Strictly star Pete Wicks opens up on ‘powerful instances’ however two issues have saved him
EXCLUSIVE Strictly’s Pete Wicks has revealed that his rescue dogs have helped through some tough times including the death of his gran – ‘They help me forget about my troubles’
Pete Wicks has got through tough times thanks to his dogs. Life has been difficult for the reality star in recent years due to mental health issues and the death of his gran, but pooches Eric and Peggy made it all a lot easier to deal with.
Since rescuing the pair from the Dogs Trust centre in Basildon in 2016, they’ve been a big source of support.
Pete told the Daily Star Sunday: “Over the past few years there have been all sorts of different things happening in my life that have been difficult and my dogs have been an absolute godsend.
“They have helped me so much. They help me forget about my troubles. They’re always there for me. When you get unconditional love, there’s no better feeling. They make everything better. You get a moment to be present.
“A lot of owners would rather spend time with dogs than with people. They just listen. They don’t give you an opinion.”
It’s not just Eric and Peggy who have a special place in Pete’s heart. The Essex-born hunk has had a special connection to dogs since he was a child. He said: “Dogs have been a big part of my life since I was growing up. There is something about them.
“Being around them makes me feel safe and calm. They see into your soul. All they want is love. They don’t care where you’ve been, they don’t care what you look like and they’re not interested in gossip.
“They’re only interested in living for the moment and being present and just giving you unconditional love. I think that’s a really beautiful thing. If humans were more like dogs, the world would be a better place.”
Pete’s passion for dogs is the reason he signed up to make his latest TV show. It’s a four-part series about the work that goes on at the Dogs Trust to rehome pups. During filming he spent time alongside the staff to show how vital the charity is. Making it was a dream job for him.
He said: “This show is something I’ve wanted to do for five years. This hasn’t been work for me. It’s something I really care about.
“No one wants to see animal cruelty. It’s something a lot of people bury their heads in the sand about. But it needs to be highlighted.
“It’s so important that people see what these charities do behind the scenes. The people that work there are heroes. They rescue and rehabilitate the dogs. They give them a second chance in life. Animals deserve love. I prefer animals to people. I always have done, especially dogs.”
During filming, Pete fell in love with many of the dogs and wanted to take them home.
He said: “I wanted to adopt them all. If I had my way, I would just give up work and spend all my time with dogs and adopt every single one.
“There is no such thing as a bad dog. Every dog has been through all sorts of different things that affect their personality. But all you need to do is give them a little bit of love and they go back to living for the moment and being beautiful creatures.
“There are so many wonderful and beautiful little souls that are in shelters who need a loving home. There is a bit of a stigma around dogs that come from shelters or rescue dogs.
“But actually there are so many beautiful dogs that can be the missing piece for your family.”
Pete is more famous than ever after his stint on Strictly last year and he wants to use his platform to raise awareness of issues he cares about.
He said: “I’ve spent 11 years doing TV and I’ve done as much as I can to use my platform to give a voice to the voiceless. Strictly has amplified that, which is amazing. Hopefully it’ll help.”
Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake starts Tuesday at 9pm on U&W.
