Reality star Pete Wicks has denied rumours of a romance between him and his Strictly Come Dancing partner Jowita Przystal, saying: “We have great chemistry because we’ve become such good friends.”
Wicks, 36, who found fame on The Only Way Is Essex, has also been romantically linked to Love Island star Maura Higgins, and said he is “used to” battling hearsay about his love life.
Asked by Alison Hammond on ITV’s This Morning if he is in a “love bubble” with Przystal, 30, Wicks said: “It’s not a love bubble, unfortunately.”
Pete Wicks is partnered with Jowita Przystal on Strictly Come Dancing (Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA)
“We have great chemistry because we’ve become such good friends. She’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met, genuinely, not just in the dancing side of things, but outside of that,” he added.
“And I think that helps us with the whole dancing thing.”
Reflecting on whether he has found the rumours annoying, he said: “It’s always the same. I’m used to it. (For) Ten years that’s all anyone has ever really been interested in, is that side of stuff. But we don’t really listen to all of that.”
At the weekend, Wicks and Przystal paid homage to Todd Phillips’ Joker film on the popular BBC One show, dancing a Viennese waltz to That’s Life by Frank Sinatra.
Wicks dressed as the homicidal clown while Przystal wore a Harlequin-inspired costume, with the couple earning a score of 31 from the judges – their highest yet.
Earlier in the week, reality star Higgins, 33, told Paul Carrick Brunson on the We Need To Talk podcast that she and a celebrity she knows, who is currently a contestant on Strictly, are “friends”.
“We just get on very, very well,” she added, after Celebs Go Dating matchmaker Brunson told Higgins he had seen her standing next to the individual in a lift at the Baftas.
Pete Wicks found fame on The Only Way Is Essex (BBC/PA)
Also on This Morning, Przystal sent her love to Welsh dancer Amy Dowden, who will miss this weekend’s live show after a health scare during Saturday’s episode.
“Unfortunately, she won’t perform this week with us and we’re all gutted”, she said.
“But, you know, her health is the most important thing that she’s taking care of right now… and we are all sending her all our love. And we hope she will just get better soon and she will come back to us.”
Dowden has returned for the 20th anniversary series after missing out on having a celebrity dance partner last year while undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
– Strictly Come Dancing will air at 6.30pm on Saturday on BBC One.