BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks felt like 'national hate figure' over public abuse before loss left him 'alone'

Pete Wicks has recalled feeling like a 'national hate figure' as he was subject to public abuse in a candid chat about his life in which he also spoke about the heartbreaking loss that left him feeling 'alone'.

The reality star and podcast host has opened up in a raw and emotional interview with Married at First Sight expert Paul C Brunson. In the revealing conversation on the We Need To Talk podcast, Pete spoke about his time on The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE).

It is then that he shockingly revealed that he received death threats in the aftermath of his high-profile break-up with his TOWIE star ex-girlfriend Megan McKenna.

""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," Pete, 37, told Paul during their conversation on the podcast. "I was getting death threats daily. I had people spit at me in the streets." On the impact the abuse had on him, he added: "I felt like I was a national hate figure, like public enemy number one."

Pete then admitted that it was as recently as his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing last year that he was subjected to even more death threats, revealing: "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 were 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."

Pete also discussed with Paul the close relationship he had with his nan, Doreen, who sadly died in 2022, leaving Pete devastated. He told how her passing made him realise he had to be his own "safety net," but how he also has to let people help him at times.

Pete told the presenter: "I went straight into… shutdown…because I needed to…and, you know, even over the past couple of months, I’m probably sadder than I ever have been about it. But that’s because I’m starting to open up rather than just shutting down."

He also said: "When I lost my nan I realised I needed help. And I still don't know what that is but I've accepted that fact that I need something because otherwise thing's are going to get bad." Paul asked Pete why he felt like he needs help, to which Pete replied: "Because, I have never felt so alone. I think I spend a lot of my life surrounded by people but that does not mean you are not lonely.

"The one thing that I can rely on and was a safety net was my nan. And then when that's pulled from underneath of you, I just laid on the bed floor and it just made me think that even the reliance I had on her with being my safety net, I have to be my own safety net at some point but also I have to allow other people to help me."