Pete Wicks' Terrifying Sea Ordeal: SAS Star's Major Fear Revealed

In a rather dramatic twist of events that could easily be an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” TOWIE star Pete Wicks has decided to face his fears head-on in the latest installment of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Spoiler alert: it involves open water and a whole lot of existential dread.

Imagine this: Pete, surrounded by 13 other equally brave souls, is required to climb a platform and do what all self-respecting humans dread — fall backwards into the abyss that is open water. Now, for those who have been following Pete’s journey, you might remember that last season, he took a dive that ended with him not just wet, but knocked unconscious and nursing several broken ribs. Talk about making a splash!

Before taking the plunge off the platform this time, our hero cut a serious figure, addressing the camera with a mix of bravado and trepidation. “Last time I thought water would be my strong point and I knocked myself unconscious and I broke a couple of ribs," he recalled, as if recounting a road trip gone terribly wrong. "I cannot be the person who f****d it twice.” Isn’t that just the mantra we all need? But as he confessed to having not “been in open water since,” and developing a “weird fear of the sea,” it’s clear this is more than just a splash in the pool—this is a therapy session waiting to happen.

And yet, in this heart-pounding episode of *Reality TV: Why Do We Do This to Ourselves?*, Pete pushed through his fears and, against the odds, managed to leap into the water uninjured. Perhaps he had the spirit of a thousand lifeguards behind him or was simply fueled by a blend of adrenaline and a desperate need for validation. Either way, he passed the challenge with flying colors—only to have disaster lurking just around the corner.

Enter journalist Rachel Johnson, who also appears in the series, and with a flourish worthy of a dramatic novel, revealed that Pete had already encountered some trouble in the 2024 series: “Pete Wicks was medevacked off the mountain. He collapsed.” Oh, but isn’t that just the cherry on top of this meticulously crafted cake of chaos?

As if to embody the mixed bag that is reality competition, Geordie Shore icon Marnie Simpson, aged 32 and no stranger to perilous escapades, provided a sympathetic nod: “I felt bad for Pete because coming back the second time, there was so much pressure on him to do even better than the first time so he pushed himself way too far.” How enlightening, right? Sometimes, the pressure to excel can turn champions into mere mortals!

Fortunately for Pete, the series was filmed last year in stunning New Zealand — sunny beaches and breathtaking landscapes that could distract anyone from their fears, or at least make it seem glamorous while crying internally. Meanwhile, now he is trading his swimming trunks for a dancing ensemble on Strictly Come Dancing, where he met his dance partner, Jowita Przystal, under the glaring lights of judgment.

On the premiere show, which aired on Saturday, September 21, Pete and Jowita took to the dance floor, giving it their all despite the judges being less than impressed. They racked up a modest 17 points out of 40, courtesy of scores that were as forgiving as a Monday morning hangover: 4, 5, 3, and 5. Feeling the sting of those critiques and armed with a self-deprecating humor, Pete turned to Instagram Stories to maintain his brand. “It can only get better,” he quipped, adding a laughing emoji for effect. Because if you can’t laugh at yourself, then what’s the point of reality television?

Ah, the life of a reality star — where fears are faced, dances are danced, and humor is the saving grace in the whirlwind of a media frenzy. As the saga unfolds, one can only wonder if Pete’s future endeavors will involve more water antics or perhaps a graceful pirouette into the world of competitive ballroom dancing.