Maura Higgins squirmed as she was grilled about her romance with Pete Wicks on Friday’s instalment of Loose Women. 

The pair were first linked together back in August when they were spotted smooching while out for lunch together.

During her stint on the ITV show today, Kaye Adams, 62, Katie Piper, 41, Frankie Bridge, 36, and Nadia Sawalha, 60, were keen to find out if she’d ever return to the Love Island villa – but Maura confessed she wouldn’t do a dating show again.

A confused Katie asked: ‘Are you saying you’re not single?’

Maura replied: ‘No! Did I say that?! I know what you’re doing. I never say anything.’

Frankie cut straight to the point and said: ‘Is there anything going on with Pete?!’

Maura Higgins squirmed as the Loose Women panel asked about her relationship with Pete Wicks

The 34-year-old appeared on the ITV talk show on Friday

The pair- who have been pals for six years – have kept fans guessing about their relationship in recent months

Kaye chimed in: ‘Oh you make a lovely couple!’

Maura replied: ‘Do we?! I’ve never really thought about it.’

She continued: ‘There’s much to tell. I know that’s very boring. We’ve known each other for six years.

‘We spend time together, we got on very well, our personalities are very similar.

‘He’s a great person. But there is actually nothing to tell. There’s really not though.

‘Nobody believes me!’

The reality star then pointed out why she thinks that what is going on between them is such a hot topic.

Maura spoke to Kaye, Katie, Frankie and Nadia about her relationship with Pete on Loose Women

Maura explained: ‘I have been pictured with him.

‘We’re both in the public eye, some other friends might be there and they wont be pictured because they’re not in the public eye.’

It comes after Pete finally discussed his feelings for the Irish beauty in Paul C Brunson’s podcast We Need To Talk.

‘Maura and I have known each other for a long time now, about six years. We have the same sense of humour, she’s super intelligent and I think that is sometimes what people don’t realise about Maura,’ he told the Celebs Go Dating expert.

‘She’s incredibly witty and we have always been there for each other in the past six years at a distance where we have always kind of been friends and been there for each other and whatever else. And that I mean is different now.

‘We spend more time with each other than we did before. I think she’s an incredible person, she was incredibly supportive to me when I was in Strictly and as I did to her when she was in the jungle.

‘She’s a great person so my relationship with her is that I think she’s a great person and I hope that she would think that I’m alright.’

Paul asked him if they were together, to which he replied: ‘Oh I see where we are going with this Paul, it is very very nicely done. The thing is with me and Maura is, like I said, we have known each other for a long time and we have never kind of not got on.

Maura looked stunning in a tight white dress with brown heels

‘We do spend more time together now than we have done before and as a person and you’ll know having met her.

‘When people are around me and Maura it is quite fun. There is so many similarities, she is a great person to spend time with and yeah we do spend time together.’

He added: ‘I’m at a different stage in my life now where the points that always made me known which was always my relationship or the drama and the reality background is not something that I am really doing anymore.

‘The reason I say that and I’m very thankful to all of the things I’ve done before that but now is the private me and the more vulnerable me is that I’m putting out one version of me which is why I need to protect that.

‘I no longer feel the need to have to give everyone that.’

After months of confusion, Maura appeared to confirm their romance on This Morning in December.

The star had just finished her stint on I’m A Celeb and appeared on the ITV talk show to talk to hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.

Alison mentioned the curly haired hunk’s name, and Maura replied: ‘It didn’t take it long to ask you that question did it?!

‘Do you know what, you forget about the cameras, I do like to keep things private.

‘I said I miss him, I do miss him…’

Although the pair had no plans of confirming their relationship, they have been seen kissing in public.

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV from 12:30pm and is available to stream on ITVX.