Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson’s best friend joins Strictly just 11 days after scandal

Pete Wicks, TOWIE star and best friend of Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson, has reportedly signed up for this series of Strictly, just days after scandal where her partner Graziano admitted to kicking her during rehearsals.

A source told The Sun: “Pete has joined the Strictly lineup and is excited to get started. He isn’t much of a dancer but that’s what the BBC loved about him. They wanted the show to feel more like it did in the beginning. Pete is also going to attract younger viewers who have followed his career since Towie.”

A representative for the BBC told MailOnline that the lineup for Strictly Come Dancing “will be announced in due course.”

Via Instagram

This comes only 11 days after initial reports emerged that Graziano Di Prima was sacked from the show following footage that left Strictly bosses “in tears”. In a statement, Zara said there had been “particular incidents inside the training room which were incredibly distressing.”

Graziano has since admitted to kicking his partner in a statement through his representative and admitted he “made a mistake”.

Pete and Sam in the Strictly audience watching Zara last year (Via BBC)

Many people have been shocked at the casting announcement, given how close Pete is to Sam and Zara and how Zara admitted her time on the show “wasn’t entirely pleasant” and “incredibly distressing” at times.

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Pete was one of Zara’s biggest supporters during her time on the show last year, even wearing a shirt with her face on as he watched a live show with Sam one week. Sam, wearing a matching one, said on Instagram: “Never been so proud in my life The fact that @p_wicks01 also came to support was just the icing on the cake. I even got him a custom Zara shirt swipe for the best moment of the evening involving Pete and the cameras.”

The same night Pete was introduced to Zara’s dance partner Graziano, after weeks of fans telling them how alike they look. Sam posted a video of Pete alongside Graziano, captioning it: “Father and son”. He added another comment saying: “I got to meet Zara’s strictly pro! Even got him in my red boots! @grazianodiprima you’re an absolute legend sir, and I CANNOT wait for all the TikTok’s (why am I so hunched).”

Via Instagram

In his initial statement, Graziano said: “I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime. Respecting the BBC HR process, I understand it’s best for the show that I step away.

“While there are aspects of this story involving external influences that I can’t discuss at this time, I remain committed to being strong for my family and friends. I wish the Strictly family and the BBC nothing but success in the future. I also want to thank everyone who has supported my career, both professionally and personally. When the time is right, I will share my story.”

This weekend the BBC confirmed the pro will not appear in the next series, and released a statement which said: “We can confirm that Graziano Di Prima is no longer a part of the line-up for the upcoming series. While we would never comment on individual cases, it is well-known the BBC has established robust duty of care procedures, and if issues are raised we will always take them seriously and act swiftly as appropriate.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Graziano admits to kicking Zara McDermott on Strictly and says he made a ‘mistake’

• Graziano forced to return to his minimum wage farm job after being sacked from Strictly

• The new Strictly rules the BBC has been forced to introduce after Zara and Graziano claims