Another season of “The Traitors” is preparing to bring its Emmy-winning back-stabbing drama to fans. While host Alan Cumming has yet to select his Traitors – who will spend the season ‘murdering’ Faithfuls by night and avoiding detection by day – the Peacock reality competition series has revealed the 22 celebrities who will storm the “Traitors” castle in early 2026.
Among them is 34-year-old model and presenter Maura Higgins. Originally from Ireland, Higgins rose to international fame on the cast of “Love Island UK” before being instated as the host of the series’ “Aftersun” aftershow. Ahead of the “Traitors” Season 4 debut, Higgins opened up about leaving the villa for the castle in an interview with NBC Insider.
Higgins Compares ‘The Traitors’ & ‘Love Island’ Experiences
Comparing her various reality TV appearances, Higgins told NBC, “As much as ‘Love Island’ had its challenges, living in that environment, navigating relationships, and constantly being on camera, I think ‘The Traitors’ was more demanding.”
“‘Love Island’ is light-hearted and playful in many ways,” she continued, “But ‘The Traitors’ pushes you into a space where every move matters.”
GettyThe model opened up about the specific challenges she faced on “The Traitors,” admitting, “It’s mentally exhausting and thrilling at the same time because you’re second-guessing everything and everyone, questioning loyalties, and trying to stay one step ahead. The intensity of the strategy literally kept me up at night as well as the suspense of not knowing who to trust. The constant mind game and backstabbing made it such a unique and challenging experience.”
Despite her thoughts after the season finished filming, Higgins revealed that she went into the competition series with a very different mindset.
“I kind of went in there thinking, ‘yeah this is probably going to be a piece of [cake],” she added in a separate interview with The Playlist. “Like, I’ve done the jungle, nothing’s going to be harder than that. I hadn’t watched [‘The Traitors’] so I didn’t really understand the concept, like obviously I had heard stuff before, but yeah, it’s a unique one, I will say, and I’m very glad I’ve done it.”
Which Reality Series Did Higgins Prefer?
As to whether she preferred her time on “The Traitors” over her illustrious “Love Island” career, Higgins declined to make a decision.
“I don’t prefer one to the other,” she explained. “You have to approach these things with an open mindset. ‘Love Island’ was my first ever TV gig, so that came with its own pressures but also a lack of expectations…I wanted to see how far I could push myself on a show that is totally different from everything else I have done before, and ‘The Traitors’ was a whole new things for me.”
That being said, Higgins was willing to answer whether she prefers filming in Fiji for “Love Island” or Scotland for “The Traitors.”
“If you’re asking me which climate I prefer – not Scotland!” she joked.
Higgins Teases ‘Chaos & Brutality’ on ‘Traitors’ Season 4
As to her thoughts on how “The Traitors” Season 4 will go down, Higgins teased “chaos” and “brutality.”
“In this new season, there is chaos again, once more. There is chaos and it’s brutal,” she revealed, adding, “About halfway through there is a scene in it that is the greatest moment in ‘Traitors’ history.”
“Honestly, I just cannot wait for the world to see it,” she continued. “It’s utter carnage and just mad. It’s just brilliant.”
