Pete Wicks calls Strictly Come Dancing partner Jowita Przystal ‘one of the most important’ people in his life
The reality TV star competed on the BBC dancing competition last year, proving to be a fan favourite over the course of the series.
Taught the art of dance by Polish professional dancer Jowita, Pete slowly blossomed on the dancefloor thanks to her help.
Making it all the way to the semi-final, Pete and Jowita were eliminated following a dance-off with Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec, in a series which was won by comedian Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell.
Since wrapping up on their Strictly journey, which sparked romance rumours, Pete and Jowita have remained close friends, with her appearing on his and Sam Thompson’s podcast Staying Relevant.
Speaking about the impact Jowita has had on his life, Pete admitted that she ‘dragged’ him through to the semi-finals.
“A lot of that [making it to the semi-finals] if I'm totally honest, is down to Jowita. She was the best partner I could have had... she's become one of the most important in my life.
“She's one of my best mates, and I adore her. She had to put up with me, she dragged me through it, because it certainly wasn't the dancing,” he told Mail Online
In spite of many of his routines using comedy, including when he dressed up as George of the Jungle, Pete insisted that he treated each dance seriously and with respect.
He explained: “I didn't take myself too seriously but I took the show really seriously, and I took the process really seriously, I took the learning really seriously. I didn't really enjoy learning things, and that was my favourite part of the whole thing.”
Shortly after he and Jowita were sent home from programme, Pete called Jowita a ‘friend for life’ in a candid post from the typically emotionally reserved 37-year-old.
“This experience wouldn’t have been anything without Jowita. She believed in me since the first day and never stopped. She supported me, listened to me, made me laugh and cry but most of all she made me believe in myself when I didn’t think I could do it.
"We did everything our way, and for me that was the right way. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t get you to a final, I tried my best and you deserve to be there.
“The show may have ended for us but one thing won’t, you will always have a friend in me,” he said at the time.
