An audience with a classically trained Italian pianist is not exactly the date night you’d expect from two reality television stars.
But for Pete Wicks – who’s appearing on this year’s Strictly – it was the perfect romantic send-off for Maura Higgins before she jetted off to Australia to star in I’m A Celebrity.
The pair, who are not yet official, appeared close as they walked to the London Palladium to see Ludovico Einaudi perform on Monday, though they were not seen canoodling.
And the date clearly went down a treat with Maura, 33, as emotions ran high. On Instagram, where the former Love Island star documented their evening and posted a video of the spectacular performance, she wrote: ‘Cried all night long.’
Much less was made of a night out Pete, 36, enjoyed recently with another woman in his life.
Last week he took Jowita Przystal – his partner on Strictly – for a drink to meet his mum Tracy at The Woodbine Inn in Epping Forest, Essex. Pete, who made his name on The Only Way Is Essex, has also met Jowita’s brother and learned a bit of Polish to greet him when they met.
Jowita, 30, is believed to have ‘loved every minute’ of their trip to the pub as she is said to ‘adore’ the long-haired hunk. Certainly, they were seen canoodling just days after they met at the National Television Awards in September.
Has Jowita found herself embroiled in a very public love triangle? Maybe, because it can be revealed that Maura’s feelings have grown stronger for Pete after seeing him perform with his professional partner in recent weeks.
Maura Higgins and Strictly’s Pete Wicks on a date to see pianist Ludovico Einaudi at the London Palladium before she flew out to Australia to star in I’m A Celebrity
Pete with Jowita Przystal performing on Strictly’s Blackpool special on Saturday night
So if Jowita wants to pursue a romantic relationship with him, she will be delighted Maura has now flown 10,000 miles to Australia’s Gold Coast. She will be away for almost three weeks, as a late-comer on the show.
Meanwhile, Polish dancer Jowita has Pete all to herself in their bid to make the Strictly final. It could all lead to awkwardness, particularly for Pete, who is said to be a ‘commitment-phobe’ and enjoying the attentions of both women.
A source familiar with the situation told the Mail: ‘He is still playing with both girls’ affections. It’s typical Pete, he can’t decide and can’t commit.
‘Seeing him on Strictly getting close to Jowita actually made Maura realise she did have stronger feelings for Pete than she realised. They had been enjoying flirty exchanges and each other’s company for over a year, but it has really heated up in the last three months.’
So the next few weeks will be crucial for Pete.
We can reveal that he will fly to Australia if he and Jowita do get booted off Strictly in the next couple of weeks. And that’s not just because his best friend Sam Thompson – another reality TV personality – is appearing on the I’m A Celeb spin-off show, having won last year’s series.
The source added: ‘Pete will be flying out to Australia as soon as his time on Strictly is over. Not to see his best mate Sam Thompson, but to meet Maura on the bridge, if he can. Pete doesn’t want to leave Strictly, but he has made his peace with the fact that he is one of the weakest dancers left.’
Speaking ahead of what turned out to be a lacklustre performance on Saturday, which saw him come bottom of the leader board, Pete said: ‘It’s a moment I really want to share with Jowita because she’s done so much for me, and it means so much to her too.
‘I love that I have the opportunity to give that back and we have the chance to dance there together after everything we’ve been through.’ Jowita was equally gushing when she spoke of their time in Blackpool. ‘I think Pete is such a gentleman,’ she said. ‘He puts his arms in a frame and holds me and always likes to be in contact with me. I feel he’s such an old-school, old-fashioned soul so he likes that connection when we do ballroom. I think he likes to have control over me so that’s why he likes ballroom.’
While Pete and Jowita’s friendship is a new one, Maura has been friends with the star for years after meeting him on the reality TV circuit.
They have repeatedly shot down rumours of a romance but were seen getting close at the Broadwick Hotel in Soho in August and again last month at The Ship pub in Wandsworth.
Wearing tight pink trousers, Pete performed a cha cha cha to I’m Too Sexy by Right Said Fred
But the bold routine scored 27 points and landed them at the bottom of the leaderboard
Sources say Pete will fly to Australia to see Maura if he and Jowita get booted off Strictly in the next couple of weeks
Recently, Maura posted a video on TikTok of her in Pete’s muscled arms, as he displayed an impressive dance move by lifting her off the ground before gazing amorously into her eyes.
Pete is not the first man to find himself caught between Maura and Jowita. Giovanni Pernice, Strictly’s former heartthrob, dated Maura in 2021 and reportedly broke her heart before he started going out with Jowita less than a year later.
Those who know Pete say he is ‘a wonderful, lovely man’. So how must he feel about being caught in the middle of two beautiful women? ‘Oh, he loves the ladies,’ says one friend of the star.
‘But he is such a nice guy and he will be feeling terribly guilty about not being able to give his heart to one of them.’
