing's semi-final on Sunday evening and days after he told Olivia Attwood on his podcast that it was a "sad existence" continually being single.

The pair have been at the centre of romance speculation for months, with their relationship first becoming public when they were spotted kissing at the Pride of Britain Awards in October.

During her time in the jungle, Higgins revealed she and Wicks had known each other for five years before their relationship turned romantic.

The reality star admitted she had been "seeing someone" before entering the jungle when questioned by campmate Oti Mabuse.

When asked if the relationship was exclusive by Reverend Richard Coles, Higgins responded with uncertainty, saying "I dunno" after a long pause.

The couple were previously seen getting cosy during a date at London restaurant Gloria, and enjoyed another night out at the London Palladium just days before Higgins flew to Australia.

Speaking to Mabuse in the jungle, Higgins opened up about how Wicks had persistently pursued her over the years.

"He would always say, 'Oh no, like, we are gonna go on a date somewhere.' And I'd be like, 'We're actually not.' And I was deadly serious, 'We're actually not. You're delusional,'" she revealed.

The Irish star explained that she finally gave in to his advances, saying: "He wouldn't give up. And then I was like, 'Oh fine'."

Their first date wasn't a low-key affair, with Higgins sharing: "We went out for oysters and wine. Yeah, come on. It was super nice."

She admitted the pair share great chemistry, telling her campmate: "Yeah, a lot of fun. We just dial up 24/7 with each other. We've got the very same humour."

Speaking on This Morning following her jungle exit, Higgins addressed the romance rumours with characteristic humour.

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"It didn't take it long to ask you that question, did it?!" she joked with host Alison Hammond.

The reality star remained coy about their relationship, saying: "Do you know what, you forget about the cameras, I do like to keep things private. I said I miss him, I do miss him... Like I miss all my friends and family."

She praised Wicks for his support during her jungle experience, adding: "Honestly, he's been so supportive. I didn't know if he was still in Strictly, I'm so proud of him and he's proud of me and I can't wait to see him."

Prior to her return, Higgins had shown her support for Wicks during his Strictly journey, urging her Instagram followers to vote for "Powita" - his partnership with professional dancer Jowita Przystal.