Unlikely duo Pete Wicks and Sam Thompson on their friendship, touring with their podcast and Sam’s plans to propose to girlfriend Zara
WORDS: INDIGO STAFFORD PHOTOS: DAVID CUMMINGS, GETTY, JAMES RUDLAND, LORNA ROACH, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
A TRUE BROMANCE
Ant and Dec, Cannon and Ball, Morecambe and Wise – UK audiences certainly seem to love a double act. And the latest duo who have won over the nation’s hearts are last year’s I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! winner Sam Thompson and former TOWIE star Pete Wicks.
The best friends have grown a loyal fanbase with their social media videos and podcast Staying Relevant. But Sam, 31, and Pete, 36, reached a whole new audience when they were reunited in a sweet and tear-inducing moment after Sam was crowned King of the Jungle on the hit ITV show.
Now, former Made In Chelsea star Sam and Essex boy Pete are heading out on a tour to bring their podcast to life, promising to recreate the banter and chaos their fans are used to.
Here, Sam opens up on proposal plans with girlfriend and documentary-maker Zara McDermott, 27, after speculation they had got engaged during a recent holiday in Dubai. And Pete reveals he’ll be attending both the stag and hen do when Sam and Zara do inevitably get hitched…
Hi, both! What’s the secret behind your friendship? Pete: He loves me, I hate him. Nah, I don’t want to slag other people off, but I’m going to. We are authentic. We are exactly the same off camera as we are on camera. In our industry a lot of duos are just put together for the cameras. He’s the brother I never wanted but here we are. We are totally the opposite as well which is unusual. Normally best mates are similar in some ways or at least like the same things, but I despise everything he does.
Ha! Can you name some of your favourite things about each other? Sam: Pete is like a crispy outer shell with a soft middle. His advice is incredibly good. If I have a problem, I call Pete and say, “What do I do?” I treat Pete like he is a brother of mine. When we work together that’s actually my happy place. The fact that I get to do stuff that I actually enjoy with someone I enjoy being with so much is awesome. I also like the way Pete will mug me off but he won’t let anyone else ever mug me off.
Pete: Sam’s positivity – something I lack and he makes up for it. His outlook on life I quite admire. He’s very loyal. He will quietly have my back. He will quietly not f**k me over but he will do it i
