How Pete Wicks has overhauled his TOWIE bad boy image to leave fans in hysterics with best pal Sam Thompson before winning a new army of fans on the Strictly dancefloor

When he was announced as a star of this year's Come Dancing lineup, Pete Wicks was considered as an unlikely signing by some.

A veteran of reality TV , the star has featured in all manner of series, from Celebs Go Dating to Masterchef, and more recently Celebrity SAS.

But after being paired with professional Jowita Przystal, Pete has already won over viewers just two weeks into the new series, and despite insisting he has little dance experience, has already been praised by the judges for his progress.

This weekend, he and Jowita will take to the dancefloor with a Samba to the theme song of the 1997 film George Of The Jungle, hoping to earn higher than their score of 22 last week.

Pete ditched his job in the City when he joined the lineup for The Only Way Is Essex back in 2015, but relationship woes and a messy split from Megan McKenna saw him painted as one of the show's biggest bad boys.

However, Pete has found a whole new audience by leaving fans in hysterics with his chart-topping podcast with best pal Sam Thompson , after the pair formed a close bond while appearing on Celebs Go Dating.

Through his podcast success, supporting Sam on his I'm A Celeb stint, and simultanous appearances on SAS and Strictly, many fans have now praised Pete for showing a whole new side of himself.

Fans have also been taking to social media to praise Pete's appearance on the ballroom floor, with posts branding him 'likeable' and saying they've 'warmed to him a lot more than they expected to.'

He's also overcome his fair share of heartache, including the death of his Nan, who he called his 'best friend' in 2022, and saving his mother's life when he was just 12 years old.

MailOnline takes a look at how Pete has ditched his bad boy image to become one of Strictly's most surprising heartthrobs...

TOWIE breakthrough After growing up in Essex, Pete's career was kickstarted in 2015 when he made a guest appearance on TOWIE alongside James Locke.

At the time, Pete was working 16-hour days as director of a company that supplied consultant doctors to the NHS, but he immediately caught the eye of TOWIE viewers with his distinct long hair and tattoos, and soon joined the cast in a full-time role.

While he left viewers in hysterics due to his dry sense of humour, it was his love life that dominated the show, including a fiery romance with Megan McKenna.

The pair's relationship hit the rocks when it was revealed he'd been texting other women behind her back, and he admitted in his book Never Enough that he was villified online during the fallout.

Opening about the end of their relationship on Celebs Go Dating, Pete said he's found relationships 'harder' due to the lack of a father figure in his life.

He added in 2019: 'I have done a lot of work, I'm in a better position than I ever have been.'

During his time on TOWIE, it was also revealed that he and his friend Chloe Sims had been 'sleeping together' for around two years, and in a dramatic episode of the show he told her: 'I can't be in a relationship, I can't give you what you want and I can't give you what you deserve and I know that .'

Pete also had another fling with his TOWIE co-star Ella Rae Wise, but faced scrutiny over their 11-year age gap.

He eventually decided to leave the show in early 2023, saying on the Not My Bagg podcast: 'I was starting to become the Ian Beale of TOWIE, just this sort of drunk in the corner, so it was definitely time for me to f*****g do one.'

More recently, Pete has sparked romance rumours with Love Island star Maura Higgins, with the pair putting on a flirty display during a night out earlier this week.

Family heartache While he's previously painted himself as a hard-nosed bad-boy, Pete has overcome his fair share of family struggles during his rise to fame.

Following his parents' split when he was 11, he became estranged from his father when he moved to the Middle East.

Speaking to Jamie Laing on his Private Parts podcast earlier this year, he said: 'I have nothing to do with him, don't speak to him at all.

'My dad's not a bad person - he's a good guy. We just don't have a relationship and that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. We don't have a relationship and that's that. Not much I can do about it.

'It hasn't stopped me from wanting to be around people who do bring something to your life.'

In his candid memoir Never Enough, Pete also revealed he saved his mum Tracy's life when he was just 12-years-old after he found her in the kitchen after an attempted suicide .

Referring to his mum as 'the strongest woman I know, she's my hero,' Pete explained he came down into the kitchen to find Tracy sitting at the table covered with blood while holding a knife in one hand.

Pete recalled how he was terrified and immediately called his nan Doreen for help before also dialling 999.

As he waited for the ambulance, the star tried to stem the flow of blood and keep his mum alive as he recalled: 'I just went into crisis mode'.

He wrote: 'I saw her sitting at the table, which had been covered in blood. I saw the blood dripping first. She was holding a knife in her other hand.

'Immediately, I ran over to her to take the knife from her hand. Before that, she had seemed almost possessed – it was like my mum had gone and someone (or something) else had taken over her body.'

'But when I came over to her, it's like she woke up. She looked up at me with eyes full of tears. 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,' she kept repeating.

