BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks hits back at 'rumours' day before live show

Pete Wicks has spoken out over the "strain" of BBC Strictly Come Dancing romance rumours with Jowita Pryzstal. ITV TOWIE star Pete is currently dating Love Island alum Maura Higgins, who is set to star in the brand-new series of I'm A Celebrity.

But The Only Way Is Essex star has faced speculation he is in a love triangle with BBC pro Jowita. "It's a moment I really want to share with Jowita because she's done so much for me, and it means so much for her too," he said this week, as he addresssed the rumours.

Speaking about performing at the iconic tower ahead of Saturday night's show, he told The Blackpool Gazette: "I love that I have the opportunity to give that back and we have the chance to dance there together after everything we've been through."

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Pete and Jowita have previously addressed claims about a romance on ITV's This Morning, shutting down the speculation. He said to Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary last month: "It's not a love bubble unfortunately, she's one of the most amazing people I've ever met.

"Genuinely, not just in the dancing side of things but outside of that and I think that helps us with the whole dancing thing." It comes after his podcast co-host Sam Thompson cheekily referenced the reports on his podcast, saying Pete had "fallen in love".

Pete and his pro partner Jowita will be doing the Cha Cha Cha to I’m Too Sexy by Right Said Fred – and it’s led viewers to believe he’s being “set up to fail” as the “joke act.” On social media, one Strictly fan penned: “Oh, Pete has been stitched up.”

A second wrote: “I’m actually really looking forward to Pete. Yes, he’s being set up and is likely to go out, but it sounds like a fun routine to me, and he can be proud of how far he’s come.”