The Only Way Is Essex star Pete Wicks has reportedly joined the new series of Strictly Come Dancing, following in the footsteps of his close pal Zara McDermott.
The reality star and podcast host, 36, has allegedly signed up for the show just days after it emerged Zara, 27, was physically and verbally abused by her professional dance partner Graziano Di Prima while on last year’s series.
The reports that Pete has joined the show amid the controversy has come as a surprise to some viewers, given his close friendship with the Love Island star and her boyfriend Sam Thompson.
A source told The Sun: ‘Pete has joined the Strictly line up and is excited to get started. He isn’t much of a dancer but that’s what the BBC loved about him.
‘They wanted the show to feel more like it did in the beginning. Pete is also going to attract younger viewers who have followed his career since TOWIE.’
The Only Way Is Essex star Pete Wicks has reportedly joined the new series of Strictly Come Dancing, following in the footsteps of his close pal Zara McDermott (pictured together)
The reality star and podcast host, 36, has allegedly signed up for the show just days after it emerged Zara, 27, was physically and verbally abused by her professional dance partner Graziano Di Prima while on last year’s series (Graziano, Sam, Zara and Pete pictured on show)
The reports that Pete has joined the show amid the controversy has come as a surprise to some viewers, given his close friendship with the Love Island star and her boyfriend Sam Thompson (pictured last month)
A representative for the BBC told MailOnline that the lineup for Strictly Come Dancing will be announced ‘in due course.’ MailOnline has contacted a representative for Pete Wicks for comment.
The reality star is no stranger to the dance show, having attended the live shows to support Zara and even posed alongside Graziano, 30, for a backstage photo to highlight their similar looks.
The pair met and became friends through Sam, 31, who is best friends with Pete and has been in a relationship with Zara for four years.
The couple first began dating in early 2019, but split after it was revealed she had cheated on him while competing on X Factor: Celebrity.
Sam eventually was able to forgive Zara and they rekindled their romance in late 2020, going on to move in together in Chelsea.
And Pete and Zara have now struck up a close bond, regularly filming hilarious TikTok videos with Sam and hanging out as a trio.
In April earlier this year, Zara even revealed that she referred to them as a ‘throuple’ and that she and Sam wanted Pete to move in with them.
She quipped that they were ‘a strange dysfunctional family’, while gushing that Pete was like ‘a brother to her’ and secretly very sweet on the inside, despite his gruff TV persona.
Pete and Zara have now struck up a close bond, regularly filming hilarious TikTok videos with Sam and hanging out as a trio
In April earlier this year, Zara even revealed that she referred to them as a ‘throuple’ and that she and Sam wanted Pete to move in with them
She quipped that they were ‘a strange dysfunctional family’, while gushing that Pete was like ‘a brother to her’ and secretly very sweet on the inside, despite his gruff TV persona
Appearing on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast, she said: ‘I say we are a throuple without the intimacy. That’s what I think we are.’
‘The thing is about Pete, honestly, I think he’s got a very hard outer shell. He’s got a very hard exterior, but he has the gooiest centre. He’s like a chocolate fondant!’
She continued: ‘Sam wants him to move in with us. But [Pete] says no. I would love for Pete to move in with us.
‘We’ve been trying to convince Pete. We do have a lovely spare room that we did set up like mostly with him in mind, but he’s never stayed in the bed. It’s very sad.’
Zara explained: ‘The three of us have a very odd relationship, but it’s very amazing. He’s literally my brother, my best friend. He’s Sam’s brother and his best friend. Me and Sam are together, so, I love them both very much in different ways.
‘It’s a strange dysfunctional family. It works so well because we are all so different, the three of us, that we… just anything that any of us is faced with, like we’re all there for each other. It’s so lovely.
‘And I know it sounds a bit weird to be best friends with your boyfriend’s best friend – the whole trio.’
She then joked that she never wanted Pete to find a girlfriend of his own, to keep their trio intact.
She admitted: ‘He is rigorously single. I never want him to get a girlfriend. He’s got enough on his plate with us!
Showing their brother and sister dynamic, Pete has also taken the opportunity to tease Zara on many occasions
‘No, it would change the dynamic if he got girlfriend and then he moved us in with us, that’d be a bit weird. I don’t know how I’d feel about that.’