'I told her it was okay as I panicked trying to work out what to do. I called Nan. I could barely get the words out to describe what had happened. I think I basically just said, 'Mum... knife... blood.'

Pete's nan, who passed away in June 2022, instructed him to hang up and call an ambulance, as he continued in the book: 'I took her instructions, calling the ambulance, and then I got to work trying to look after Mum, who by that point was sitting on the floor and bleeding very badly.

'I grabbed towels to try to stop the bleeding. I poured the wine down the sink. It's hard to pinpoint how I felt in that moment, because I think it was just pure shock. I didn't cry – I just went into crisis mode.'

Pete wrote his new book to destigmatise talking openly about mental health and has recalled how the aftermath of the trauma had a huge effect on his life.

He explained he became incredibly protective of Tracy, who raised him as a single mum after she split from Pete's dad when Pete was 11.

He wrote: 'I didn't say it, but I believed it was my fault. I had been with Mum before it happened. I had agreed to go upstairs. I had stayed upstairs even though I could hear her wailing. If it was anyone's fault, it was mine.

'Looking back, I know that my responsibility was probably overwhelming in that moment. I was the child, and I needed to be looked after.

'Instead, I had to look after my parent and suppress all the fear, panic, loneliness and self-blame that was beginning to grow inside me.'

Fortunately Tracy made a fast recovery, and apologised to her son, describing it as a 'moment of madness' that would never happen again.

In 2022, Pete was then left devastated by the death of his beloved grandmother Doreen, who he described as his 'best friend.'

The star described her as his 'biggest support' during his turbulent teenage years, and even has a tattoo in her honour.

Writing his memoir, Pete said: 'The day she died, I had been in London seeing friends. Mum called me and told me I needed to get to the hospital quickly.

'Mum and I sat either side of her, holding each hand. I can remember the last words she said to me as if it were yesterday: ''You're my soulmate''.'

To help him cope, Pete said earlier this year he has 'a very good circle of strong women' around him who help him process his feelings.

He said on Lorraine last month: 'She was amazing Doreen, just an angel on earth. She had a major impact on my life and loosing her is the toughest thing I've ever been through.

'She was more than a grandma she was my best friend. You can't really understand your own emotions and feelings. Mine came out as anger because I couldn't process what I was feeling.

'I surround myself with a very good circle of strong women, it's really important.

'Women are so much more important at understanding and getting through difficult situations.

'The boys go to the pub and it's like "you alright, how are you" and that's it. It does make a massive difference, it's not just about talking it's having someone just to listen.'

Reality TV regular During his TOWIE stint, Pete also became a fixture on a string of other reality shows, including Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, Celebrity Masterchef, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and Celebs Go Dating.

He was originally forced to withdraw from SAS during his first stint in 2022 after suffering a nasty injury while jumping from a helicopter, but this year he has returned to the show and is currently appearing in the new series alongside Ovie Soko, Bianca Gascoigne and Georgia Harrison.

Pete has also offered his likeness to some of his pals' shows too, making a guest appearance on friend Olivia Attwood's reality show Bad Boyfriends last month.

Despite a string of reality shows under his belt, Pete hinted this week that after Strictly it may be time to step back from the format.

He told The Sun : 'I won't be going back on Celebs Go Dating any time soon put it that way.

'I am banned from dating shows. At my ripe old age I am just going to settle for dying alone.'

As well as appearing on Strictly, Pete is also set to present his own documentary series, Pete Wicks: For Dog's Sake for U&W later this year.

The series follows the star, who himself has two dogs Eric and Peggy, as he works with Dogs Trust to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome vulnerable dogs.

'Up until a few months ago my main dream was to do a show with dogs and I was lucky enough to film for it this summer,' he said.

'Animals make me happy, they make me feel good. They live for the present and I think that's a beautiful thing we as humans don't really do. If we were more like animals that would be amazing!'

Friendship with Sam Thompson It was during one of three appearances on Celebs Go Dating in 2019 that Pete first met the man that would help him to form one of TV's most beloved new double acts: Sam Thompson.

The duo formed a firm friendship on the E4 show in their quest to find love, and went onto appear on a string of shows including Reality News and a Celebrity edition of The Circle.

It was an unlikely pairing by some, with Pete's moody persona contrasting with Sam's sunny disposition, but the TOWIE star recently admitted that his pal has made him 'a better person.'

'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,' he shared at an event to promote his new book.

Initially the duo capitalised on their newfound popularity by posting a series of hilarious social media videos which saw Sam try to teach a reluctant Pete dance moves, or prank him with all manner of hijinks.

In 2022, the pair found a huge new audience when they launched their podcast Staying Relevant, poking fun at the pair's attempts to maintain their fame, with the pair's bickering and stories leaving listeners in hysterics.

