Pete Wicks has spoken out on his relationship, revealing why he won’t get married and start a family at this point in life.
The Strictly star, 36, confirmed his romance with Love Island beauty Maura Higgings, 33, this week by sharing a sweet kiss at the Pride Of Britain Awards in London.
But Pete has issued a warning to any girlfriend, speaking honestly about his need to ‘self-sabotage’ his romantic relationships.
‘As soon as that kind of closeness develops, I’m like, “Right I’m off then”, it’s a case of leaving before someone leaves you,’ he told the High Performance podcast, in an episode released on October 10.
Pete Wicks has spoken out on his relationships, revealing why he won’t get married and start a family at this point in life
The Strictly star, 36, confirmed his romance with Love Island beauty Maura Higgings, 33, this week sharing a sweet kiss at the Pride Of Britain Awards in London
‘It’s that classic abandonment syndrome, you’re basically self-sabotaging, and this is the control freak part. At least I’m in control of that.’
Pete admits that in his wild TOWIE days, which saw him date a number of co-stars, he never considered settling down, but his mindset has recently changed.
‘I never thought I wanted to get married or have kids,’ he explained. ‘Over the last few years [I’ve thought] I would love to get married, I would love to have kids but I am not in a position to be able to do that yet.’
‘There is so much weird stuff in my head that that would be so unfair for me to be able to go and do that. It may be to a point that I may never get married, I may never have kids and that’s OK.’
‘What’s the point in doing amazing things if you haven’t got anyone to share that with? I would love that, but it’s not a need, it’s a want and that’s important as well.’
Pete cited his parents’ divorce when he was a child as the catalyst for some of his issues, but admitted he has always been reluctant to use the word ‘trauma’.
Maura and Pete, who were first linked back in August and have been keeping a low profile, shared a tender moment in the corner at the Pride Of Britain afterparty on Monday.
Maura was seen planting a kiss on Pete’s nose before the pair packed on the PDA and kissed on the lipa in the Red Bar at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Pete has issued a warning to any girlfriend, speaking honestly about his need to ‘self-sabotage’ his romantic relationships
In recent weeks, Pete has fuelled romance rumours with Strictly Come Dancing partner Jowita as the pair almost kissed during their passionate performance on the BBC show
The day before the pair locked lips, Pete showed off his impressive Strictly moves as he danced with Maura in a new TikTok video.
Pete and Maura were previously seen together enjoying a night out at The Ship in Wandsworth alongside his Strictly friends.
An onlooker exclusively told MailOnline that the pair were inseparable, whispering in each other’s ears and even interlocking legs as they enjoyed a drink alongside Wynne Evans, Tom Dean and Jamie Borthwick.
The eyewitness shared: ‘They were all over each other, I was surprised to see them looking so close because I thought he had real chemistry with Jowita.
‘At one point they were basically straddling each other and didn’t seem to care at all that people could see them.
‘You’d think Pete would be more concerned about Tom given he’d just been given the boot on Strictly but he only had eyes for Maura all night!’
The day before the pair locked lips, Pete showed off his impressive Strictly moves as he danced with Maura in a new TikTok video
Meanwhile in recent weeks, Pete has also fuelled romance rumours with Strictly Come Dancing partner Jowita Przystał.
Things have got even more complicated as Maura baffled fans while looking cosy with Kai Widdrington during Monday’s awards do.
Kai, 29, and Maura looked very close as they larked around after the ceremony, with the pro dancer tightly wrapping his arms around the presenter.
At one point, Kai appeared to twirl Maura before heading into a different room together.
Pete and Maura were previously seen together enjoying a night out at The Ship in Wandsworth alongside his Strictly friends
Kai is believed to be single at present following his split from fellow professional Nadiya Bychkova.
Maura’s fondness for Kai may have been triggered by reports Pete has grown close to his Polish dance partner Jowita.
A Strictly source told Mailonline the latest romance twists will do little to dampen the show’s reputation for its stars hooking up.
The insider said: ‘Kai and Maura getting close while she’s still got feelings for Pete, who is now infatuated with Jowita, just sums up Strictly right now.
‘It’s a never-ending conveyor belt of relationships and flings, which shows no sign of ending.’
