By Roisin Clear

Copyright hellomagazine

Pete Wicks has found himself at the centre of fresh romance speculation after the former Only Way is Essex star hinted that he is “in love” with a mystery woman in a recent Staying Relevant podcast episode. The reality star took part in a lie detector test with friend and co-host Sam Thompson. Sam asked Pete a series of questions while he was hooked up to the machine, including, “Are you in love with somebody right now?” Pete replied “no”, but was proven to be lying by the polygraph examiner. Further stirring the pot, Sam teased: “Pete’s in love secretly, and I think I know who it is.”

Previous relationship

The star, 36, was publicly dating former Love Islander Maura Higgins, 34, but the pair had a rocky relationship. The romance between them initially seemed to be blossoming. Sparks flew between Pete and Maura not long after she came off Love Island. Pete also said on friend Olivia Attwood’s podcast So Wrong It’s Right that he and Maura had “known each other for a long time.”

Maura was even speaking positively of Pete before going into I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, but two months after, the pair parted ways. The Sun reported that Maura ended the relationship because she found messages on Pete’s phone with multiple other women, which led to arguments about trust. Maura accused Pete of cheating and they broke up in February, calling it quits after a year. Pete said he “moved on and couldn’t care less” about Maura after they separated.

Speculation grows

After Pete and Maura split, speculation began to mount about Pete’s close bond with his former Strictly partner, Jowita Przyal. The pair set the rumour mill alight when they appeared to kiss during a Foxtrot performance on the 2024 edition of the show, but always insisted they were nothing more than friends.

However, Pete has now fuelled suspicion that Jowita is the woman he was referring to in the podcast, thanks to a very cosy-looking Instagram photo and gushing caption. In a birthday tribute to Jowita, Pete shared a photo of the duo taken during dance rehearsals. Pete wrote the caption: “It was never about dancing… it was about the person. Happy birthday @jowitaprzystal – I am so blessed and grateful to have you in my life. My pocket rocket”.

In a previous social media tribute shared during Strictly, Jowita praised her dance partner’s skills, writing, “You amaze me every day… with everything you do. But last night…. from the first bit of the song you came into the bubble… just me and you. And thank you for that. You made it special, you made me feel special and I loved that dance with you”.

Who is Jowita Przyal?

Jowita is a professional dancer and choreographer from Poland. She is known for appearing and winning both The Greatest Dancer in 2020 and Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. She has been a professional on Strictly Come Dancing since 2021. She has toured internationally and made a name for herself with her high-energy dances. She specialises in Latin and Ballroom Dance.

What has Jowita said about the speculation?

Pete and Jowita were a popular pairing on Strictly, with viewers noting their strong chemistry, and many fans hoped romance would blossom between them. However, Jowita previously maintained that the ex dance partners are just very good friends. Speaking to OK! Magazine at the time, Jowita said: “We have very good chemistry together as friends, we really get on well with each other, and we have so much fun together.”