ITV I'm A Celebrity's Maura Higgins addresses Pete Wicks romance with savage dig

Former Love Island favourite Maura Higgins has shed some light on her relationship status with Pete Wicks as she gears up for her jungle adventure.

Maura will arrive in the campsite on Thursday, amid swirling rumour that she's romantically linked to Strictly sensation Pete Wicks, following their caught-on-camera kiss at the Pride of Britain Awards last month. When quizzed about any dates with Pete, she responded with a teasing: "I mean, I've been on a date with many people."

However, she's quick to pour cold water on any hints of a budding romance. "I'm not [dating]. Where have you heard that? I date but I'm very much single," she insists.

"Honestly, I just think the interest in my dating life is so boring. People go on dates. Like everyone goes on dates, but then it suddenly becomes that I am in a relationship with this person, or that person."

The reality star is feeling somewhat worse for wear as she heads to Australia straight from a riotous Las Vegas vacation, and she admits to suffering the consequences. "Honestly, I'm not good....I feel like I'm in The Hangover, I've even got the shakes," she chuckles, reports the Mirror.

"I have no clue what time it is, I don't know where I am. In fact, I've done the opposite of preparing myself [for the jungle]. I've tried not to think about it, because when I think about it, I get so much anxiety."

Maura Higgins is set to defy expectations with her unique approach to pre-Jungle preparation. As she gears up to become the second Love Island star to grace the ITV show, following in Olivia Attwood's footsteps, Maura is keen to represent past participants of the reality series.

"I just don't want to let people down, because everyone's been DMing me, saying 'Oh my God, I hope you're doing the show.'" she shares. Her determination is clear; she doesn't want to shy away from the challenges or earn the title of camp's biggest wimp.

Her mother was astounded upon learning of Maura's Jungle stint. "She nearly died. She went: 'Maura, how are you going to do that? ' She is baffled as I'm more of an indoor girl...I like my hotels. I've never slept outside," Maura recounts.

Even at music festivals, she has always opted for hotel comfort over camping. "I'm always like, 'no, get me back to a hotel,'" she chuckles.

The trials promise to be quite the ordeal for her. "If spiders go over the top of my head, I might just die," she admits.

Despite not being prone to nervousness or anxiety, the thought of the show does stir some trepidation. "I'm not a nervous person at all. I don't get anxiety. But for this show, when I think about it, I'm like, 'Oh God'".

ITV are no doubt eager to see how her arrival shakes things up in the camp - potentially sparking some drama. But Maura is optimistic about integrating well - and she's particularly eager to hear all about Coleen Rooney's Wagatha Christie saga.

"I want to talk to her about that....I'm bit nosy like that," she confesses. "I would do the exact same and put up something on my story and just have certain people view it to catch that person out. That is the way my brain would work".

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! airs from 9pm ITV1 and ITVX