Love Island star Maura Higgins was engaged to an Irish car mechanic she was with for nine years - and he still gets jealous when she flirts with other men on the show, MailOnline can reveal.
The 28-year-old reality star split with childhood sweetheart James Finnegan two years ago.
Friends of Maura’s former fiancé say he is heartbroken that they are no longer together.
Case of the ex: Love Island temptress Maura Higgins (centre) was previously engaged to Irish car mechanic James Finnegan (second from right). The pair are pictured with friends in 2013
‘Maura and James seemed like the perfect fit,’ a source told MailOnline. ‘They were together for years and everyone assumed that they would get married and have children.
‘As time went on and their relationship became more serious, Maura decided she wanted to get married, but James wasn’t willing to commit.
‘In the end she told him she wanted settle down and gave him an ultimatum, but he didn’t want to be tied down by children so they broke up.
They added: ‘You can hardly blame Maura for wanting to take things to the next stage. To be with someone for nine years and not walk down the aisle is an awfully long time.’
Maura met James when she was 16 in the Irish town of Ballymohan, County Longford, where he worked in his father’s garage.
After they split Maura, who has caused a stir in the Love Island villa, began dating Paul Caslin, a Liverpool-born TV director, who is now based in LA.
Moving on: The stunning model dated James for a total of nine years, but ended things when he wouldn't commit to marriage and children
But they separated last November after a year together when he moved to the US and they couldn’t make their long distance relationship work.
Maura’s mother Sharon said her daughter was ‘deeply in love’ with mechanic James, but their relationship had simply ‘fizzled out’.
Sharon sparked a backlash when she claimed her daughter dumped Mr Caslin when he cheated on her, a claim the director denies.
The friend continued: 'James hasn’t moved on at all and hasn’t met anyone else. He still holds a candle to Maura and I think he regrets not being willing to commit.
‘He’s the sensitive quiet type and hasn’t been seen with anyone else.
‘Maura was a hairdresser in the local salon, then she got into a bit of modelling work. But it changed her. She became very conscious of her looks and what she was wearing.
Childhood sweetheart: Maura met James when she was 16 in the Irish town of Ballymohan, County Longford. The pair were once ‘deeply in love’, but things ‘fizzled out’
‘I think she started to look at a life outside Ballymahon that could give her move opportunities. She was a big fish in a small pond and I think eventually she outgrew the village.
‘We do wonder why James didn’t want to marry her. I think if I were going with a guy that long I’d expect a diamond ring. She’s a stunning looking girl. He’s not a beaut compared
