Strictly star Pete Wicks was moved to tears while filming his new TV series about rescue dogs when a canine’s cancer diagnosis brought back harrowing memories of his own health scare. Recalling the distressing time, Pete, 36, shared: “Of all things, cancer is the one that is a bit close to home for me, whether it be humans or dogs.”
In the first episode of ‘For Dogs’ Sake’, set to premiere next week, Pete emotionally recounts discovering a lump in 2023.
He delayed seeking medical advice for three months due to fears of a diagnosis similar to his uncle’s testicular cancer. Fortunately, Pete’s condition was benign, but the recent incident with the rescue dog reignited those fears.
The TV personality formed an instant connection with Murphy, a 10 year old pug, and was distressed when the dog had trouble breathing during anaesthesia, raising concerns he might not survive. Although Murphy recovered, tests later confirmed a cancerous growth in his groin.
Reflecting on the experience, Pete, who recently made it to the Strictly Come Dancing semi-final, said: “Murphy’s diagnosis brought back some painful memories of testicular cancer in my family and also the scare I had when I ignored a lump for three months because I was so petrified of the diagnosis. It was a bit of a sore one for me. It is just a horrendous, horrendous thing.”, reports the Mirror.
And he added: “It is hard whenever you see a sick animal who is potentially not doing great. He was a lovely little dog. So it upset me quite a bit if I am honest with you. I took it quite badly.”
In the series, Pete, who has two rescue French bulldogs named Eric and Peggy, shares the highs and lows of adopting pets rather than buying from breeders. The dedicated dog enthusiast says his duo have “transformed my life for the better” and he strongly advocates for choosing rescue dogs as a great option for those seeking a new furry companion.
Despite about 100,000 dogs waiting in UK rescue centres, surprisingly only one in five new dog owners have adopted from these facilities.
Murphy arrived at the Dogs Trust rehoming centre in Basildon after his previous family had to surrender him due to an allergy developed by a family member. The centre’s vets performed a medical examination and found unusual lumps on his body.
Upon diagnosing cancer and considering Murphy’s age, they decided that the kindest route would be palliative care rather than subjecting him to invasive surgery and chemotherapy.
With Murphy now in a temporary foster home, Pete remarks: “The only saving grace for him is that he doesn’t know he’s got cancer and he’s being made as comfortable as possible. He is now just living his best life and it is really lovely that someone is able to give him that kind of love.”
Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake launches on UandW on Tuesday January 7 at 9pm.