Maura Higgins made her first public appearance since being announced as the new host of the Blind Date reboot at the US Open in New York on Monday. The Irish TV personality, 35, was seen accessorizing with a £6,000 Chanel tennis racket bag while attending the event, which is the official hotel and hotel loyalty program for IHG Hotels & Resorts.
Higgins, who gained fame on the 2019 season of Love Island, is set to step into the role previously held by Cilla Black for the revival of the classic dating show, which is scheduled to return to screens next year. She will also appear as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars this autumn before filming the Blind Date reboot later in the year.
"Maura is the perfect match for our version of Blind Date," said Angela Jain, head of content at Disney+ EMEA, in a statement. "Her distinctive straight-talking humour, coupled with her experience as a reality dating show contestant, means we know she has the gravitas plus the wit to bring Blind Date to new audiences."
Disney+ has indicated that the show will retain much of its original format, where contestants choose potential dates from behind a screen, but will include "innovative format twists and a spicy dose of drama." The original Blind Date aired from 1985 to 2003, with a subsequent revival on Channel 5 from 2017 to 2019.
Higgins's profile has risen significantly since her Love Island appearance. She has previously hosted Love Island US: Aftersun and competed on The Traitors US, making it to the final. Her previous television credits also include Dancing On Ice and Glow Up Ireland.