Strictly’s Pete Wicks is already the biggest winner of this series

Going into Sunday night’s Strictly results show, Pete Wicks was successful danger.

Not lone was helium handed the ‘curse’ of being the archetypal dancer of the nighttime – which truthful acold successful this bid has seen the show chosen to footwear disconnected the amusement usually ending up successful the dance-off – but helium besides recovered himself astatine the bottommost of the leaderboard aft fluffing his show arsenic Freddie Mercury for Icons Week.

Yet, contempt this and making a bid of mistakes, Pete narrowly escaped the bottommost two.

Ultimately, aft weeks of forgettable performances, Sam Quek was fixed the footwear arsenic the judges saved the acheronian equine of the contest, Montell Douglas. 

So if you needed immoderate much grounds that Pete has already clinched the biggest prize connected Strictly Come Dancing, this is it.

Though he’s not your accepted Strictly contestant, helium looks acceptable to beryllium 1 of the show’s unlikeliest occurrence stories. But why?

By the clip Pete joined The Only Way Is Essex, the GC had already told James ‘Arg’ Argent helium was ne'er going to get her candy, Lauren Goodger had already pushed Mark Wright into a swimming excavation and acknowledgment to Joey Essex ‘reem’ was firmly successful the English vernacular.

In short, the ITV2 bid had already passed its peak.

However that didn’t halt Pete Wicks joining the 3rd oregon 4th procreation of formed members. 

He was introduced successful Marbella arsenic the champion person of James Locke and instantly became the show’s archetypal tattooed ‘bad boy’ – rapidly dubbed ‘Pirate Pete’ – formed to interruption hearts and origin a batch of drama. And helium surely didn’t disappoint.

There were moments erstwhile Pete was indefensible, similar erstwhile his past girlfriend, Megan McKenna, caught him sexting an ex which yet ruined their relationship.

Or times wherever his fearfulness of committedness was slightly unhinged – who tin hide him secretly dating Chloe Sims for months, adjacent getting a tattoo of her, but inactive refusing to telephone her his girlfriend.

Somehow, adjacent astatine his worst, Pete was likeable. Even erstwhile helium was surviving up to the representation of a classical world TV villain helium had a charm which differentiated him from different toxic Towie men. 

He was ne'er truly engaged successful rows with the formed successful the aforesaid mode arsenic the others unless he’d been dragged into it. He was supra the pettiness and had a speedy wit, adust consciousness of humour and contented that astatine times felt retired of place.

And dissimilar those co-stars hopeless for 15 minutes of fame, Pete antecedently wrote successful his book, For the Love of Frenchies: The Dogs that Changed My Life, that helium conscionable wanted the accidental to beryllium astatine location much truthful helium could get a dog.

Pete discontinue Towie for bully successful 2023 and portion helium wasn’t the biggest quality to travel from the amusement by immoderate means, helium is by acold 1 of the astir successful. Better still, helium has firmly established himself arsenic being the antithesis of a toxic male.

In fact, the much helium has distanced himself from Towie, the clearer it’s go he’s thing similar ‘Pirate Pete’ astatine all.

He presently hosts Staying Relevant – a podcast astir the challenges of staying applicable successful the nationalist oculus – with I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! victor Sam Thompson after they formed an improbable relationship with each different connected Celebs Go Dating. And the pair’s relationship is simply a existent testament to brotherhood.

For a commencement they’re much affectionate than astir couples and not acrophobic to beryllium vulnerable, peculiarly erstwhile it comes to intelligence health. And Pete’s too-cool-for-school property turns retired to beryllium beauteous comic erstwhile blended with Sam’s unbridled enthusiasm for life, which helped him to go King of the Jungle successful 2023.

Now connected Strictly, he’s erstwhile again proven that, against people’s judgement, helium doesn’t instrumentality himself excessively seriously.

When helium waltzed connected to the signifier dressed arsenic Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, seldom person you seen idiosyncratic enjoying Strictly more. And immoderate Towie instrumentality volition archer you they’d ne'er ideate seeing the time Pete Wicks would beryllium swinging astir the ballroom successful a loincloth dressed arsenic Tarzan but lo and behold, present we are.

And portion I americium 1 of the galore who person grown to emotion Pete, sadly his property unsocial isn’t capable to instrumentality him each the mode to the final.

At this point, Strictly Come Dancing is either Chris McCausland oregon Sarah Hadland’s to suffer – and rightly truthful – but I don’t adjacent deliberation Pete has his oculus connected the prize. He conscionable loves being determination and each week he’s fixed blood, sweat and tears to deliver.

But nor does it substance if helium makes it to the end. Like Mark Wright, Jamie Laing and AJ Odudu earlier him, helium doesn’t request to triumph Strictly to beryllium the contestant who volition summation the astir from it. 

AJ Odudu came 3rd connected Strictly successful 2022, and has hardly been disconnected tv since. She’s adjacent go the presenter of Big Brother – 10 years aft being dropped from its spin-off bid Big Brother’s Bit On The Side.

Jamie was already an entrepreneur, making millions from his confectionary concern Candy Kittens, but Strictly gave him credibility wealth couldn’t buy. Now he’s a household sanction known much for his infectious property than being a serial cheater connected Made In Chelsea.

As for Mark Wright, helium was the eventual Towie villain. But aft Strictly, helium successfully rebranded himself arsenic TV’s aureate lad and for years was hardly off-screen.

If their occurrence is thing to spell by, Pete is astir to person a tv vocation helium couldn’t person dreamed of this clip past year.

His relationship with Sam is the concern TV is crying retired for: a genuine enslaved afloat of truthful overmuch love. In my opinion, they’re the archetypal duo who could adjacent travel adjacent to being compared to Ant and Dec.

But Pete is simply a prima connected his ain too. Few Strictly viewers volition beryllium acquainted oregon adjacent remotely fussed astir his relationship with Sam, but they’re enamoured with Pete.

Mark my words, Pete volition beryllium walking distant with overmuch much than a Glitterball trophy.

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