Strictly’s Pete Wicks shares post admitting he’s ‘overwhelmed’ after avoiding dance off following mistake-filled routine

STRICTLY Come Dancing's Pete Wicks has revealed he is "overwhelmed" after swerving the dance-off following an error-ridden routine.

The former Towie star opened Saturday's live show alongside professional partner Jowita Przystal, 30, with a salsa in Strictly's first-ever Icons Week.

After things didn't quite go to plan in their Freddie Mercury-inspired routine, where they picked up just 22 points, he was captured whispering a sweet message to the former show winner after he realised his choreography mistakes.

And when Pete swerved the dance off on Sunday - due to votes from the public which pulled him off the bottom of the leaderboard - emotion hit hard.

Pete took to his Instagram Stories to upload a shot showing him dressed as the We Will Rock You hitmaker with a lengthy caption which read: "I don't even know what to say ... I'm very humbled and a bit overwhelmed.

"It wasn't a good night for me and I know just how lucky I am to still be part of the show but thank you everyone.

"Jowita worked so hard last week and there is no way I would have ever made it this far without her.

"I will bounce back, this week is going to be a bit of an emotional one for me and your support means so much."

He finished off the heart-wrenching post with a black emoji love heart.

During the results show, he again expressed his surprise at staying in the BBC One show - which is now past the half-way mark.

He told host Claudia Winkleman: "I can't believe I'm still here and part of me feels like I probably don't deserve to be here!"

She then replied: "No, no, no, no!" to urge him to stop talking himself down.

Pete then added: "Thank you, genuinely, thank you everyone.

"I am so happy to still be here!"

SWEET GESTURE

After their routine opened Saturday's live show, eagle-eyed Strictly fans were quick to clock Pete's sweet message to Jowita.

Though he ended the Another One Bites The Dust routine with a triumphant fist in the air, when Jowita approached him, Pete could be heard saying: "I'm sorry, darling.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

All the while, smiling Jowita reassured him everything was OK.

Pete picked up 22 points for the performance, with Craig Revel Horwood scoring a four and the remaining three judges - Shirley, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse - scoring sixes.

The scoring didn't sit well with some viewers who felt the marking was too generous given mistakes were made.

One person wrote on X: "I hate to say it but Pete was overmarked."

Another said "Overmarked."