PETE Wicks has taken a costly step to ensure he doesn’t bump into his ex Maura Higgins following their break-up.
The Towie and Strictly Come Dancing star, 37, has upped sticks and moved out of Essex to a new bachelor pad.
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Pete has reportedly moved into a swanky apartment in London – but it is said to be costing him a whopping £2,400-a-month in rent.
According to the Mail Online, the development has an on-site gym, a roof top garden and even a bar located in the building.
Pete, who has been allowed to live there with his French bulldogs Eric and Peggy, even shared a snap of himself moving in.
In the photo, the reality star can be seen standing in a lift alongside a stack of cardboard boxes which have been loaded onto a blue trolley.
Pete told his Instagram followers: “And we’re still going!”
It was revealed last week that Pete and Maura had split after a series of fiery rows.
Sources have since claimed that Maura called it quits after discovering her man was chatting with “loads” of girls online.
An insider said: “Maura was suspicious of Pete and whether he might have been messing her around.
“There’s been some rows over trust.
“She felt she was proved right when she saw loads of messages with other women on his phone.
“She knew she’d never be able to feel like she could trust him — even if the messages were all innocent, it’s not something she could get past.
“She didn’t want to be constantly worried about what her man was doing.”
Neither stars have commented directly about the break-up, but Maura made a scathing remark on the weekend.
As she left a restaurant in London, the Irish star was asked where her boyfriend was.
Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins’ relationship timeline
Maura and Pete are believed to have met for the first time in 2019, following her stint on Love Island. She late said they “just clicked”.
In August 2024, the pair were spotted enjoying a lunch date together in London’s Soho.
The following month, Maura showed her support to Pete following the release of his book Never Enough: My Words Unfiltered. She wrote online: “Proud of you.”
In October, Pete appeared on Olivia Attwood’s podcast and was grilled about his romance with Maura. Olivia said: “Your dating life. Maura Higgins.” Pete replied: “Me and Maura have known each other for a long time.” Olivia told him she’d seen a photo of them kissing.
Maura spoke briefly about Pete on Paul C Brunson’s We Need To Talk podcast in the same month. She said: “We just get on very, very well. I adore him, he’s an amazing person.”
Later in October, Maura and Pete were spotted kissing and cuddling several times; once at the Pride Of Britain afterparty and again during a dinner date.
Maura jetted off to the jungle for I’m A Celebrity in November. But she continued to pretend nothing was going on. Maura told GK Barry: “No, I’m single. People can date and not be in a relationship and take things slow. What’s the point in getting them involved too soon, when you just don’t know where it’s gonna go, you know?”
In December, Maura and Pete flew to Ireland and spent Christmas together. The pair broke cover and gave fans a glimpse inside their cosy lake house.
Just weeks later, Pete told The Times that he was “s*** scared” of settling down. He also appeared in Loose Women in February and spoke about his fears of commitment.
On February 14, Valentine’s Day, it was reported that Pete and Maura had split up.
She was caught on video, replying: “Dunno, probably cheating.”
Pete, meanwhile, has spoken about the so-called ‘Strictly curse’ on his own podcast with Sam Thompson.
He was dating Maura while competing on last year’s BBC show, so it could be argued they have fallen foul of it.
Pete also told The Times last month that he has always been frightened to commit.
The interview came shortly after Pete and Maura spent a romantic Christmas break together following her stint on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.
Pete told the newspaper: “[Settling down] is the bit I just can’t do.
“The minute a relationship gets to the point where I seem to be having an impact on someone’s life, it scares the s*** out of me.”
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