{"id":322072,"date":"2026-02-28T16:20:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T16:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/322072\/"},"modified":"2026-02-28T16:20:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T16:20:10","slug":"im-tinkin-maura-higgins-won-the-traitors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/322072\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m Tinkin’ Maura Higgins Won ‘The Traitors’"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you asked me to pick Maura Higgins<\/a> out of a lineup eight weeks ago, I wouldn\u2019t have been able to do it. Prior to her role in the latest season of The Traitors<\/a>, the Irish reality star and TV presenter was best known for appearin\u2019 on the British version of Love Island<\/a>, but in America, she was a virtual unknown. After her turn on The Traitors t\u2019ough, Maura has become a bona fide star t\u2019anks to her thick (t\u2019ick?) brogue, her love of hats, and the fact t\u2019at she put her trust in Rob Rausch, Season 4\u2019s winnin\u2019 Traitor<\/a>, and earned all of our sympathy when she learned t\u2019at he betrayed her in the season\u2019s final moments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When the 23 cast members of The Traitors first arrived to Ardross Castle, many of t\u2019em already had established relationships, but Maura\u2019s only connection was Rob, a man she had only met once before. She proved her value in the castle by bein\u2019 quick to point out inconsistencies in her competitors\u2019 strategies, especially at the round table. The woman\u2019s reactions and side-eyes were flawless, as were her looks, served hot, always.<\/p>\n

\"THE<\/p>\n

And, no disrespect to Alan Cumming, her outfits and ability to wear a hat were unparalleled. (Might I suggest she start a hat line called Tinkin\u2019 Caps?)<\/p>\n

\"MAURA Photo: Peacock<\/p>\n

Maura signature Irish accent is what endeared her all the more to us, and any a meme<\/a> was born out of Maura\u2019s penchant for droppin\u2019 her Gs and t\u2019rowin\u2019 away her THs.<\/p>\n

Maura and Rob\u2019s friendship created lots of speculation that t\u2019ere was some heavy flirtin\u2019 (or more) going on, t\u2019ough t\u2019ey both admitted at the reunion<\/a> t\u2019at nuthin\u2019 happened \u2018tween t\u2019em. But it was clear to everyone watchin\u2019 t\u2019at if she continued to trust him, she was going to get hurt, which is why, in the climactic scene at the Fire of Truth, when Rob revealed he was a Traitor, Maura\u2019s stunned silence was so deafenin\u2019. We all felt betrayed on her behalf, but it stung even more when she berated herself, sayin\u2019, \u201cI am so stupid. I was so fooled by you\u2026 You\u2019ve embarrassed me.\u201d Even if you were a hardcore Rob fan, t\u2019at was the moment t\u2019at swung the pendulum and made some pause to wonder if his desire to win had gone too far. It only made the rest of us want to protect Maura at all costs from here on out. (Rob at least felt bad enough about the situation t\u2019at he\u2019s agreed to buy her a $10,000 Birkin bag<\/a> as a consolation prize.)<\/p>\n

The Traitors is a breedin\u2019 ground for breakout stars, so Maura\u2019s trajectory and popularity doesn\u2019t come as a huge surprise. Gabby Windey and Dylan Efron experienced similar attention and adoration when t\u2019ey won Season 3 of The Traitors<\/a> (to the point where I forget t\u2019at t\u2019ere were two ot\u2019er winners t\u2019at season.) The fact t\u2019at Maura lost The Traitors has earned her even more public support because even t\u2019ough it was her own clouded judgment t\u2019at was her downfall, she spent the entire season talkin\u2019 about afraid she was to trust ot\u2019ers, only to lose the game at the last minute because she trusted the wrong guy. In some ways, Higgins might even turn out to be the 2026 version of Aimee Lou Wood<\/a>, the breakout Brit who captured America\u2019s heart in Season 3 of The White Lotus (only swap Wood\u2019s signature smile for Maura\u2019s signature accent).<\/p>\n

Rob Rausch might be takin\u2019 home over $200,000 this season<\/a>, but Maura\u2019s the real winner in the court of public opinion. Popularity, sympat\u2019y and momentum are all on her side, and t\u2019at might be worth even more than a leprechaun\u2019s bucket o\u2019 gold.<\/p>\n

\"THE<\/p>\n

Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.<\/p>\n

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