Maura Higgins has defended her friend Molly-Mae Hague, who is facing criticism over remarks she made about her background and privilege.
The former Love Island contestant (22) said in an episode of the Diary Of A CEO podcast, released last month, that “you’re given one life and it’s down to you what you do with it”.
Hague, who is creative director of fast fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing, said the statement was “technically” correct and that she had “worked her arse off” for her wealth.
Irish model Higgins, 30, responded after another former Love Island contestant, Shaughna Phillips, weighed in on the controversy.
"Molly Mae is young, who’s [sic] had a lot of success really quickly, and not a lot of 'life'," she posted.
"So I can understand why she holds those views. We all say things when we’re younger and look back and think 'well that was stupid' lol. No shade, I wanna live in her bubble."
Longford native Higgins said she was "surprised" by the comments.
"Surely you know as someone in this industry how lonely and scary it can be when the whole internet is slamming you," she said.
"Your entitled to your opinion yes but I’m really surprised you [sic] commenting on this at all."
Higgins and Hague have been close friends since they appeared on the reality show in 2019.
Hague’s representatives said she acknowledges “everyone is raised in different ways and from different backgrounds” but her comments were “in reference to timing, hard work and determination in her own life”.
The statement continued: “Social media users have shared a short snippet from this interview with words such as ‘if you are homeless buy a house’ and ‘if you are poor stop being poor’.
“These are absolutely not Molly’s words, these are not Molly’s thoughts and this isn’t at all the meaning or thought behind that conversation.”
