Following months of speculation, Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins have confirmed their romance with a kiss - on the same night Pete insisted he was 'single'.
The Mirror revealed that the celeb pair were spotted locking lips at the Pride of Britain afterparty, where they got affectionate in the Red Bar of London's Grosvenor House Hotel.
This will likely not come as too much of a surprise to fans, with whispers having swirled around the pair for some time. All the while, Pete, 35, has had to deal with intense public interest in his friendship with Strictly Come Dancing partner Jowita Przystal, with their undeniable onscreen chemistry prompting fans to wonder whether there could be something more going on behind the scenes.
Here, the Mirror takes a look at Pete and Maura's flirtatious history and all their cheeky moments.
Cosy chat
This isn't the first Pride of Britain Awards where Pete and Maura appeared to be close. At the 2023 ceremony, the pair could be seen appearing to have a deep and meaningful conversation, with their shared gazes seemingly pointing toward something more than friendship.
Maura broke up with her Hollywood stuntman boyfriend Bobby Holland Hanton in March, while Pete, once regarded as one of TV's most notable lotharios, is believed to have been single for a while. Although he's gained a reputation as a bit of a womaniser, the podcaster has previously spoken candidly about his hopes of settling down.
Speaking recently with The Times, Pete shared: "I'm nearly 36. I want to get married and have kids. I've been blessed with so many opportunities, but what's the point if I can't share them with anyone?" He continued: "Right now, I'm not ready to wholeheartedly commit to a romantic relationship because I don't fully understand myself yet."
Meanwhile, it would appear that Maura has been a source of great support for Pete, cheering him on during various career milestones. Back in September, Maura offered a supportive message to Pete after the release of his new memoir Never Enough: My Words Unfiltered, writing: 'Proud of you' in an Instagram story.
The pair have also been seen trying out dance moves via TikTok, with Maura appearing to get into the spirit of things as Pete continues his Strictly journey.
Lunchtime smooch
Back in August, Pete and Maura were seen sharing an intimate al fresco lunch at the Broadwick Soho Hotel, and despite the very public location, they apparently weren't shy about sharing a smooch.
Pete reportedly arrived at the trendy dining spot around one hour after Maura, who was accompanied by pals. An eyewitness told The Sun: "After they'd sat there for a while Maura went in for a long kiss with Pete. It wasn't the kind of kiss you'd give a friend, it was very passionate."
The source added that Pete and Maura could barely peel their eyes away from each other, with Pete 'sat with his arm around Maura all evening'. They observed: "They were all over each other. They looked totally in love and weren't trying to hide it from anyone."
'Intense' gazes
After the Soho snaps came to light, body language expert Judi James remarked that the pair appeared to be 'equally smitten', adding that their mutually adoring behaviour towards each other was a real rarity in celeb-land.
Judi told the Mirror: "When two of the most famous and gorgeous-looking reality TV stars roll into a relationship like Maura and Pete seem to be doing here the body language can often look lop-sided or over-congruent, with one looking keener than the other or both just hoping to double-up on the headlines via some showmance before breaking up publicly to get a gig on the next dating show or even re hook-up on a show like 'Ex on the Beach'."
She continued: "Pete and Maura's signals here though do suggest they might be equally smitten, especially as their eye contact and eye attention appear balanced in terms of intense gazing at the other's face.
"This is a rare behaviour for reality stars or any celeb couple as one will often be gazing adoringly while the other appears distracted by cameras or even a mirror."
Poking fun at rumours
Image:
Instagram)Hitting back at the gossip mill with a bit of cheeky humour, Maura was seen sporting a t-shirt emblazoned with the photograph that had caused such a stir, alongside a slogan which read: "We can't be friends'.
Maura wore the top while cheering on Pete and his pal Sam Thompson, as they recorded their popular Staying Relevant podcast, live at Hammersmith Apollo. Sharing a pic of herself wearing the shirt via Instagram Story, Maura wrote: "Hilarious night...U smashed it." [sic]
Podcast probe
Image:
So Wrong It’s Right with Olivia Attwood/Youtube)Pete recently spoke with his TOWIE alum Olivia Attwood on her So Wrong It's Right series, where he was grilled about his connection with Maura. Kicking things off Olivia, 33, didn't hold back as she bluntly stated: "Your dating life. Maura Higgins." Pete replied: "Me and Maura have known each other for a long time."
Continuing to probe, Olivia said: "You've had a kiss, we've seen it!", to which Pete insisted: "No, you haven't seen it." Not letting him off the hook that easily, Olivia pressed: "We've seen a picture of it," adding: "Next thing I need to know, are you and your dance partner romantically involved?"
Pete then burst out laughing, exclaiming: "My God!", to which determined Olivia replied: "You don't get awards by not asking the questions!" Artfully dodging the question, Pete proceeded to divulge: "One of the biggest problems is my b*******." He added: "Well I'm having to wear like Spanx ... because otherwise Shirley will end up with a couple of black eyes."
After party kiss
Image:
Daily Mirror)Although Pete and Maura have kept quiet about their undeniable chemistry, guests at the Pride of Britain Awards were left with no doubt as to their feelings for each other. Maura was seen planting a tender kiss on Pete's nose, followed by a kiss on the lips.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, an attendee revealed how they'd overheard Pete chatting about his single life at the event's afterparty, despite the affectionate display. The guest said: "Pete did look cosy with Maura at points but he wasn't shy about telling people he was single. He was proudly declaring himself single on the red carpet during interviews and even made a joke of not being in a relationship in the bar after the awards."
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