Pete Wicks' biggest Strictly Come Dancing fear, celebrity best friend and star girlfriends

Pete Wicks is the latest reality star to sign up for the glitz and glamour of Strictly Come Dancing. The 35-year-old shot to fame on ITVBe series The Only Way Is Essex - appearing in the show from 2015-2022.

Pete has been paired with professional dancer Jowita Przystał, as revealed on Strictly's launch show. She told the Radio Times the star is currently immersing himself into all things Strictly and working hard on their routines and joked: "We'll make him Patrick Swayze!"

Viewers might recognise Pete from his numerous reality show appearances over the years - but he's also making his mark in broadcasting work alongside best friend Sam Thompson. The pals host a podcast together and recently joined forces at this year's National Television Awards (NTAs) to present from the red carpet.

Read on to find out all about the life and career of Pete Wicks.

Early life in Essex

Pete Wicks was born in Harlow, Essex on November 1, 1988. Mum Tracy split from his dad when Pete was 11, raising him as a single parent with support from his grandmother Doreen.

He told TOWIE's official Facebook page that he was "blonde, fat, quite sociable and happy" as a child and was "obsessed with sticks and dogs". He has always loved dogs and says his dogs are like his children.

He began working in a bar as a glass collector at the age of 13 which he said "opened me up to the world of alcohol". He joked that he's always been a ladies man and had his first girlfriend at the age of five after falling in love in Lapland.

When he left school he said he thought he would be a millionaire by 30 and his first serious career move at the age of 17 was as a tea boy in a recruitment firm in the City of London. By the time he was 22 he was a sales director.

He told Attitude in 2017: "I had a fairly good job. I was a director of a company for many years. We supplied consultant doctors to the NHS. It was a complete contrast to what I'm doing now."

Then TOWIE came calling. Pete said he signed up for the show because "I needed a change" but initially vowed just to do one series.

Finding fame in TOWIE

Pete became part of The Only Way is Essex cast in 2015, making waves for his romantic entanglements and friendships. He was initially introduced as a friend of James "Lockie" Lock but soon made a name for himself in his own right, standing out from the rest of the cast with his long hair and mass of tattoos.

He wrote in his first book, For the Love of Frenchies: The Dogs that Changed My Life, that part of his motivation for joining the series was so he could be at home more, and therefore get a dog.

And he told ITV: "When I first joined I literally agreed to do it three days before I flew to Marbella for my first series. And looked at it as just having a little holiday with Lockie."

He arrived on TOWIE during episodes that followed a cast trip to Marbella and soon became the show's resident bad boy, hitting it off with castmate Jess Wright. He then began dating Megan McKenna, with their relationship becoming part of TOWIE lore when she signed on for the show.

The on-off couple split for good in October 2017 and he later admitted on Celebs Go Dating that he was unfaithful. He said he was "messaging other women" a few months into their relationship, explaining: "When I start to get feelings for someone I feel vulnerable."

Reality TV regular and his celebrity best friend

Pete called it quits on his TOWIE days in 2021, telling the Not My Bagg podcast: "I was starting to become the Ian Beale of Towie, just this sort of drunk in the corner, so it was definitely time for me to f*****g do one."

He's since appeared on a string of reality television shows. You might also recognise him from Celebrity SAS, Celebrity Juice, Iain Stirling's CelebAbility, Supermarket Sweep, and Celebrity MasterChef as well as appearances on Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back and Sunday Brunch.

He's branched out into presenting recently, hosting at the BRIT Awards, Pride of Britain Awards and National Television Awards. Pete also presents the Staying Relevant podcast with his best friend, Made in Chelsea star and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here winner Sam Thompson - whose girlfriend Zara McDermott took part in last year's Strictly. Sam Thompson.

Pete and Sam met on Celebs Go Dating in 2018 and hit it off straight away. When he was confirmed for Strictly, he told KISS radio: “Sam already knows, I did tell Sam and Sam cried.

“I am not even joking, he screamed and jumped up and down and cried and planned that every Saturday he will be at the show. He is making T-shirts, the guy really needs to get a life. He’s my number one fan in life, he is kind of like Martha from Baby Reindeer, that is our relationship.”

Emotional reason he signed up for Strictly and his biggest fear

Pete told the BBC he felt a mixture of emotions about appearing on Strictly Come Dancing. He said: “Dancing live in front of the nation every Saturday? Absolutely terrifying. But anyone who knows me knows I love a challenge and trying new things, so I’m genuinely looking forward to getting stuck in.”

And he told KISS: “It is a mixture of excited and absolutely petrified, genuinely petrified.”

He's also revealed his emotional reason for signing up for the show - to make his late nan Doreen proud. He told the Radio Times she died two years ago, calling it "the worst thing that's ever happened to me".

He added: "I didn't get a chance to make her proud before she died. Trying new things is important to me, because hopefully, she's watching, and she'll be proud."

He added: "She grew up with, like, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and watching all of that sort of stuff. I don't think she ever in a million years would have imagined me doing this and being here." He also said she would have been his "number one fan".

Discussing his biggest fear about taking part, Pete has said: “The thing people are most nervous about is falling flat on your face so it’s probably that. There is a lot of stairs, it’s not even the dancing, people run up the stairs to talk to Tess and Claudia and I will probably just slide back down.”

