Strictly's Pete Wicks says 'poor Jowita' as pair get closer in 'toughest week'

Former The Only Way is Essex star and his professional partner Jowita Przystal will be back in the famous ballroom when the BBC dance contest returns to screens on Saturday night

Pete Wicks is sympathising with his dance partner Jowita Przystal as they dive into rehearsals for their forthcoming Strictly Come Dancing performance.

The TOWIE star will return to the iconic ballroom when BBC One's dance competition airs on Saturday night (October 12), after he and Jowita advanced to week four following their Movie Week display.

Pete surprised everyone by donning an animal-print loincloth and going barefoot as he and Jowita danced the samba to the George Of The Jungle theme, earning a score of 26 out of 40.

There was a near-miss during their routine when some complex footwork almost resulted in Jowita being thrown across the floor, but Pete managed to maintain a firm hold, preventing any mishaps.

Now, leaving George of the Jungle behind, they are focusing on their next challenge, a Quickstep to The Jam's Town Called Malice, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Heading to rehearsals on Wednesday (October 9), Pete conducted a Q&A on his Instagram during a traffic jam. One of the initial questions put to him was: "Are you proud of what you have done on Strictly so far?? You should be!! Loving it."

In a heartfelt post, Pete shared a snapshot of himself and Jowita performing as George and Ursula on the dance-floor, expressing: "I'm trying my best, I am loving learning something new and hope I am blessed enough to keep going but that's down to you guys!" He also praised his partner, saying: "Also, @jowitaprzystal is the best teacher!"

When asked by another follower if he was excelling in training this week, Pete openly confessed: "This is the hardest week for me so far but I'm 100% in and need to stop getting in my head about it."

He humorously added: "Poor @jowitaprzystal has dealt with a range of moods this week!"

Previously, Pete had voiced concerns about his position in the competition after Movie Week. On Strictly's companion show It Takes Two, he reflected on how he and Jowita stacked up against other contestants in terms of rankings.

Host Fleur East commented on their scores, which led Pete to admit: "When you're at the bottom it obviously doesn't look great. But you never know what the public are going to do."

He went on to talk about the unpredictable nature of the competition, stating: "And I think regardless of what the judges' scores are, you never know what the public are thinking. And I think everyone, regardless of where you are in the competition, is nervous about leaving. And certainly I was, I didn't necessarily think I'd make it through last week, I'll be honest with you."

Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on BBC iPlayer