HE was left with broken ribs after being knocked out cold on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
But that isn’t stopping Pete Wicks from hitting the dance floor for Strictly Come Dancing — even though his painful injury is still not fully healed two years later.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star was medically withdrawn from the Channel 4 challenge show in 2022 after a stunt gone wrong.
Pete had been tasked with jumping out of a helicopter into a lake when he knocked himself out with his backpack, hitting the surface at full speed, and was left face down in the water.
Luckily for Pete, he was quickly reached by the show’s ex-special services staff and its health and safety team — meaning his only injuries were the bone breaks.
But while some ribs heal with time, for Pete his are still not fully fixed.
He revealed it is what he is most worried about as he goes into training for the hit BBC One dance show.
Pete said on his Staying Relevant podcast: “I’m 36, and I haven’t been to a gym in eight years.
“I broke three ribs (in SAS) and my ribs are still broken, which is going to be a pain.”
Pete joins celebs including JB Gill, Toyah Cox, Shayne Ward, Nick Knowles, Paul Merson and Sam Quek on the 20th anniversary series of Strictly, which airs on BBC One soon.
And while he has not dismissed his chances of lifting the Glitterball trophy, the reality star is well aware it is going to take a lot of work — for his dance partner more than him.
He added: “I feel sorry for whoever my partner is.
“I have an issue with having to get things right, so I know what people say — when they do these things — that you can practice as much as you want . . .
“It’s the worst thing that you can say to someone like me because I will have that poor girl there for 15 hours a day. Literally.
“I’ll be saying, ‘We can just sleep here — you don’t need to go home’ because of the fear of getting something wrong on TV or messing up.”
Polly's hot to Trottie
POLLY WALKER switched from the Regency era to the 1940s as she was spotted on the set of new Mark Gatiss drama Bookish.
The actress, who plays Lady Featherington in Netflix series Bridgerton, joined her co-stars on set this week to offer a first look at her new role as Trottie Book, the wife of Mark’s character Gabriel.
And she swapped her extravagant ballgowns for a yellow vintage dress as she shot scenes alongside Mark on a London street where the production is currently filming.
The series tells the story of the owner of an antiques bookshop, who uses his vast collection of novels to help unravel real-life mysteries.
He soon find himself roped in to help police solves crimes in post-war London.
The six episodes are expected to air on UKTV channel Alibi next year.
Zoe 'tecs role in Bergerac
BERGERAC fave Charlie Hungerford is back for the remake – but this time the character will be played by Zoe Wanamaker.
Creators decided the show needed a better gender balance, so cast a woman as the Eighties charmer, who was originally played by the late Terence Alexander.
Lead writer Toby Whitehouse said of reimagining the TV classic, which starred John Nettles as maverick detective Jim Bergerac: “The original was a product of its time.
“So much has changed in how we consume television and stories, we have to reflect that and move with the times.
“We felt we wanted to have more of an equal balance between male and female representation in the show.”
In the remake, set to air on U&DRAMA and streaming service U, Damien Molony steps into the title role.
Philip Glenister also stars as Arthur Wakefield.
Hole lot of luck for Pete
FARGO actor Peter Stormare is back at the heart of a crime drama as the latest famous face to secure a role in new Netflix series Detective Hole.
The Swedish actor, known for playing Gaear Grimsrud in the cult hit 1996 film, joins the cast for the serial killer mystery, written by Jo Nesbo and based on his best-selling crime novels.
It follows the story of Harry Hole, Tobias Santelmann, and one of his corrupt colleagues Tom Waaler, portrayed by Joel Kinnaman, who he is trying to bring to justice.
At the same time, tormented homicide investigator Hole is on the trail of a serial killer.
The series is expected to be released on the streaming service some time in 2026.
It's a Coel new show
A NEW drama is coming to BBC One from the writer and star of hit show I May Destroy You, Michaela Coel.
First Day On Earth, also created by and starring Michaela, follows novelist Henri as she jets off to Africa for a new job and to reconnect with her dad.
The series follows her as she soon finds out that neither the job nor her father are what she expected – leaving her at breaking point and in danger.
And Michaela says she cannot wait to begin filming the new project, adding: “I am excited to embark on the next phase to offer this as another televisual gift for anyone willing to accompany Henri on what will be a wild odyssey”
Filming will start next year.
WOMEN using social media to champion extreme views are the topic of a new one-off docu screening in the run-up to November’s US presidential election.
America’s New Female Right sees host Layla Wright travel from Nashville to the Mexico border. It will air on BBC Three on September 2.
SKY will air a powerful, feature-length documentary about children with cancer next month.
Kids Like Us, made in association with charity Children With Cancer UK, sees eight youngsters open up about navigating life with and after the disease. It will be available to stream from September 12.
