Real reason for Faye Winter and Maura Higgins’ shock backstage bust-up revealed after NTAs ‘shoe-throwing’ row
A BACKSTAGE bust-up at the NTAs got everyone talking as close pals Faye Winter and Maura Higgins clashed in front of celebrity guests.
Now The Sun can reveal the real reason behind their expletive-filled exchange, which all began over a pair of £1,000 Christian Louboutin designer high heels.
The Love Island stars – who grew close after Faye left the villa in 2021 – had been partying together as guests of tanning brand Fake Bake.
After the NTAs wrapped, Maura and Faye continued their night in the star-studded after-party inside the O2.
But the mood took a turn after a misunderstanding between the glamorous stars.
An onlooker told The Sun: “Faye’s feet were killing her after a long night of partying.
“When a fan came over to take a picture with her, she took them off for the shot and flung them over to Maura.
“One shoe bounced off the floor and hit Maura as it landed on the sofa next to her.
“Unfortunately, Maura wasn’t impressed and shouted ‘what the f*** are you doing’ – but it was all a big misunderstanding.
“Faye hadn’t meant any harm, it was just bad aim having had a few drinks.
“Before anyone knew what was happening the pair of them were rowing at the bar in front of all the other guests as Maura refused to let it slide.”
As The Sun revealed yesterday, 32-year-old Maura was overheard branding series seven star Faye, 28, a “silly cow”.
Faye said on Instagram after the news broke: “I mean she calls me a silly cow most days and she ain’t wrong.”
Meanwhile Maura, who was on Love Island in 2019, tried to distance herself from the incident – insisting it was a “passionate conversation”, adding: “No drama here.”
It follows video footage of the glamorous reality stars being kept apart by pals when tempers boiled over at the boozy bash in London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday night.
An onlooker added: “Faye approached Maura and started to have it out with her.
“Faye appeared to be accusing Maura of starting a drama over what appeared to be something light-hearted. It then ended up becoming a real scene.”
Maura was overheard shouting at Faye: “Starting on you? Don’t point your finger at me.”
A pal who tried to keep the pair apart was overheard begging them to stop as a crowd gathered.
He was heard asking: “Girls, girls. Why are you fighting? This has been going on for an hour now. Stop it, stop it.”
After branding Faye a “cow”, Maura was overheard telling a pal: “She’s f*****g embarrassing. I went, ‘What do you mean by that?’.
“I went, ‘Don’t you ever do that to me you silly cow. Don’t you ever speak to me like that’.”
Fortunately the close pals settled their differences and were able to kiss and make up the next morning.
They posted publicly on each other’s gorgeous Instagram snaps, writing: “I love you” and “I adore you”.