Rob Rausch Girlfriend question persists as rob rausch girlfriend denials follow Feb. 26 finale
After winning season four of The Traitors in the Feb. 26 finale, Rob Rausch promised runner-up Maura Higgins an Hermès Birkin bag — a pledge that has kept the rob rausch girlfriend speculation alive. The pair have denied any romance, but a viral chair video, on-cast dynamics and Rob’s decision to take the $220, 800 prize for himself have left viewers and contestants talking.
Finale outcome, $220, 800 prize and the Birkin promise
Rob Rausch emerged as the sole winner of season four at the Feb. 26 finale, leaving Maura Higgins as runner-up and taking the full $220, 800 prize pot. He told reunion host Andy Cohen he would "probably save it for the future" and that "I have to buy Maura a Birkin Bag. " Candiace Dillard Bassett echoed that promise, saying, "I was gonna say, there's a promise to buy Maura a Birkin bag. " Costar Lisa Rinna added that the designer purse will cost a minimum of $10, 000.
Rob Rausch Girlfriend denials and the viral chair video
Speculation about a romance began almost as soon as Rob and Maura entered Ardross Castle and intensified after a video of Rob, 27, rubbing a chair went viral, with some viewers asking whether he was stroking Maura’s leg. Both contestants have denied a hookup. Maura, 35, said, "no, nothing ever happened between me and Rob" and that she "genuinely look[s] at Rob like a brother. " Rob insisted, "We did not [hook up], and we will not. We are just friends. I'm touching the chair, not her leg!"
From alliance to final two: Tara Lipinski, Eric Nam and the turn
The pair had been longtime allies in the game, but Rob’s gameplay included convincing Maura to vote out her fellow Faithful Tara Lipinski and then turning on Traitor Eric Nam. That sequence left Rob and Maura as the final two and resulted in Rob’s victory at the Feb. 26 finale. Eric Nam said it took him a "few days" to recover from Rob’s final act and told the reunion, "I will never trust anybody ever again. " Maura said at the finale, "I was so convinced, you've embarrassed me, " adding, "You're never going to have a girlfriend after this—you're such a good liar. "
Maura’s reaction and no hard feelings — for now
Despite the betrayal, Maura said there were "no hard feelings, " telling Rob, "I'm just in shock. I actually thought I was winning. I really did. " In a confessional she teared up and said, "I'm a fool. This is why I don't trust anybody ever, because they stab you in the goddamn back. " She added bluntly, "He's a bad man, " then, "But good for him. Oh, my days. Rob, you're a f--king snake. But well done. " Maura also joked that if Rob follows through on buying the Birkin handbag, "then he's fully forgiven, " and that getting the bag would make her feel like a winner despite not taking the prize.
Logistics of the gift and cast reactions
Rob said he has been trying to track down the coveted Birkin and enlisted help from Lisa Rinna, explaining, "I'm in cahoots with Lisa. She said she could probably get my foot in the door so I can buy one. It's proving way more difficult than I thought it would be though. " Candiace praised Rob’s mix of smarts and luck at the reunion, calling him "a humble Traitor" in the sense of combining strategy with fortune, and suggested the group of Faithful might have benefited from more experience in the game.
How Traitors picks and roles shaped season play
Contestants do not choose their Traitor or Faithful status; beginning with season two, some players were allowed to plead their case to host Alan Cumming. Executive producer Mike Cotton said that Alan’s opinion has "a really big bearing on it" and described the selection as "almost like a job interview to be a Traitor, " with the producers deciding who should be a Traitor just before the pick to ensure an interesting mix. Cirie Fields noted that contestants were told from the start that there could potentially be three to five Traitors in the game.
