Maura Higgins says she 'didn't want to be here anymore' after Love ...

The star has also spoken about how she was sexually assaulted in a taxi and was blamed for it by her ex-partner.

Maura opened up about “battling grief, infidelity and navigating the pressures of her rapid rise to fame” in an interview with Paul Brunson, the “world’s most influential matchmaker” and TV star on his We Need To Talk podcast.

“Maura Higgins is known after her skyrocket into the public eye through her appearance on Love Island,” a promo for the show posted on Brunson’s Instagram states.

But while Maura has built a career in the spotlight, the show “steps behind that spotlight to discuss her deeply personal challenges”.

“I definitely wasn't there for love,” Maura admits about her Love Island debut.

“I'm literally going in because I've been cheated on, I was on a revenge strike.”

Asked about her experience with sexual assault, she says she was in a taxi coming home from a night out, “and my friends got dropped off before me”.

“I fell asleep and I woke up and his hand was up my skirt. My partner at the time blamed me for that. He said you shouldn't have drank that much. He basically told me it was my fault.”

The 33-year-old, who took part in the ITV2 show in 2019, also reveals how she had a “breakdown” and had “dark thoughts” after finding fame in the iconic villa.

"Life after Love Island was a very hard time in my life,” she says.

"I was just dropped to the UK. It was like someone just picked me up, dropped me to the UK and I was in the public eye. I had nowhere to live. I had no friends, no family, nobody I could trust.

"I've done everything by myself. I've been independent my whole life. But that was a lot. That was scary. Very, very scary.

"And I remember a lot of times I was faking a smile. Work was so busy. I was getting barely any sleep.

"I was chased by the paps everywhere I went. I had no clothes.

"I had a suitcase with just Love island bikinis that were probably crusty.

"I had nothing, absolutely nothing. I was living out of a hotel in London because that’s where all my work was and it was way overloaded.

"There was no break.

"It was going from one thing to the next, like, to radio to this photo shoot to you've signed with brands.

"People will say, ‘why didn't you say no?’ But you're in this new world."

Even as things got too much for Maura, she still didn't talk to anyone about how she was feeling.

She continued: "I had a breakdown. I had dark thoughts, very dark thoughts.”

Maura left the villa with ex-boyfriend Curtis Pritchard who she dated for eight months before they split.

She was then in a relationship with former co-star Chris Taylor, before they went their separate ways in 2021 after six months.

But she has now broken her silence on her new romance with Pete Wicks after the couple were spotted sharing a passionate kiss.

Maura and the 36-year-old Strictly star who were first linked back in August, appeared to confirm the relationship after they were spotted tighter at the Pride Of Britain after-party.

She told host Brunson: “We just get on very, very well. I adore him, he's an amazing person.

“Do you know what's so weird? We met very soon after me coming off Love Island and we just instantly clicked.

“Our humour is the same. It's like that sick, dark humour. It's very abusive. We abuse each other. Very nasty, it's hilarious.”

Maura, who has also previously dated Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice, split from American stuntman boyfriend Bobby Holland Hanton earlier this year.

Speaking about her previous relationships, Maura said: “I've not had a great track record in relationships. I just feel like apart from my best friend, every guy has just let me down.

“I expect to be let down and you can never be in a healthy relationship if I'm expecting that.”

Further into the revealing interview she’s asked about relationships, and replies how, “if I'm seen with a man, I'm sleeping with him, so watch out”.

She also say she wants a family and would love a husband “but doesn’t need one”.

“I genuinely don’t,” she declares.