‘Exhausted’ Maura Higgins admits ‘I’m not well’ and she ‘has shakes’ as she lands in Australia for I’m A Celeb

EX-Love Island contestant Maura Higgins is set to gatecrash the I’m a Celeb camp tomorrow — while fighting the aftershock of a Las Vegas hangover.

After touching down in ­Australia, she said 48 hours spent sinking red wine in Sin City has wrecked her.

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She also insisted she is single — despite rumours of a romance with Strictly’s Pete Wicks.

Irish star Maura, 33, told The Sun yesterday: “I’m still on Vegas time. I’m not well.

“Sin City has killed me. Honestly, not good. I feel like yer man from The Hangover, like, the shakes and everything.

“It was amazing, just very exhausting. It was like, proper, full on . . . when we landed, just the jet lag, no sleep.

“I have no clue what day it is. I don’t know where I am, I’m so confused.”

She added: “I don’t really drink champagne, I’m more red wine. So that gives you a bad hangover, you know.”

In Vegas, she partied with Loose Women’s Stacey Solomon and watched Adele at her Caesars ­Palace residency before flying to Oz, where she landed on Monday.

Despite Maura having a blast, some of her fans were not too happy about the trip.

She said: “My DMs were ‘Why are you in Vegas? You should be in Australia. I’ve put a bet on you to win the show!’ ”

She will enter the jungle as a late arrival alongside ex-Strictly star Reverend Richard Coles, 62.

She set tongues wagging in recent months after she was snapped snogging heart-throb Pete.

The ex-Towie hunk, 36, seems to have found himself in a love ­triangle with Maura and his dance partner Jowita Przystal, 30, who he has grown close to

But asked about dating Pete, Maura insisted: “I’m not, I’m not. Where have you heard that?

“I mean, I date, but I’m very much single.”

When asked if she had been on a date with Pete, she laughed: “I mean, I’ve been on a date with many people.”

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Maura found fame on Love Island in 2019 when she arrived as a bombshell on the ITV2 dating show.

She instantly ruffled feathers and caused hundreds of Ofcom complaints after straddling and trying to kiss boxer Tommy Fury when he was partnered up with influencer Molly-Mae Hague.

Fans loved her fiery, forthright personality — and she will be bringing that attitude straight into the I’m a Celeb camp.

Maura said: “I mean, I’m not gonna go in and annihilate anyone.

“But obviously, if someone gets on my nerves, I’m not really one to hold it in. I do speak my mind.

“I think I’ve matured, but I still have the potty mouth.”

She is also joining the queue of campmates desperate to quiz Wayne Rooney’s wife Coleen, 38, over the Wagatha Christie saga.

Maura said: “I want to talk to her about it. I’m a bit nosey like that.”

I’m A Celebrity 2024

As the hit ITV show enters into its 24th series, a brand new batch of famous faces look set to enter the Aussie jungle once again to face terrifying Bushtucker Trials and living amongst the critters in camp in order to come out on top and be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle. The Sun’s Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars heading Down Under this year…

Coleen Rooney – Arguably the most famous name heading into the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney, will be making a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to head into the camp this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever.

Tulisa – The popstar and former X Factor judge looks set to be making a triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year’s I’m A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal.

Alan Halsall – The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he will be hoping to become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities when he gets into camp.

Melvin Odoom – The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. He has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet – the Aussie jungle.

GK Barry – The UK’s biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brand such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers.

Dean McCullough – A rising star amongst this year’s bunch of celebs, Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live.

Oti Mabuse – The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She origianlly found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.

Danny Jones – The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle, after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he’s now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice, along with bandmate Tom. A jungle insider said: “As well as bringing some of the star appeal of the group with him, he’ll be supplying some serious guy candy for the campmates and viewers at home.”

Maura Higgins – The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard. Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year.

Jane Moore – The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist will be braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge – having recently split from her husband. It will be Jane’s first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past.

Barry McGuigan – Former pro boxer Barry will become the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to breast cancer. He told The Late Late Show in 2021: “She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache.”

Rev. Richard Coles – Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is set for I’m A Celebrity — and is ready to let rip at his old employer. The former Communards and Strictly star, 62, said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year.An insider said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth.”

Meanwhile, Rev Coles will be praying he is not made to do a height challenge.

The 62-year-old former pop star and vicar is terrified of heights and says he will “absolutely” be calling on his faith to help him through tasks.

Confessing which trials he fears most, he said: “Anything up high.

“I actually froze with fear on the stepladder the other day.

“So anything which means walking some horrible, rickety tightrope or something.”