Showing their brother and sister dynamic, Pete has also taken the opportunity to tease Zara on many occasions.
On a previous episode of his and Sam’s podcast Staying Relevant, he poked fun at Zara’s viral moment on Made In Chelsea, where she confessed she had cheated to Sam.
The scene which became instantly cemented in meme history saw Zara tearfully begging for forgiveness, saying: ‘You can! You can!’, as viewers accused her of ‘fake crying’.
Now the couple have moved on, they’ve not resisted also mocking the scene and Pete took his chance to get in a dig.
He and Sam were discussing cosmetic treatments with guest GK Barry, when he joked that Zara had Botox injections at the time of the viral clip.
Pete quipped: [Zara] had had an awful lot of Botox at the time, that’s why she couldn’t cry.’
A shocked Sam yelled: ‘Oh no!’ as Grace added: ‘That’s getting cut out, that’s getting cut out.’
The pair also joke over their relationship with Sam, pretending to have a friendly rivalry over the Made In Chelsea star, especially when he was on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
Pete and Zara have become so close however, that they soon began to be plagued by rumours that their relationship isn’t purely platonic, but Pete was quick to shut them down in December
But a defiant Pete replied: ‘Zara, I love you, I’m sorry, but keep that the f**k in’.
Sam pleaded with Pete, saying he was going to ‘get him in trouble’ with his girlfriend, but Pete reassured: ‘No, you won’t get in trouble. Zara loves me. She finds me funny. She laughs at them things, me and her joke about it all the time.’
The pair also joke over their relationship with Sam, pretending to have a friendly rivalry over the Made In Chelsea star.
When Sam was on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, it was Pete that went to go meet him in the jungle.
Zara had been competing in Strictly at the time, but despite being eliminated early, Pete still was the one to meet Sam on the infamous bridge after he was crowned the winner.
Pete quipped at the time: ‘It wasn’t a competition with Zara – it was always going to be me!’
Before he added another dig, saying: ‘To be fair, Sam and I thought she’d still be in Strictly because we didn’t realise how bad she was at dancing.’
Sam memorably chanted Pete’s name during one of his trials, leading to Pete to gleefully reveal: ‘Zara messaged me and asked, “What is this about?!”
During Zara’s time on Strictly, Pete was one of her biggest cheerleaders and was by Sam’s side in the audience to watch her perform
He and Sam wore matching shirts emblazoned with pictures of Zara’s face and brought along signs that read: ‘You’re our star!’ and ‘We love you Goose’
‘Obviously, she knows I’m the favourite and she’s used to it by now but I’m hoping he doesn’t do that in bed. That would be slightly weird.’
Pete and Zara have become so close however, that they soon began to be plagued by rumours that their relationship isn’t purely platonic.
But Pete was quick to shut down the rumours in December, after fans claimed ‘something was going on’ between them.
Speaking to new! magazine, he gushed: ‘I love Zara – she’s a sweetheart’, adding that the Strictly star is ‘really missing’ Sam.
Discussing the speculation about them, Pete admitted: ‘Me and Zara find it quite funny.
‘That’s the problem with social media everyone’s got an opinion. Sam is my brother, and Zara is a very good friend of mine. We just laugh about it.’
Insisting he wouldn’t date the Love Island star even if they were both single, he continued: ‘I absolutely adore Zara, but she’s not my cup of tea and I don’t think she’d last five minutes.
‘Me and Sam could not be any more different. They’re such a great couple and love them to bits. It’s just sad that people can’t understand that girls and guys can be mates. It’s ridiculous.’
Pete’s alleged Strictly signing comes after reports on Sunday, that Graziano was accused of ‘chasing’ after Zara while ‘screaming abuse,’ leaving her so frightened that she ‘locked herself in a toilet’ (pictured on the show)
According to the reports, shock details have now been revealed which allege he ‘called her nasty names, asked if she had gained weight and was forceful’ leaving her ‘visibly demoralised’ and ‘in tears’
Zara herself previously claimed in a statement there had been ‘particular incidents inside the training room which were incredibly distressing’
During Zara’s time on Strictly, Pete was one of her biggest cheerleaders and was by Sam’s side in the audience to watch her perform.
