NEW YORK — Rob Rausch made good on his promise to Maura Higgins, surprising his The Traitors castmate with a burgundy Hermès Birkin during their March 4, 2026, appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. The live handoff served as Rausch’s apology after he betrayed Higgins in the finale, won the $220,800 prize and promised at the reunion to buy her the luxury bag.
Rob Rausch delivers Maura Higgins’ Birkin on WWHL
Hours before the show, People reported that Rausch planned to pick up the bag in New York and give it to Higgins that night. Bravo later posted the WWHL highlight, confirming that the gift finally changed hands on air.
Rausch said Higgins had selected a burgundy Birkin with gold hardware, and he credited Lisa Rinna with helping him source it after an earlier plan to get one from Paris shifted to New York.
Earlier Wednesday, TMZ published photos of Rausch shopping for the Birkin in Manhattan, adding another step to an apology story that had been building since the reunion.
Why Rob Rausch owed Maura Higgins the bag
The Birkin became a post-finale storyline because of how The Traitors ended. Earlier this week, People reported that Rausch had committed part of his winnings to the Birkin as a way to earn Higgins’ forgiveness after the betrayal.
Even so, Higgins suggested the tension had cooled quickly. In a post-finale interview with E! News, she said she and Rausch were “all good” and framed the betrayal as smart gameplay, while still making clear that full forgiveness depended on getting the bag.
How Rob Rausch and Maura Higgins got here
The moment carried extra weight because the two already had shared reality TV history before entering the castle. Peacock’s earlier Season 4 cast guide framed Higgins as a Love Island fixture and Love Island USA: Aftersun host, while Rausch entered as a recognizable Love Island USA alum.
That overlap helps explain why Higgins trusted him so deeply inside the game. By the time the finale ended, the promised Birkin had become the clearest symbol of Rausch’s attempt to repair the damage from the move that won him the season.
What the Rob Rausch Birkin moment closes out
By bringing the Birkin to WWHL, Rausch turned a reunion-show promise into a televised payoff and closed a storyline that had carried past the finale.
