Why Pete Wicks has been billed the ‘new Giovanni’ by Strictly bosses from risqué songs to romances and even outfits

THE daze departure of heart-throb dancer Giovanni Pernice near Strictly Come Dancing with a vacancy for a “smouldering womanising hunk” successful urgent request of filling.

But luckily, Beeb producers catering to women of a definite property did not person to question to Italy to find a replacement — they conscionable had a abbreviated thrust down the A13 to Essex.

Pete Wicks, the heavily-tattooed erstwhile atrocious lad of world amusement The Only Way Is Essex, has been billed “the caller Giovanni” by Strictly bosses — and it is not due to the fact that of his creation moves.

Indeed, Gio 2.0 Pete, who astatine 36 is conscionable 2 years older than his counterpart, has go a immense deed with middle-aged pistillate viewers.

He is the caller “bit of rough” they tin gawp astatine connected a Saturday nighttime — and helium has surely been up for the task.

From gyrating successful choky pink PVC trousers to thrusting his schlong successful a George Of The Jungle leopard-print outfit and choosing risqué songs, similar Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy, Pete has been hamming it up.

A amusement insider said: “Strictly person turned Pete into the caller Giovanni, there’s nary uncertainty astir that. It’s been rather deliberate.

“Women are swooning implicit him and it’s keeping him successful the competition, week aft week.

“It wouldn’t beryllium incorrect to accidental galore viewers had nary thought who Pete was earlier this series. They surely bash now.

“With their matching brooding looks, tanned, rugged features, chiselled physiques and muscles connected display, Pete has been a like-for-like swap for Gio.

“He has adjacent amassed an wholly caller fanbase. Plus determination are nary acheronian tales of atrocious behaviour oregon bullying.”

Strictly bosses, who dwell of mostly women, person been clever successful moulding Pete into Giovanni and they stock galore parallels — adjacent erstwhile it comes to their romances.

Pete presently has an on-off narration with Irish Love Island quality Maura Higgins, a contestant connected the caller bid of I’m A Celebrity, who besides happens to beryllium Gio’s ex aft the brace dated successful 2021.

He besides had a narration with erstwhile Towie co-star Jess Wright, who Giovanni dated successful 2018.

Plus, Pete is increasing progressively adjacent to his existent creation spouse Jowita Przystal, 30, who was linked to Gio past year.

Of course, erstwhile Giovanni stepped down earlier this twelvemonth — amid the bullying investigation into his attraction of erstwhile creation spouse and histrion Amanda Abbington, 50 — the biggest outcries came from his army of middle-aged pistillate fans.

Amanda became the target of trolls and adjacent received decease threats. As with Giovanni successful erstwhile series, Pete’s outfits person surely been the astir eye-catching retired of each the antheral stars’.

Namely, the barely-there leopard-print outfit for his samba regular successful Movie Week, which made a lasting content connected justice Craig Revel Horwood, and past weekend’s Cha Cha costume, featuring the tightest (hot pink) PVC trousers the creation bid has ever seen.

He adjacent appealed to acid-tongued Craig with a fake tattoo of the judge’s look connected his assemblage and proudly flashing his abs to the cameras.

Those who cognize Pete good volition admit helium has stepped retired of his comfortableness portion to clasp his risqué manner choices, which has pleased amusement bosses.

The insider added: “Pete made it wide he’s up for anything.

“He knows he’s not the champion dancer, but is good alert voters admit a trier.

“Bosses person deliberately assigned Pete arsenic this year’s hunk successful Giovanni’s lack and privation to formal him arsenic sexy arsenic possible.

“He would ne'er person dreamed of wearing outfits specified arsenic these previously, but Pete’s conscionable got connected with it — nary questions asked.

“Albeit helium does gag he’s been made to look outrageous astatine times, but that’s conscionable portion of his ‘moody’ character.

“He knows what he’s doing.”

Pete’s signing to Strictly came arsenic a astonishment to those successful the industry.

He has lone ever been associated with world shows, which is usually a Strictly no-no, and has nary existent erstwhile transportation to the BBC.

But his likeness to the arguable Italian and willingness to measurement retired of his comfortableness portion secured his spot connected the show.

Newfound love

And his progression to the second stages of the contention should not travel arsenic a astonishment to those who travel Pete extracurricular of Strictly.

His relation with I’m A Celebrity 2023 victor Sam Thompson, who helium met connected E4 amusement Celebs Go Dating, has been a vocation booster of epic proportions.

The champion friends’ Staying Relevant podcast is truthful fashionable that they sold retired a UK tour, and their TikTok videos container millions of viewers.

And it is their vocal young fanbase, who voted successful their droves to unafraid Sam’s jungle win, coupled with Pete’s newfound emotion from middle-aged Strictly fans, which has kept him distant from the dreaded dance-off.

Pete’s chemistry with his creation spouse Jowita is besides a contributing origin to their success.

The brace person sparked romance rumours, with 1 root saying: “Pete loves Jowita, helium has the utmost respect for her.”

Whether it is capable to unafraid him a spot successful the last remains to beryllium seen, but helium has surely made his people connected the hearts of millions. 

BLIND comedian Chris McCausland has revealed helium calls pro spouse Dianne Buswell “Nicole Kidman”.

The 47-year-old said that helium and Australian dancer Dianne, 35, are ever swamped by fans erstwhile they are seen successful public, starring him to comparison the acquisition to socialising with different celebrated Aussie red-head – Hollywood histrion Nicole, 57.

Speaking connected the Graham Norton Show astir popping retired with Dianne for lunch, helium said: “It has got to the constituent that, for 2 months, I person been saying, ‘Come connected Nicole, let’s spell get immoderate spaghetti bolognese’.”