The pair have since expanded the format to start their own production company, and even took to the show on tour for a string of sell-out gigs earlier this year, and it topped the Spotify UK charts for the first time in December.

Speaking to The Evening Standard in April, Pete said: 'Meeting on Celebs Go Dating was probably one of the best and worst things that has ever happened to me.

'I gained a brother that I didn't want and now I'm stuck with him.

'We originally planned for four live dates as we were not sure how many people would want to come and see us and those dates sold in two minutes so we added another five and I think we sold those out in 18 minutes, which is so overwhelming because I've got no idea why people would want to come and see us, but we're so blessed and honoured.'

Sam added: 'To be able to work with your mate and just enjoy what you do, has been such an absolutely blessing. The more I can do stuff like this, the happier I'll be; we're incredibly lucky.'

Viewers also got a glimpse at Pete's friendship with Sam when he flew to Australia to support him during his winning stint on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in December.

As he was crowned King Of The Jungle and made his way across the famous bridge, Sam ran at full speed towards his friend before leaping into the air and throwing himself into his arms while squealing with excitement.

Pete looked visibly emotional as he hugged his pal and planted a kiss on his cheek while they posed for the cameras.

After the show ended, Sam took to his Instagram to share a photo of them and captioned it: 'What a guy you don't see it all, but learned a lot of lessons from this dude having some self-confidence being one of them. Love you long time my man'.

During Sam's jungle stint, Pete also defended his mate, saying Sam 'should not be defined by his ADHD and autism'.

Speaking to MailOnline, he said that fans need to 'embrace' Sam's excitable personality after he was branded 'attention seeking' and 'annoying' by viewers.

Pete admitted that although Sam can be 'aggravating' and is a 'bit full on' when you first meet him, he urged the I'm A Celeb audience to enjoy his positivity.

Sam was diagnosed with ADHD and autism after undergoing tests in his Channel 4 documentary Is This ADHD? and said the realisation was a 'weight lifted off his shoulders.'

Pete says his friend's diagnosis means he will struggle with life in the jungle, but it shouldn't stop ITV viewers from getting to know the real Sam on a more personal level.

Pete said: 'Sam is a grower, not a shower, let's put it that way. I know he got a bit of grief on the first night for being over the top but that is him and that's the reason that everyone loves him.

'I think he's a superstar just the way he is. It just takes a bit of time if you're not used to it.

'It's like having a big child... that's how he sees me, I like to think it's brotherly, but I think he sees me as his dad.

'He is quite obviously aggravating, however, that is the Sam that we know, and love and I specifically love. I'm hoping that he can continue being the happy puppy that he is.

'Sam struggles with boredom and a lot of things because of his ADHD and autism but that shouldn't be seen as a bad thing. I have read a lot of comments and it's something that I believe shouldn't define him.

'People should embrace that because he's entertaining and that's what the show is about. He should be defined by the fact that he's a really fun, positive guy and that's his personality aside from having ADHD and autism.'

Surprise Strictly star In August, it was revealed that Pete would be joining the lineup for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Confessing he wasn't a fan of the show, Pete admitted he was begged to sign up for the BBC One show by his manager and close pal Sam.

Pete told Sam on their Staying Relevant podcast about his own stint on the show: 'It's the last thing I think anyone would ever think I would do. I've never thought about doing it. I've never really watched Strictly.'

He continued: '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****** loved it. I genuinely loved it.'

While he is now enjoying training, he added that he regrets giving the costume department free reign.

'You also see like 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,' Pete explained.

'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 gonna have some fun." I instantly regretted saying that.'

Pete has been paired with former Strictly champion Jowita, and the pair struggled to impress during their first week with a Paso Doble to The Prodigy's Breathe.

After performing the routine, Pete looked gutted as the judges dished out a score of just 17, with Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke both showing their five paddles.

However, Pete and Jowita have already set tongues wagging with their sizzling chemistry, and even shared a near-kiss during their American Smooth last week.

The pair's second dance was praised by the judges as a huge improvement, and received a score of 22 points by the judges.

The dance also ended with them leaning in for a kiss before the lights cut out, and while it appeared choreographed some viewers were positive a true romance was brewing between the pair.

Judge Motsi Mabuse even spotted their connection saying: 'I think both of you, you had such a beautiful, flirty, romantic atmosphere, and I believed it was authentic'.

Gushing about her celebrity partner, Jowita said on Loose Women: 'I've never laughed so much in my life during this three weeks and I absolutely love every second with Pete.

'But I need to admit, we have a lot of laughs, but the focus and determination this man has - outstanding.'

This Saturday is Movie Week, so fans will see Pete transform into George of the Jungle for a Samba that involves a 'rope,' 'a lot of hips, ' and a loin cloth'.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6:15pm on BBC One and iPlayer.