Pete Wicks will miss out on the Strictly Come Dancing final after being eliminated (Image: BBC)
A former star has gone on record with the ‘real reason’ was along with pro partner Jowita Przystal.
Ex Breakfast host and current Channel 5 news presenter Dan Walker made it all the way to the quarter finals of the dance contest three years ago with pro partner .
But along the way, Dan was dogged by complaints that , while others backed him for not having dance experience but actually learning as he went.
And now following reality TV star ’ exit from the show, after judges chose to save and Aljaz Skorjanec, Dan Walker has spoken out about why Pete and Jowita failed to make the final.
Posting to his , Dan wrote: “It’s a great line-up for the final but I’m also sad to see go. He and Jowita have been great to watch this series and I’m sure he has showed a few men that dancing is not just something that other people do.
“It’s great that Strictly has people of different ability and experiences each year but I always think that it’s contestants like Pete who have the best time because it is entirely new and all those fresh skills and experience will make him better at everything he does from this point forward in his life.
“Your professional partner is an essential part of that and Jowita has encouraged and inspired him through every step. That’s certainly how I felt when I got paired with Nadiya Bychkova.
“Those who start at the bottom of the mountain have much further to climb but they get to see so much along the way.
“Pete has dealt with an awful lot of silliness and anger over the last few months but I hope he remembers the fun and laughter he has brought to this show.
“Sometimes you don’t have to win to win. He wasn’t a dancer… but he has learned to dance and we’ve all enjoyed watching him.”
In response, Pete wrote: “Mate… appreciate you.”
Don’t miss…
Pete had previously hit out at “abuse” he had received online during his stint in the competition.
Speaking to It Takes Two host Janette Manrara, he said: “Yeah, I mean criticism is probably a light word, I think abuse might be better. But it is what it is, you can’t please everyone and I’m not here to please everyone, I’m just trying to learn something, I’m just a bloke that is having a go at something.
“And if I listened to all the negative stuff then I wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning. But on the plus side, there’s been loads of other lovely things said. It is what it is.”
Asked about his time on the competition after being eliminated on Sunday, Wicks said: “It’s been wild. I’ve been quite honest about the fact that I didn’t necessarily want to do this (Strictly) in the first place, but everyone else wanted me to do it, and I am so, so glad that I did it.
“You don’t always have to be the best, but if you enjoy something then why shouldn’t you have a go at it? I’ve tried my best from day one, I said I was in for a penny, in for a pound and I’ve done it – it’s been beautiful.”