Strictly Come Dancing star fears he ‘might die alone’ after ‘failed’ love life-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Pete Wicks has opened up about his love life ahead of Strictly 2024 (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Strictly Come Dancing 2024 star Pete Wicks has spoken in depth about his love life and fears of ‘dying alone’ as he isn’t ready to settle down.

The 35-year-old reality star rose to prominence in 2015 on ITV’s The Only Way is Essex, in which he starred until 2022.

During his time on Towie, Pete acquired a reputation for being quite the playboy, with the turbulence of his relationships well documented, most notably his romance with co-star Megan McKenna from 2016 to 2017.

Having been unfaithful in the past, however, the renowned Essex bad boy still has hopes of starting a family and getting married – just not yet.

In a new interview, Pete – who co-hosts the Staying Relevant podcast with I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! winner Sam Thompson – admitted that he ‘doesn’t fully understand’ himself yet, at least not enough to commit to a long-term relationship.

He told The Times magazine: ‘I’m nearly 36. I want to get married and have kids. I’ve been blessed with so many opportunities, but what’s the point if I can’t share them with anyone? 

He rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex and quickly garnered a reputation for being a ladies’ man (Picture: Instagram)

Pete dated Megan McKenna for 18 months (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

‘Right now, I’m not ready to wholeheartedly commit to a romantic relationship because I don’t fully understand myself yet.’

Exploring why past flings haven’t gone the distance, Pete mused that women ‘fall in love with the idea of [him]’ as opposed to the reality.

While he’s hopeful that The One is out there, though, his optimism is laced with doubt.

‘I would love to find a wife, but you know what? I may end up one of those men who dies alone,’ he added, looking to the future.

Elsewhere, Pete reflected on his past mistakes, including the time his explicit messages to an ex were exposed while he and country singer Megan were holidaying in Barcelona.

In the aftermath, the long-haired Lothario – who is now keen to overcome his womaniser public persona – was spat at in the streets by angry Towie viewers, with one threatening to kill his dog.

‘I’ve been villainised and loved in equal measure,’ he shared. ‘I’m still getting death threats even now.’

Zara McDermott, the girlfriend of best pal Sam Thompson, has given Pete her blessing to compete in Strictly (Picture: Lia Toby/Getty Images)

Her former partner, Graziano Di Prima, was fired after abuse allegations (Picture: PA)

Pete stated: ‘Once you’re tarred with a certain brush it’s hard to shake that reputation, but it’s part of the life of reality TV.’

Meanwhile, ex Megan, Pete’s longest relationship, is now expecting her first child with her fiancée, footballer Oliver Burke.

Other high-profile romances of Pete’s included fellow Towie stars Jess Wright, Shelby Tribble, Chloe Sims, and Ella Rae Wise while, most recently, he’s been linked to Love Island beauty Maura Higgins, 33.

With the launch of Strictly just one week away, Pete hopes the once-in-a-lifetime experience will give him ‘a chance to let go and enjoy [himself]’.

Despite previously admitting to never watching the show (we’re also in disbelief), Pete was given the full blessing of Zara McDermott when he signed up.

Zara, 27, is the girlfriend of Pete’s best pal, Sam, 32, and competed in the glitzy dance contest in 2023.

However, earlier this year, she found herself at the centre of a media storm when her professional partner, Graziano Di Prima, 30, was accused of physical abuse towards her.

Pete is aware that Strictly will push him out of his comfort zone (Picture: Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

Strictly returns next weekend for its 20th series (Picture: BBC Studios/Kieron McCarron)

Meanwhile, Graziano denied the allegations involving the former Love Islander, saying that he did not kick her but merely ‘brushed’ her.

The now-fired Italian professional insisted: ‘I’m not an abusive man.’

Speaking about having Zara’s support, Pete shared that Zara’s love for Strictly is what made her so certain that he should take part.

He told ITV’s Lorraine Kelly: ‘Zara was the one that, kind of, pushed me to do this because she loves the show. I was quite honest about the fact I had never actually seen it.

‘The first time I saw Strictly was the first live show last year when Zara was on and I just thought wow, this is amazing – but I never imagined myself doing it.’

Pete joins stars including JLS popstar JB Gill, Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri, EastEnders’ Jamie Borthwick, Olympic swimmer Tom Dean, and DIY SIS star Nick Knowles when Strictly returns next Saturday.

The launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2024 airs on Saturday, September 14 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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