Pete Wicks has opened up about his ‘very close’ relationship with girlfriend Maura Higgins and the ‘horrendous’ trolling he experienced during his time on Strictly. In a recent interview with The Times, the 37 year old former TOWIE star shared insights into his private life and the challenges of being in the public eye, especially after his stint on the BBC ballroom show this winter.
Speaking about Love Island star Maura, 34, he commented: “We’ve known each other for a very, very long time. We’re very close.”
He added: “But a lot of being in the public eye is that people assume that you have to tell everyone all about your private life and I’ve never, never done that.”
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Pete was also candid about the impact of negative online comments he has received, particularly during his time on Strictly Come Dancing. He continued: “Some of the messages I got were beautiful, but the horrendous things were heartbreaking.
“I’ve learnt you shouldn’t take too much interest in the good stuff or listen to the bad stuff, but normally I’m in control of the narrative. This was me at my most vulnerable I’ve been on television, so the negative stuff was harder to take.”
On the show, Pete performed an emotional contemporary dance in memory of his late grandmother Doreen, alongside his professional partner Jowita Przystal, 30. The pair danced their Couples’ Choice to Tina Turner’s iconic song Simply The Best, a favourite of Doreen’s.
The moving performance left Pete struggling to hold back tears and viewers were also visibly emotional. In other news, Pete and Maura’s relationship has been growing stronger since they started dating in August.
After months of speculation, Pete’s friend Sam Thompson jokingly “welcomed Maura to the family” during her appearance on the I’m A Celebrity spin-off show, Unpacked. The couple has spent quality time together since Maura’s return to the UK, including taking multiple trips during the festive season.