Maura Higgins is winning over Dancing With the Stars viewers with her early scores — but behind the scenes, sources say the wife of her pro partner Mark Ballas is making sure the partnership stays strictly professional.

The Love Island and Traitors star, 35, was paired with Ballas for season 35 of the U.S. ballroom hit. Their on-floor chemistry has helped her climb the leaderboard, including a strong opening-night Foxtrot to Black Velvet that scored 21 out of 30. According to The Sun, that same spark has singer-songwriter BC Jean — Ballas’s wife since 2016 — keeping a watchful eye on rehearsals.

A source told the outlet: “BC is certainly keeping a very close eye on the pair. She’s very aware of Maura’s man-eating ways and past indiscretion with Danny Jones, and doesn’t want her to have the opportunity to pounce. She’s at the studio a lot, watching the rehearsals and making sure they don’t get too close. It’s highly unusual for partners of the pro-dancers to go along so often, so it’s clear she is definitely on edge.”

Jean has also stepped into the musical side of their performances — not once, but twice. She sang Black Velvet live for the pair’s premiere Foxtrot, then returned to perform Cry Little Sister during Horror Movie Night. Insiders called the repeated appearances “rather unusual” for a pro’s spouse and said people backstage have noticed how often she is around as the partnership draws attention.

Jean, who co-wrote Beyoncé’s hit If I Were a Boy and has written for artists including Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande, met Ballas at a house party in 2012. They got engaged three years later and married in Malibu on Nov. 25, 2016, with fellow DWTS pro Derek Hough among the groomsmen. The couple — who also record together as Alexander Jean — share one child. Ballas is the son of Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas.

A source stressed that Jean is not opposed to her husband having a glamorous celebrity partner: “BC has no problem with Mark having a glamorous dance partner — she understands that’s the nature of the show. But the last thing she wants is to become part of a love-triangle storyline.”

Maura’s past remains part of the conversation. She was photographed kissing married McFly star Danny Jones at the Brit Awards in 2024, a moment that sparked backlash at the time. The Sun previously reported that some DWTS pros’ partners only learned of that episode after Googling Higgins when the cast was announced, and that the discovery caused a stir in group chats.

Higgins has tried to put the noise behind her and focus on the competition. For now, judges appear firmly on her side. Whether the bigger challenge is the next dance style — or keeping the drama off the floor while Jean watches from the wings — is the subplot America is suddenly talking about.

Representatives for BC Jean and Maura Higgins were approached for comment.

Source: The Sun