Pete Wicks has shockingly disclosed that he was on the receiving end of death threats from the public following his high-profile split with TOWIE co-star Megan McKenna.
In a candid conversation with Celebs Go Dating’s Paul Brunson, the 37-year-old reflected on the difficult period post-breakup: “It’s really hard when I look back on it to think about how bad it was because at the time you’re so caught up in it.”
He recounted the severity of the backlash, saying, “I was getting death threats daily. I had people spit at me in the streets.”
Wicks described the toll the abuse took on him, admitting, “I felt like I was a national hate figure, like public enemy number one,” reports Lancs Live.
Despite the negativity, his primary concern remained with his ex-girlfriend Megan: “All I was bothered about at the time was Megan, and the fact that I’d kind of lost Megan and that I’d upset her and I’d felt so guilty, so so guilty.”
The reality TV star also revealed that the harassment continued even during his stint on Strictly Come Dancing last year: “I’ve just done Strictly, I was getting death threats through (my time on) Strictly for still being in the competition because there were better dancers leaving. And it does get to the point where yeah, of course, you’re putting yourself in the position for people to pass judgement, but I don’t think anyone really deserves death threats.”
The TOWIE alumni Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks have moved on since their relationship ended eight years ago. Megan is now a mother and engaged to Scottish footballer Oliver Burke.
The pair briefly reconnected professionally in 2019 during the filming of Celebs Go Dating, just a few years after their split.
Pete Wicks, whose love life has been a hot topic, is rumoured to be dating Maura Higgins, a former Love Island and I’m A Celebrity contestant, following a long-standing friendship.
Speaking on Paul Brunson’s podcast about Maura, Pete shared: “Yeah, she’s a great person, so my relationship with her is that I think she’s a great person and I would hope that she thinks that I’m alright.”