Pete Wicks issues five-word warning ahead of BBC Strictly Come Dancing
Pete Wicks has issued a warning to Strictly Come Dancing fans - you're not all going to love him. The former TOWIE star said his good mate Sam Thompson playing a part in the decision to go on the BBC show.
The reality TV personality, famed for his roles on The Only Way is Essex and Celebs Go Dating, will be strutting his stuff in the 22nd series of the hit BBC dance competition, set to kick off later this month.
Having left TOWIE in 2022, Pete also shared his apprehensions about how he'll be received by viewers and his concerns over the potential dance floor attire.
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He said: "So many people are gonna watch, but they're people who don't know. They're gonna f***king hate me. You also see the costume team and they discuss what you like wearing, what you're comfortable in and how far you'd like to go with it.
"I spoke to my management beforehand and they said to me, 'In for a penny, in for a pound.' So the costume lady was like, 'We're going to have some fun.' I instantly regretted saying that," he admitted, before discussing his current physical state.
"I'm 36, and I haven't been to a gym in eight years. I broke three ribs [on SAS: Who Dares Wins] and my ribs are still broken, which is going to be a pain. I feel sorry for whoever my partner is. I have an issue with having to get things right, so I know what people say when they do these things that you can practise as much as you want."
Ahead of the launch show on September 14, Pete shared on the Staying Relevant podcast which he hosts alongside Sam that his friend and manager were the ones who convinced him to take part in Strictly.
"It's the last thing I think anyone would ever think I would do," he admitted. "I've never thought about doing it. I've never really watched Strictly. You do like a taster day where I had to see how I got on for an hour with one of the pros."
"And I am going to be honest with you, I went because I was semi-forced by my management and Sam and anyone else obsessed with Strictly. And I did the taster and I f***ing loved it. I genuinely loved it."
Strictly Come Dancing will return later this year on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.