Inside Pete Wicks' transformation from TV bad boy to beloved Strictly star
During Saturday's episode, Pete Wicks finally hit the Strictly dancefloor alongside his professional partner Jowita Przysta.
Lorraine: Pete Wicks talks about Zara's input in Strictly journey
Strictly Come Dancing finally returned to screens this month and alongside 14 other famous faces, reality TV star Pete Wicks took to the stage alongside pro-Jowita Przystał.
The 36-year-old rose to fame after becoming a cast member on ITV’s The Only Way in Essex in 2015.
Pete became a fan-favourite for his looks and dry humour which also saw him land in a string of high profile relationships.
Although he was introduced to viewers as a friend of co-star James Locke many saw through his tough-guy persona and asserted himself as a reality TV king on his own.
In 2021, Pete left the show after claiming he “was starting to become the Ian Beale of Towie.”
He then took part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, before withdrawing early on medical grounds after he knocked himself unconscious and broke his ribs during a challenge.
The Real Full Monty then allowed Pete to show his charitable side as he stripped off to raise awareness for cancer.
He then became a familiar face on screens with brief appearances on Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back, CelebAbility, Sunday Brunch, Celebrity Juice, and Supermarket Sweep.
But it was Pete’s unlikely friendship with the beloved Sam Thompson which began in 2019 and saw their podcast Staying Relevant grow to over 56,000 subscribers.
Don't miss...
Strictly's Nick Knowles wows as he shares staggering weight loss so far [PHOTOS]
Strictly Come Dancing star set to earn 'six figures' following appearance [INSIGHT]
Lorraine hits out at 'outrageous' dancing contestant and plans to boycott show [LATEST]
On their bond, Pete said: “One of the loveliest things about Sam is he’s very open about his feelings. Sam has been instrumental in making me more open about my feelings.”
The pair have become a dynamic duo and recently co-hosted the red carpet at the National Television Awards.
Sam’s girlfriend Zara McDermott even encouraged Pete to take part in Strictly, despite her own troubled experience last year.
During an appearance on Lorraine, he shared: “Reflecting on Zara's influence and guidance, Pete shared: "Zara was the one who pushed me to do the show because she loves the show. I'll admit - I've actually never seen it.
“I never thought I'd do this and the sequins and all that stuff! It's a brand new challenge and wasn't something I thought I would ever do. But it's all about challenging yourself.”
