Curtis Pritchard’s pals accuse ex Maura Higgins of launching a ‘smear campaign’ against him with cheating claims
CURTIS Pritchard’s friends have accused ex Maura Higgins of launching a “smear campaign” against him after going public with Amber Pierson.
The 24-year-old professional dancer was spotted getting cosy with new flame Amber during a recent outing – leaving Maura furious.
The former Love Island stunner, 29, is said to be hurt after Curtis was spotted being intimate with the girl he was rumoured to have cheated on her with.
Following the news, Maura tweeted: “The truth always comes out in the end.”
Now, Curtis’ pals insist the cheating claims are a “smear campaign” following rumours of Maura’s relationship with Dancing On Ice co-star Alexander Demetriou.
An insider told the MailOnline: “The claims earlier this year that Curtis was with Amber whilst still with Maura were simply a tactical diversion by her to take the heat off the rumours circulating about the close relationship she had with her dance partner Alex.”
Maura grew close to Alex in the last season of the ITV show, with the pair spending time together after the series ended.
Alex later separated from wife Carlotta Edwards after four years of marriage.
The insider added: “Maura and Alex both swore nothing was going on, yet Alex split from his wife soon after the show finished in suspicious circumstances which got everyone taking.
“We all know the truth that there was no overlap of him beginning to see Amber. They toured together without any form of spark, it was only afterwards that this occurred.
“Any suggestion otherwise is just a smear campaign by Maura to cause harm to Curtis and cause him further upset and hurt.
‘The truth will all come out in time, but we all back Curtis and support his version of events. Those in glass houses shouldn’t throw bricks!”
Both Maura and Curtis have fiercely denied cheating rumours.
Earlier this week, The Sun revealed Irish Maura felt “humiliated” after seeing pictures of Curtis and Amber together.
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A source told us: “Maura feels humiliated, as she had suspicions of Curtis cheating and believes now she should have trusted her gut feeling at the time. She feels she stayed in the relationship too long and should have cut ties when she started to have doubts.
“Curtis is adamant his relationship with Maura ended long before his romance started with Amber. But he’s not stupid and can see how it looks.
“Maura is in a really great place right now, though. She’s got really good mates around her and is focusing on herself, on her career and the many exciting projects she has coming up.”
Maura and Curtis met in last summer’s series of Love Island, and they were together for eight months before splitting in March of this year.