From Longford to LA: The rise of Maura Higgins
Maura Higgins, an Irish reality TV star, is transitioning into a major international media career as she joins the cast of the US show Dancing with the Stars. The article details her rise from a local Irish background to becoming a successful influencer and businesswoman.
Why it matters
It illustrates the modern trajectory of reality television fame and the global reach of social media-driven celebrity culture.
As Maura Higgins prepares to take to the Dancing with the Stars ballroom in LA, Evelyn O'Rourke looks at how a one-week Love Island gamble became an international media career.
"I said to mammy, I’ll be home in a week."
When Maura Higgins packed her bags to head into the Love Island villa in 2019, she thought it would be a one-week wonder.
Instead, it became the TV appearance that changed her life.
Born and raised in Ballymahon in Longford, the rise and rise of one of Ireland’s biggest media stars has all happened in a head-spinning seven years, and there were no nepo-baby connections to help her get there.
This week, Higgins will take her next steps towards conquering the entertainment industry as she shimmies out on the shiniest stage in America.
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