BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Pete Wicks begs viewers to 'give him a chance' after 'harsh' first dance

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Pete Wicks has said he wants Strictly Come Dancing viewers to "give him a chance" in the competition. The former The Only Way is Essex star was among the 15 stars to perform for the first time during week one of the BBC One dance contest on Saturday night (September 21).

Pete, 36, recently admitted that he had "never" watched the BBC Latin and ballroom show before signing up for it but insisted that his brash demeanour has become a "caricature" over the years.

He told The Sunday Mirro's Notebook magazine: "It is a different kind of person that watches 'Strictly' and many will have a preconceived idea of who I am. READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing viewers say 'absolute rubbish' as judges 'harsh' on former 'winner' "A lot of press over the years has been a caricature of me.

If viewers give me a chance, they might realise I'm not that bad. I just hope I don't make a complete t** of myself. I don't even dance at weddings- I stand at the bar and get p*****!" Pete - who is also currently on screens appearing in 'Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins which starts on Channel 4 on Sunday night (September 22) - admitted that signing up for the dance competition series was not something he ever expected himself to do, and explained that his professional partner Jowita Przystal is determined to start the show all guns blazing.