Yahoo News Pete Wicks says he was "semi-forced" to sign up for Strictly Come Dancing
Pete Wicks has revealed that he was “semi-forced” to participate in Strictly Come Dancing, with close friend Sam Thompson part of the reason.
The star, best known for his appearances on The Only Way is Essex and Celebs Go Dating, is part of the cast for the upcoming 22nd series of the BBC show, which is due to get underway later this month.
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.
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“It's the last thing I think anyone would ever think I would do,” he said. “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.”
Pete, who left TOWIE in 2022, also spoke about his wider thoughts on the BBC show, sharing that he is nervous about how the public will perceive him, as well as what he might have to wear on the dancefloor.
“So many people are gonna watch, but they're people who don't know. They're gonna f***king hate me,” he shared. “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.
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“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 continued, before speaking about his current physical condition.
“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.”
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.
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