He and Sam wore matching shirts emblazoned with pictures of Zara’s face and brought along signs that read: ‘You’re our star!’ and ‘We love you Goose’.
Sharing an Instagram post about the visit, Sam gushed: ‘Never been so proud in my life. The fact that @p_wicks01 also came to support was just the icing on the cake. I even got him a custom Zara shirt’.
Pete and Sam even posed with Zara and Graziano, who fans had continually said looked identical to Pete, with Sam calling them: ‘Father and son’.
Pete’s alleged Strictly signing comes after reports on Sunday, that Graziano was accused of ‘chasing’ after Zara while ‘screaming abuse,’ leaving her so frightened that she ‘locked herself in a toilet.’
He has apologised for kicking his former partner, but claimed other allegations do not align with ‘how he remembers it.’
According to the reports, shock details have now been revealed which allege he ‘called her nasty names, asked if she had gained weight and was forceful’ leaving her ‘visibly demoralised’ and ‘in tears.’
Zara herself previously claimed in a statement there had been ‘particular incidents inside the training room which were incredibly distressing.’
She did not report the incidents at the time as she was ‘scared’ of backlash, instead it was junior production staff who came forward.
The insider added that Graziano would apologise each time and ‘promise to not do it again.’
It comes after Nick Knowles reportedly joined the lineup for the new series of Strictly , as the show continues to battle a growing number of abuse and misconduct claims
The DIY SOS star (pictured with his fiancée Katie Dadzie) signed up after months of talks with show bosses, with sources claiming he’s ‘willing to give anything a crack’
On Thursday, Mark Borkowski, a spokesperson for Graziano, told BBC News: ‘There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right. And he knows that. He knows he’s made a mistake. He apologised at the time.’
Referring to the media reports, Mark added: ‘But he doesn’t recognise some of the issues surrounding it. The descriptions of what is being commented online, and how he remembers it, are not aligned.’
It comes after Nick Knowles reportedly joined the lineup for the new series of Strictly, as the show continues to battle a growing number of abuse and misconduct claims.
The DIY SOS star, 61, signed up after months of talks with show bosses, with sources claiming he’s ‘willing to give anything a crack.’
Nick previously showed off his dance skills while attending a rugby match with pal Ben Shephard, in an Instagram post in March, leading one fan to ask whether a Strictly stint was on the horizon.
A source told The Sun: ‘Nick has always loved Strictly and he is so excited.
‘He’s got a great personality, is incredibly driven and competitive and is up for giving anything a crack. He’s going on the show to entertain and to win. He’ll give it his best shot.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for the BBC and Nick Knowles for comment.
Strictly was plunged into further crisis on Wednesday after Amanda Abbington claimed Giovanni Pernice was trying to block the release of up to 50 hours of ‘toxic’ footage’
Nick previously joined forces with Strictly professionals including Katya Jones and Luba Mushtuk, for a special episode of DIY SOS, where they transformed a performing arts school in North Tyneside.
The presenter, who announced his engagement to girlfriend Katie Dadzie last year, previously offered his thoughts on Strictly when fans discussed how CBBC star Molly Rainford was in the bottom two, while footballer Tony Adams avoided elimination.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘@bbcstrictly is an entertainment show not strictly a dancing competition — otherwise those that went to drama college & learned dance would have an unfair advantage. It’s the one who connects with the audience that wins.’
It’s been previously reported that other names set to take part in the new series will include EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and social media star Grace Keeling, known as GK Barry.
It comes as Strictly was plunged into further crisis after Amanda Abbington claimed that sacked dancer Giovanni Pernice was trying to block the release of up to 50 hours of ‘toxic’ footage’.
During a new interview, the actress compared the dance show to ‘the trenches’ telling Channel 4 News that BBC producers had been left ‘horrified’ by clips that also allegedly exhibited ‘humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature’.
Amanda claims Giovanni has tried to stop her legal team from accessing the video ‘evidence’ after producers were forced to put cameras in the dance studio after Amanda raised concerns.
A string of professional dancers on the show have been accused of abusive behaviour by former celebrity contestants, with professional Graziano Di Prima sacked by bosses over alleged footage of his treatment of Zara McDermott.
