EXCLUSIVE: Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks are ‘bromance’ personified as they open up exclusively about highs, lows, hit podcasts and why they’ll always have each other’s backs
A day spent in the company of best pals Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks is always guaranteed to be a laugh. And when we join them for our exclusive Notebook shoot, the pair do not disappoint – leaving us in fits of giggles as they navigate the complexities of taking a photo. “Pete’s so much better at this than me, he has to lead,” Sam says. “I have no idea what I’m doing!”
From their easy, playful banter to a rare glimpse at their serious side, it’s clear this friendship is not for show, or indeed showbiz. Their genuine connection is the reason they’ve managed to build a successful brand in being besties – it’s entirely authentic. And like all good bromances, they’re there for one another in the good and the bad times.
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“When things get tough I tend to disappear,” Pete explains. “Like most people, I’ve made mistakes in my life and I’ve dealt with things my way for a very long time. I’m a creature of habit but the difference is now, I’ve got Sam in the background, pecking at my head nonstop, so I know he’s there if I ever need him.”
“I’m like a safety woodpecker,” Sam, 33, chips in. “I send him Harry Potter quotes when he needs cheering up.” Pete, 37, sighs, “I’ve never seen Harry Potter and I don’t really give a s**t what Dumbled**k has to say, though. But Sam’s always there when I need him.”
Likewise, Sam himself has endured a roller-coaster year, having broken up with his long-term girlfriend Zara McDermott – who is now dating One Direction star Louis Tomlinson. He’s struggled with a hideous leg injury while completing a multi-marathon charity race, as well as continuing to learn about his neurodiversity.
According to Pete, Sam’s way of coping is very different. “When Sam’s down, he’ll call everyone in his phone book repeatedly, to tell them why he’s down and what’s happening,” Pete says. “Specifically me. He’ll call me relentlessly. I don’t think he trusts his own decision-making, but actually, he knows the right answers. He likes to have a soundboard and that’s fine.”
Indeed, it’s these opposite dynamics that have made the pair’s podcast, Staying Relevant, such a big chart-topping success. The show recently reached 10 million total downloads and they went live for a headline night at the O2 Arena recently. And it has just been turned into a book, perfectly showcasing their easy banter.
“Pete’s the dad and I’m the drunk mum at a wedding, dancing to ABBA,” laughs former Made In Chelsea star Sam. “I know he speaks for the people. He’s a mouthpiece for everyone in the country and that’s what I find so brilliant. And there aren’t many people in this industry who are so authentically themselves. What you see is what you get.”
Pete, who first found fame in TOWIE, is quick to disagree. “We all know that’s complete b******s,” he insists. “I’m the miserable one and Sam’s the one everyone tunes in for. He’s the nation’s sweetheart and I’m just the hairy bloke in the background that calms him down.”
If bigging each other up were an Olympic sport, these two would be gold medal winners and their legions of fans can’t get enough. But even though their podcast is all about humour, lightness and escaping the real world for a bit – “Let’s face it, reality is a bit s***e at the moment isn’t it?” Pete muses – the boys don’t tend to give too much away when it comes to romance.
Despite rumours that Sam is dating model Talitha Balinska and Pete was romantically linked to his former Strictly Come Dancing partner Jowita Przystal, both men are not forthcoming when it comes to dishing the dirt on their personal lives.
In a recent podcast episode Sam jokingly suggested Pete was “sad, lonely and depressed” after being invited on a double date with Sam, leading to speculation that Pete was genuinely upset by the invite.
They laugh it off in their trademark self-deprecating style. “It’s such a weird one, because on the pod, we are just two mates having a chat and sometimes you forget who’s listening,” Sam explains.
“You could say something that’s clearly a joke, but it’ll be taken out of context. But you don’t want to mute yourself, you want to be able to have an open conversation to a point, because our listeners feel like family and we want them to be a part of our personal lives as well. It’s just hard to hear the noise that can come along with it, so it’s a real juggling act.”
Pete agrees. “We don’t consciously do anything, we are what we are. When we record it’s as if we’re two mates, down the pub having a chat, but things can become Chinese whispers, and that’s the nature of the game.”
We ask Pete if he knew the impact his kiss with Jowita would have, given the pair danced a routine at the O2 show, including a smooch, thus guaranteeing them headlines. “I brought her out for a dance,” he insists.
“Part of that was because we didn’t make the finals and I feel like I hadn’t completed the whole Strictly thing. We did a dance that she had choreographed in the first two weeks of us doing the show, the dance she wanted us to perform in the final. And I wasn’t good enough to get her there. But I promised her, one day we’d do it. And where better than the O2?”
Having been in high profile relationships with other celebs (Pete also dated Love Island’s Maura Higgins late last year), often their romances are scrutinised and celebrated in equal measure by fans, especially when they end. We ask why they don’t vent more about them on the pod.
“Sometimes it’s important for us to keep things private, too,” Pete says. “Although I do get it, it’s the nature of society – we like to read gossip and news about people in the public eye, and that’s the way it is. In my eyes, the most important thing is that our friends, family, and those closest to us know that we’re OK.”
Despite first meeting on Celebs Go Dating in 2019, there’s more to Sam and Pete than their love lives. Both of them have had individual success with various endeavours – Sam won I’m A Celebrity in 2023 and Pete’s show For Dogs’ Sake has also proven to be a big hit. Plus, last year, Pete and Jowita made it to the semi-finals on Strictly. Does he miss the show?
“I’ve been to a couple of live shows to support Vicky Pattison, who’s one of my best friends. I love the show and I do keep up with it. I miss the routine of it. I threw myself into something that was so far out of my comfort zone, something no one thought I’d do and yeah, I do 100% miss it. It was a very humbling experience and a huge part of my life.”
Was he shocked to see Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quit? “It was a big surprise,” Pete says. “I’m gutted to see them go. I adore both of them, they’re so good at what they do. They are Strictly. They were always so warm to me. I’m sure whoever they replace them with will be fantastic.”
It’s almost too obvious what our next question will be – so much so that Sam is ready to pipe up before we’ve asked it. “Pete has to be the new presenter,” he squeals. “He has to do it!” What about the two of them? The new Tess and Claud?
“I’m not ready to cut in a fringe,” Pete replies. “Tess and Claudia are so brilliant and so professional, and we’re useless. It would be the most chaotic thing in the world, me and Sam doing it. I don’t think Strictly will be asking us any time soon.”
But Sam’s nothing if not optimistic. “I’d be very shocked if we got the phone call, but I’d give it a go if we were asked,” he says. With their book now on the shelves, in perfect time for Christmas, things are looking better than ever for Sam and Pete, both as a duo and individually.
We wrap up the interview by asking if they’re stronger together. “We’re not just a double act,” Sam says. “And what’s so lovely about that is when we do come together, we’re at our best. And by that I mean, I’m at my happiest. No matter what we do separately, we always come back together, with stories to tell, and that’s what keeps it fresh.”
Pete agrees. “We give each other space to do the things we want individually and we will always have that – but then nothing is better than when we’re together.”
Staying Relevant: The Book by Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks (Sphere) is out now
Source: Mirror
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