PETE Wicks was voted off Strictly last night, with the former TOWIE star now speaking out about his time on the BBC One dancing competition.

The 36-year-old reality star was paired with Jowita Przystał in Strictly Come Dancing 2024, with the duo getting voted out of the competition by judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke last night.

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Pete ended up in the bottom two with Love Islander Tasha Ghouri, with the former TOWIE star now breaking his silence on his exit and his time on the show.

Sharing an emotional Instagram post following his shock axe from the show, Pete spoke about how he “couldn’t be happier with the way it ended” before sharing a gushing tribute to his dance partner Jowita.

Sharing a selection of snaps from his time on the show, Pete wrote a lengthy caption that summed up the last four months of his life.

“The past 3-4 months have been nothing short of incredible” he penned in the caption.

Pete went on: “I spent 12 weeks saying my time in the show was gonna be over and each week I was wrong…until now.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way it ended, there is no one I would have rather been in a dance-off with than Tasha.”

Pete then swooned over Tasha and how she is “the most beautiful dancer, the most beautiful person inside and out”.

After saying how proud he was of her, Pete went on to share why he believes he stayed in the competition for so long.

“The only reason I stayed in the show for so long is because of you, the people,” he said.

‘NEVER STOP TRYING’

“You supported me throughout and that is something I’ll never be able to forget and something I never expected.

“We went on this journey together, the ups and downs and with the right attitude, it’s about learning and it’s about entertaining.”

Pete then spoke about how he tried his best since the very first day and took the whole process seriously.

“You don’t always have to be the best or have the most talent, but you should never stop trying,” he added.

“The show isn’t just what you see on a Saturday night, it’s not all jazz hands…there are an unbelievable amount of wonderful people that make it all happen,” Pete went on to add, saying how every department behind-the-scenes works hard and cares a lot.

Strictly Curse – The Lowdown

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s latest series has already been hit by rumours of a BBC show ‘curse’ – yet what is it?

A host of Strictly Come Dancing stars have been struck by the Strictly Curse during the past two decades.

This is where celebrities who may or may not be attached in the outside world become more than friends with their professional partners.

A total of 20 relationships are said to have been impacted so far over the show’s 20 years.

It has seen relationships crumble with dance floor romances and punishing rehearsal schedules to blame.

This includes the partnerships of Louise and Jamie Redknapp as well as Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer.

Controversially, Judge Craig Revel Horwood once said of the curse: “I think of it as a blessing, to be honest. One person is married, the other one had a girlfriend but my point in this entire thing is: if you come on Strictly, sometimes you are in a relationship that is not working anyway.

“There has to be something wrong in your relationship before it all goes awry.”

Series one winner Brendan Cole left his fiancé, fellow Strictly professional Camilla Dallerup, during filming for the very first series in spring 2004. 

Brendan was said to have fallen for his celebrity partner and inaugural winner Natasha Kaplinsky, although the duo didn’t confirm they were romantically involved.

“Lastly but most importantly,” he added, “this experience wouldn’t have been anything without Jowita.”

‘YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY DANCING GNOME’

Paying tribute to his professional dance partner, Pete penned a gushing tribute to Jowita who believed in him and “never stopped”.

Writing about the pro, he said: “She supported me, listened to me, made me laugh and cry but most of all she made me believe in myself when I didn’t think I could do it.

“We did everything our way, and for me, that was the right way. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t get you to a final, I tried my best and you deserve to be there.

“The show may have ended for us but one thing won’t, you will always have a friend in me. You have become such a special person in my life and just because that won’t continue on a ballroom floor doesn’t mean it won’t continue.”

He then concluded before signing off: “Unfortunately for you, you’ve gained a friend for life. You will always be my dancing gnome.”

BOOTED OFF THE SHOW

After receiving his verdict last night, Pete said: “It’s been wild,” of his time on the dancing competition.

“I’ve been quite honest about the fact that I didn’t necessarily want to do this in the first place, but everyone else wanted me to do it, and I am so, so glad that I did it,” he went on.

“You don’t always have to be the best, but if you enjoy something then why shouldn’t you have a go at it?

“I’ve tried my best from day one, I said I was in for a penny, in for a pound and I’ve done it, it’s been beautiful,” he said.

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