Inside UK town BBC Strictly star Pete Wicks enjoys 'quiet' homelife

The commuter municipality wherever houses merchantability for £850K is an architectural wonder

Pete Wicks, the long-haired lothario presently gracing our screens connected Strictly, started his TV vocation connected the ITV world bid "The Only Way Is Essex" (TOWIE).

He joined the amusement successful 2015 and rapidly became a instrumentality favourite acknowledgment to his charismatic personality, signature hairstyle and heavy tattooed appearance. Pete's relationships connected the show, peculiarly his high-profile romances with chap formed members Megan McKenna and Shelby Tribble, often made headlines and contributed to the melodramatic storylines.

Essex-born and bred, Pete is present cutting a rug connected the Strictly dancefloor with nonrecreational creation spouse Jowitz Pretzel. Originally from Harlow successful Essex, the 36-year-old TV prima has antecedently shared his emotion for his 'quiet' homelife with his 2 rescue French Bulldogs Peggy and Eric.

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Tucked distant successful the bosom of Essex, Harlow is often overlooked by, situation we accidental it, immoderate of the county's 'prettier' destinations. But the municipality has plentifulness of surprises up its sleeve which is wherefore Pete and truthful galore others, emotion surviving there.

A municipality of 2 halves, Harlow Old Town retains plentifulness of accepted character, with constrictive streets lined with Georgian and Victorian homes and buildings.

Harlow New Town connected the different hand, was established successful the aftermath of World War II and designed arsenic a modern municipality improvement to alleviate lodging shortages successful London. The municipality was master-planned by Sir Frederick Gibberd, a visionary designer who created a layout emphasizing greenish spaces, modern infrastructure and assemblage living.

Pete and his beloved pooches are believed to person spent clip surviving connected the sought-after Newhall Estate connected the outskirts of Harlow.

The uber-modern improvement stands retired for its innovative and design-led attack to housing, with modern architecture and stylish homes. Larger houses connected the improvement tin fetch arsenic overmuch arsenic £850,000 which is mode supra the mean location terms for the area.

According to ONS data, mean spot prices successful Harlow were £603,000 for detached properties, £416,000 for semi-detached properties, £311,000 for terraced properties, and £184,000 for flats and maisonettes, successful August 2024.

Tucked distant from the factual brutalism of the municipality centre, Harlow Town Park is 1 of the largest municipality parks successful the state with beautifully maintained gardens, a ample water and outdoor recreational areas.

For thing genuinely unique, the Harlow Sculpture Town offers implicit 100 nationalist artworks nestled passim the town, including pieces by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.

In fact, Harlow has a past of being a municipality that celebrates creativity, with The Harlow Playhouse regularly hosting theatre productions, unrecorded euphony and drama shows. Local galleries besides connection a accidental to spot enactment from emerging artists and section bands.

Fun fact, Rupert Grint who played Ron Weasley successful the Harry Potter films was besides calved successful Harlow.

For past buffs, the municipality dates backmost arsenic acold arsenic Roman times, with its practice preserved successful sites similar The Hibberd Garden. The Harlow Museum is different large halt to observe much astir the area’s fascinating history.

For the much adventurous visitor, Harlow offers a scope of outdoor activities. The municipality precocious secured £265,000 from Sport England to boost section carnal enactment programs, including Essex Pedal Power, a task providing escaped bikes to eligible residents

Whether you privation to rhythm done scenic routes oregon effort your manus astatine 1 of the galore sports facilities disposable including the elephantine Harlow Leisurezone

Pete's favourite edifice is conscionable 15 minutes distant successful the municipality of Ongar according to Essex Live and the 2,400-hectare woodland astatine Epping Forest is besides conscionable a abbreviated thrust away.

Fans tin drawback Pete strutting his worldly connected Strictly Come Dancing connected BBC 1 connected Saturday and Sunday evenings, oregon ticker connected catchup connected BBC iPlayer.