Pete Wicks says Strictly is ‘far tougher’ than Celebrity SAS

Watch: Pete Wicks says Strictly is far tougher than SAS

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Pete Wicks has said Strictly Come Dancing is tougher than both of his Celebrity SAS experiences, admitting: “My body doesn’t move very well.”

The Only Way Is Essex star is partnering Jowita Przystal in the BBC contest, but said that he was completely out of his comfort zone in trying to find a sense of rhythm.

He also told Loose Women that he had never seen the film that his Strictly movie week dance is inspired by, and wasn’t familiar with the song, either.

What, how, and why?

Pete Wicks is pushing himself out of his comfort zone on two different channels at the moment, as a contestant in BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing and in a second shot at Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

The reality TV star told Loose Women that when it came to which show was harder, there was one clear winner – but surprisingly, revealed that glamming up for the ballroom was much tougher than the gruelling SAS selection process.

Asked on Wednesday’s show which of his TV contests had been the most demanding, Wicks – who found fame on The Only Way Is Essex – said: “Strictly. It’s the toughest, by far. I did SAS twice. This is harder. It’s more intense and it’s so far out of my comfort zone.”

Read more: Strictly Come Dancing

Adding that his back and hips were in pain from learning this week’s Samba, he said: “I’m learning my body doesn’t move very well. Unlike Shakira, my hips do lie. I haven’t moved like the way you have to for dance for years and years and years. It’s very, very difficult. I’ve never danced, but when I was younger I used to be a bit more active than I am now. Now I drink too much. I’ve got absolutely no rhythm.”

Sharing his views on the two shows is former Strictly pro AJ Pritchard, who featured in the 2022 series of Celebrity SAS and said at the time: “Being a professional dancer you are a life coach, you are the driving force, you are the person that puts it all together and holds it together when it’s going wrong so mentally and physically, Strictly is a hell of a lot longer at six months.

“And probably if SAS was for six months it’d be hard but Strictly for being six months is harder than SAS. I have to be open and honest about that. You are a life coach through and through – therapist, taxi man, everything else that comes along with it.”

He appeared alongside partner Jowita Przystal and the pair confirmed that they were planning to get matching tattoos in the unlikely event that they won the 2024 series.

Wicks said: “I’ve got a fair few tattoos so if we win we’re going to get a couple of glitterballs,” joking as he was asked where the tattoo would be: “It may be a glitterball!”

What else did Pete Wicks say about Strictly?

While Wicks has found Strictly training tough, he has made it through to the third live show – which means he is taking part in the first theme episode of the season, movie week.

However, he admitted that the movie he had been given to work with, George of the Jungle, didn’t mean much to him as he had never actually seen it.

“I was really excited because I love movies, so we’re doing a film I’ve never seen before to a song I’ve never heard before,” he said.

Wicks added that he would be playing “the complete opposite personality to me. I’m basically channelling Sam Thompson. He’ll be there watching this week.”

He said: “There’s a lot of hips in this, there’s a loin cloth. We’re going fun this week.”

Loose Women airs on ITV1 at 12.30pm on weekdays.