Pete Wicks’ close friend has spoken out on the swirling rumours linking the Strictly Come Dancing sensation with former Love Island contestant Maura Higgins.
There has been much talk suggesting that the pair have been “dating” since the end of last year. The two were spotted sharing a kiss following the Pride of Britain Awards last October, and Pete even celebrated Christmas in Maura’s homeland of Ireland.
Now, addressing the whispers about their supposed relationship is Pete’s good friend, ex-Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson. He disclosed to Closer magazine that he has “never seen Pete in such a good mood” amid the romantic hearsay.
Sam said: “He keeps his love life quiet, even from me. I actually know more looking at the press than I do looking at Pete.
“I’ll ask him a couple of cheeky questions, but he’s very quiet about it all because that is his private life, and I respect that massively. What I will say is that I have never seen Pete in such a good mood.”
Sam also pointed out: “He’s always smiling. And I’m not saying it is anything to do with a girl.”
Proud of Pete for shaking off tags like “Lothario Pete Wicks” and “Pete Wicks from The Only Way is Essex” Sam expressed joy that “people have finally begun to see the Pete that I’ve known for years”.
Pete, once a mainstay on TOWIE before departing in 2022, has also graced other television shows including Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, and The Celebrity Circle, reports Lancs Live.
Last year, he graced the Strictly Come Dancing stage alongside his dancing partner Jowita Przystał, but the duo were eliminated in the semi-final, with Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell ultimately winning the Glitterball Trophy.
During an appearance on ITV’s Loose Men last week, Pete addressed swirling romance rumours, confessing his status as a “commitment-phobe”.
Sparked by presenter Craig Doyle’s encouragement, suggesting Pete needn’t fear commitment with someone as stunning as Maura Higgins, Pete clarified: “Maura is a very good friend of mine, we’ve known each other for a very long time and we get on well.”
Maura also faced interrogation over her relationship status when she featured on Loose Women. After vowing to steering clear of dating shows, host Katie Piper probed: “Are you saying you’re not single?” to which Maura retorted: “No! Did I say that? I know what you’re doing. I never say anything.”
Panel member Frankie Bridge couldn’t help asking: “Is there anything going on with Pete?”
Lauded by comments that they’d make a “lovely couple”, Maura admitted she had “never really thought about it” before stating: “There’s not much to tell. I know that’s very boring. We’ve known each other for six years.”
She added: “We spend time together, we got on very well, our personalities are very similar. He’s a great person. But there is actually nothing to tell. There’s really not, though.”