Tattoo lover

Pete is known for his many tattoos and told ITV he got his first tattoo to get into nightclubs. He said his first was on the inside of his forearm so bouncers could see it while he was in the queue, making him look older.

Such is his love for ink that he even hosted a podcast about them - Pete Wicks: Just a Little Prick. Launched in 2020, it saw him exploring tattoos and what they represent in people’s lives, speaking to tattoo artists, those with extreme tattoos and celebrities.

He said in a trailer for the show: "Each and every one of my tattoos is a story, even if it was a dumb idea or a split second decision. It got me thinking that there's some cracking stories out there - the tales behind people's tats."

Dog lover and his 'no holds barred' new book

Pete has written two books. The first, The Dogs That Changed My Life saw the French Bulldog lover share the tips he’s learned for a happy life with a Frenchie, and how everyone can help to eradicate the problems facing the breed. He also recounted the love and grief he's felt for special dogs in his life, drawing on the experience of losing his adored French Bulldog Ernest in 2016, when his beloved pet was just three years old.

Earlier this year, he called on the government to ban fur imports, telling the PA news agency: “There’s absolutely no reason [to delay], and I don’t understand why it is being stalled. There’s certainly nothing to look at, all the proof is in the pudding, so we just need to get on and get it passed."

Pete recently released new book Never Enough, which according to publishers is a "no-holds-barred account of life through Pete Wicks' lens" that sees him sharing his mental health trials and approach to life.

He told followers on Instagram: "It's incredibly personal to me and as much as it’s partly some of my story, the whole point of me doing this was to make it relatable to people. It covers suicide, grief, mental health and a whole host of emotions…we all have them, we all struggle and we all need to understand that it’s ok.

"Life is a f**king rollercoaster and sometimes it’s just about trying to ensure you get through each day but amongst the sh*t there are magical, beautiful moments, understanding yourself will help you find them."

Terrifying moment he saved his mum's life

Pete's latest book sees him open up about the bond he has with his mum Tracy, who he says is the "strongest woman". He wrote about the harrowing experience he had at the age of 12 when he discovered his mother after a suicide attempt in their home. He said he instinctively rushed into action by calling his grandmother and emergency services.

He said: "She looked up at me with eyes full of tears. 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,' she kept repeating. I told her it was okay as I panicked trying to work out what to do. I called Nan. I could barely get the words out to describe what had happened. I think I basically just said, 'Mum... knife... blood," reports the Mirror.

He said he followed nan Doreen's instructions to call 999 and grabbed towels to try to stop his mum bleeding from a knife wound. He added: "I poured the wine down the sink. It's hard to pinpoint how I felt in that moment, because I think it was just pure shock. I didn't cry I just went into crisis mode."

Tracy recovered quickly and was soon out of hospital. She apologised to her son and said it was a "moment of madness" that would never happen again.

Pete added: "It's only in the last few years that I've processed a lot of what has happened and I've had some really open conversations with her. I have come to understand that she never wanted to leave me she wanted to leave herself.

"It wasn't because she didn't love me enough. It's because the struggle and the pain was so real that she wasn't able to think outside of that. I don't blame my mum for any of it. I just wish I could take all that pain away."

He said he asked for his mum's permission to share their story to help raise mental health awareness. And he added: "You just have to hold on. My mum is living proof of that. Despite the fear I felt on that rainy, drunken night, I trust her more than I ever have."

How to access support if you need it

If this piece has affected you and you want to talk to someone, there are helplines and support groups available, many of them 24/7.

The NHS Choices website lists the following helplines and support networks for people to talk to.

• Samaritans (116 123 in UK and Ireland) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.
• Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won't show up on your phone bill.
• PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
• Mind (0300 123 3393) is a charity based in England providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
• Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.
• Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.

Romance rumours and celebrity girlfriends

Pete was in a rocky relationship with fellow TOWIE star Megan McKenna, with the two becoming renowned for their explosive rows on the show. But their romance was short-lived- they met in 2016 but broke up the following year.

After the split he moved on to TOWIE's Shelby Tribble, but she accused him of still having feelings for his ex, saying "I always felt like I was living in Megan’s shadow".

In 2018 he was linked to Love Island's Megan Barton Hanson - then stunned fans by confessing to a secret two-year relationship with TOWIE co-star Chloe Sims. He told the Sun: “Yes our relationship has been more than just a friendship. It has been romantic.

"There have definitely been blurred lines over the last two-years. We haven't been officially seeing each other."

In 2020 things went sour, with Pete telling Chloe on TOWIE that he was unable to five her what she wanted and could not be in a relationship. He moved on to another TOWIE co-star, Ella Rae Wise, but the 11-year age gap didn't impress fans and the fling was short-lived.

Pete has also been linked to Verity Chapman after they met on Celebs Go Dating and Married at First Sight Australia contestant Jessika Power during a date for the show. He hit the headlines for "looking cosy" with ex-Eastender Danielle Harold while in Australia to support best friend Sam on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!.

He's now thought to be romancing Love Island star Maura Higgins after the pair were spotted kissing at a hotel in London in August 2024. An onlooker told The Sun the two stars were "all over each other" and "looked totally in love".

Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One on Saturday nights