Pete Wicks' romance history explored amid new love rumours and Strictly stint

Pete Wicks has been wowing the nation with his dance moves on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, and his close relationship with professional dancer Jowita Przystal has got everyone talking

Pete Wicks, star of The Only Way Is Essex, has been paired with the stunning professional dancer Jowita Przystal on Strictly Come Dancing.

The twosome have been wowing judges and viewers alike with their exceptional dance skills and flamboyant animal print outfits on the glitzy show, over the past few weeks.

Their undeniable chemistry on the dance floor has sparked rumours of a romance, especially given Pete's extensive dating history and recent sighting kissing a Love Island star.

Fans are hopeful about a potential new romance for Pete, but there's always the spectre of the infamous 'Strictly curse'. In light of these fresh romance rumours, let's take a look back at Pete's past relationships.

Jess Wright

In 2015, shortly after joining TOWIE, Pete Wicks and Jess Wright had a brief romantic fling. However, their relationship hit a snag when Jess was caught kissing fellow cast member Lewis Bloor while under the influence.

Reflecting on the incident, Pete said: "I think after the whole Lewis Bloor thing, it kind of made me realise I don't want to fall out with her because I've always said I love her as a person. We nearly fell out over that, reports Birmingham Live.

"But we're not really compatible relationship-wise. We'll always have a bit of chemistry but we're better off as friends."

Megan McKenna

Pete Wicks began a relationship with Megan McKenna in 2016, and their rocky romance was publicly displayed on TOWIE amidst rumours of cheating. They broke up the next year, only to reunite on Celebs Go Dating where they chose to remain friends.Discussing their split, Pete admitted: "About three or four months into us being together I made a few mistakes. I was messaging other women.

"When I start to get feelings for someone I feel vulnerable. "

Jacqui Ryland

Former glamour model Jacqui Ryland is another ex. In 2017, she revealed sexts from Pete and remarked: "It was the whole thing about girl code. It wasn't about being fame-hungry. It was to tell Megan, 'Don't be fooled by all this'."

She added: "I think from her point of view it was 100 percent genuine, but from his, not so much. "

Megan Barton Hanson

In 2018, Pete Wicks responded to rumours that he had "disappeared" with Megan Barton-Hanson following reports of a night out at Stringfellows strip club.

"Megan and Pete hit it off from the moment they first started talking they both seemed keen to get to know each other better," an insider told The Sun.

The source claimed that they both disappeared for a while from friends Ferne McCann, Mario Falcone, and Jon Clark, before Pete left around 4:30am due to a radio commitment.

Wes Nelson put Pete Wicks on the spot at The Pride Of Britain Awards, but Pete dismissed the gossip in a chat with OK! , saying: "Do you know what, it's so ridiculous. At the minute I seem to be getting links with a new person every week. Obviously Megan's in a relationship, seems really happy, it's like a friendly thing."

He finished up with: "It's turning into a bit of a pantomime. It's just ridiculous."

Chloe Sims

Pete's romance with fellow TOWIE star Chloe Sims was kept hush-hush until Chloe revealed in 2020 that they had been "sleeping together for two years".

In an explosive TOWIE episode, Pete confessed to Chloe: "I can't be in a relationship, I can't give you what you want and I can't give you what you deserve and I know that."

Speaking to The Sun previously, Pete opened up about his complex past with an ex, acknowledging that even though they were seeing other people, their connection sometimes crossed lines. He admitted: "We haven't been officially seeing each other but there's definitely been times it's been more than just a friendship.

Chloe took to Instagram during a Q&A to reflect on their time together: "Although it ended in tears on the show, we had so many good times. Unfortunately you guys just didn't see them. We always sort it out in the end and we love each other."

Ella Rae Wise

Pete Wicks' on-and-off romance with Chloe was followed by a 'flirty/friendship' phase with TOWIE co-star Ella Rae Wise after the 2020 lockdown.

They shared a kiss, but their relationship didn't develop further.Ella remarked at that time: "When I said to the girls, 'We're quite flirty,' I think they took it as a little thing, they didn't realise how flirty we were.

"Even the show producers said 'We can sit there and watch you look at each other.' He's got really good chat."

Maura Higgins

Maura Higgins is the latest celebrity name to be associated with Pete. The former Love Island star and Pete were seen kissing recently, sparking rumours that they are currently seeing each other. It remains to be seen whether this will blossom into a full-fledged relationship.

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One