Amanda claims Giovanni has tried to stop her legal team from accessing the video ‘evidence’ after producers were forced to put cameras in the dance studio after Amanda raised concerns
The actress said that cameras were installed into her and Giovanni’s rehearsal studio after she raised concerns after the first week of practice with producers wanting to review the footage each week to assess what was ‘going on’ between the pair
‘There’s 50 hours of footage that’s being blocked. You know, 50 hours is a lot of footage, and a lot of time spent in a room that was toxic,’ she told presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
‘It’s out there. There is evidence out there of what happened in that room and I’m not the one who’s blocking it. I’ve said anyone can watch it, but he (Giovanni) doesn’t want anyone to see it, which is quite telling if he’s got nothing to hide.’
The actress said that cameras were installed into her and Giovanni’s rehearsal studio after she raised concerns after the first week of practice with producers wanting to review the footage each week to assess what was ‘going on’ between the pair.
Giovanni had claimed he had asked for the cameras, which Amanda says is untrue.
‘So in the first week, I raised my concerns to the producers,’ the actress explained, as she fought back tears.
‘Giovanni said that he asked for the cameras, he didn’t ask for the cameras, I know that he didn’t ask for the cameras, because the producers came to me and said, ‘we’re going to put in cameras so we can view the footage at the end of the week and make an assessment and see what’s going on’.
‘And then every Friday, after the next sort of five weeks, I would get the producer saying, on the Friday, ‘we just watched the footage back, we are shocked and horrified, we’re so sorry’.
‘That was to my face on the Friday when we would go in and do the camera rehearsal.’
Throughout the interview, Guru-Murthy, who also starred on the 2023 series, asked whether it was correct that Amanda had experienced ‘humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature’, with the actress holding back tears as she nodded in agreement.
Ever since the claims first emerged Giovanni has denied all of the allegations, claiming to have provided a dossier of evidence to the Beeb investigators and ‘remains fully confident in clearing his name’ (pictured in 2022)
‘Yeah. I mean, you know, one of the many things,’ she said, clarifying it was not harassment.
Ever since the claims first emerged Giovanni has denied all of the allegations, claiming to have provided a dossier of evidence to the Beeb investigators and ‘remains fully confident in clearing his name’.
Disputing Amanda’s claims once again following the interview, a spokesperson for the Italian dancer said: ‘The BBC has shared the allegations they have been able to substantiate with us.
‘They do not resemble Amanda’s latest allegations, given to Channel 4, in any shape or form. Giovanni refutes any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour.’
After the fallout, Amanda said she did not hear from any one at the BBC again, claiming: ‘I haven’t spoken to anyone from the BBC since Strictly.
‘No one from the BBC has reached out to me since Strictly, either through me or my lawyer.’
In a message to those in charge of the BBC show that has been running since 2004 she added: ‘Just be aware of what’s going on and when you know it’s going on, nip it in the bud. Don’t allow it to continue.’
Amanda went on to claim that she has faced a number of violent threats from both Strictly fans and ‘Giovanni fans’ who have asked her ‘how can you destroy something like Strictly’ .
Amanda went on to claim that she has faced a number of violent threats from both Strictly fans and ‘Giovanni fans’ who have asked her ‘how can you destroy something like Strictly’
She revealed the extent of the alleged harassment she has received in recent months from trolls, telling Channel 4 that ‘It has been brutal and relentless and unforgiving’.
The bombshell interview comes as the flagship BBC One show continues to be rocked by a string of allegations, which saw Giovanni as well as professional dancer Graziano step down.
Giovanni was accused of bullying by Amanda as well as two other, unnamed contestants.
Graziano was axed from the show last week after allegations emerged that he kicked, hit and spat at Zara during rehearsals last year .
On Tuesday, Paralympics star Will Bayley became the latest star to speak about his time on the show.
The 36-year-old, who was paired with Janette Manrara in 2019, said he was left with life-changing injuries after being made to redo a jump in a routine as he criticised the show’s duty of care.
The Channel 4 interview comes as BBC chiefs are said to be furious about the Strictly investigation Amanda’s initial complaint triggered.
On Tuesday, the BBC’s director-general Tim Davie warned that the ‘line should never be crossed’ said: ‘I’m very sorry that anyone has had an experience on Strictly that hasn’t been wholly positive.