Love Island: Maura Higgins urged to 'respect' partner Curtis Pritchard's decision not to have sex

Olivia Petter
Thursday 25 July 2019 23:41 BST
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Love Island: Curtis tells Maura he's 'too tired' to have sex

Love Island’s Maura Higgins has been urged to “respect” Curtis Pritchard’s decision not to have sex with her on the ITV2 programme.

In Thursday’s episode of the reality TV show, Higgins is captured kissing Pritchard in bed when the dancer tells her “tonight is not the night”.

Higgins replies: “Tonight is not the night, then what night is the night? I want you,” prompting Pritchard to repeat his previous statement, eliciting a heavy sigh from Higgins.

The 28-year-old model later asks Pritchard why he’s angry with her, to which he says he is simply tired.

The following day, Higgins complains to her fellow female Islanders that she had “zero action last night” and proceeds to explain that she is “losing [her] patience”.

“I get that the man doesn’t wanna have sex but just give me something, I have needs,” Higgins adds.

Pritchard later urges Higgins not to “take it the wrong way” and explains that he was exhausted from the day’s events and had a headache.

“Last night was not the time,” he said before reassuring her that “nothing was wrong” with their burgeoning relationship.

But Higgins’ behaviour has provoked criticism on social media, with Twitter users accusing her of pressurising Pritchard into having sex.

“It was so uncomfortable watching Maura pressure Curtis to bump uglies,” wrote one person. “If he did that to her and behaved the same way the following morning, he would be hung up to dry!! But it’s double standards! It’s not even remotely funny.”

Another added: “If it was Curtis trying pressure Maura into sleeping with him, imagine the uproar.”

Others labelled Higgins’ behaviour “problematic” and “unacceptable”.

But not everyone agreed, with some fans praising Higgins for her “unapologetic openness about female sexuality”.

It’s not the first time Higgins has come under fire for her behaviour towards the male contestants in the show.

Earlier in the series, broadcasting watchdogs Ofcom received more than 480 complaints over the Irish model’s attempts to win contestant Tommy Fury’s affections.

Higgins was seen trying to kiss the professional boxer, who politely declined the offer, prompting some fans on social media to accuse her of “predatory” behaviour.

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