Pete Wicks has finally settled down, and it took everyone by surprise. The former TOWIE star, who spent years bouncing between high-profile romances and reality TV dating shows, is now in a committed relationship with his longtime friend Olivia Attwood. The couple went public in July 2026 after months of speculation, and by September, they were kissing on the NTAs red carpet in their first official public appearance as a couple. So how did two friends who’ve known each other for nearly a decade become one of the most talked-about couples in British reality TV? Here’s everything we know about Pete Wicks’ girlfriend, Olivia Attwood.
Who Is Pete Wicks?
Pete Wicks, 37, rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE), where his love life became a central storyline for years. He later appeared on Celebs Go Dating three times, competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2024, and now co-hosts the popular podcast Staying Relevant with his best friend Sam Thompson.
Known for his striking blue eyes, sharp suits, and self-deprecating humor, Wicks built a reputation as a lovable rogue who struggled to commit. That reputation may finally be a thing of the past.
Who Is Olivia Attwood?
Olivia Attwood, 35, first burst onto the scene on Love Island in 2017. She went on to become a Loose Women panellist, a documentary maker, and one of the most recognizable faces in British television.
Her personal life has been tabloid fodder for years, particularly her tumultuous relationship with footballer Bradley Dack. The couple married in a lavish ceremony in 2023, but their union was never legally binding. They split in January 2026 after Olivia publicly accused Dack of repeated infidelity.
How Pete Wicks and Olivia Attwood Met
Pete and Olivia first met on TOWIE in 2017, where they were castmates. They remained close friends for years, even hosting a radio show together—The Sunday Roast on KISS FM—before their relationship turned romantic.
“We’ve been sort of on the sidelines of each other’s lives through a lot of different eras,” Olivia told the Metro. “He’s everything I knew he was. He’s a very kind, funny person.”
The friendship-turned-romance wasn’t entirely unexpected. According to sources close to the couple, once Pete knew Olivia was separated, “he made his feelings known, and it all happened quite quickly.”
The Rumors and the Hard Launch
Rumors of a romance began swirling in early 2026, shortly after Olivia’s split from Dack. The pair were spotted kissing in a London bar, and Pete was seen doing airport runs for Olivia after her holidays.
But neither confirmed anything—until July 2026.
On July 15, Pete shared a carousel of photos from their trip to Ibiza on Instagram. The images showed the couple lying together on a yacht, with Olivia resting her head in Pete’s lap as he kissed her. His caption was simple: “I guess someone has to go first… IBIZA 🖤” .
It was the first time Pete had ever publicly shared a relationship on social media. And according to him, he was nervous about it.
“The thought process was—what would Liv like?” he said on his podcast. “All I really cared about was that I didn’t embarrass her.”
Olivia reciprocated a few weeks later, posting a photo of them kissing on her own Instagram.
Their Relationship in Their Own Words
Olivia has been refreshingly candid about how different this relationship feels compared to her past.
“It’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” she told Cosmopolitan. “We’re both in this era where we just want peace and to enjoy life.”
She called Pete “a very rare person,” praising his emotional intelligence and their banter. “Personality wise, I’ve never had a straight man who can go toe-to-toe with me on banter—he is the only one who can keep up.”
Pete, meanwhile, described their reunion after time apart as “magical.” After two and a half weeks apart while Olivia filmed abroad, he said: “It was wonderful to see her… we had a fabulous time, I have really hurt my back, because I was backflipping off boats. It was magical, is probably the best way to describe it.”
The NTAs Red Carpet Debut
On September 8, 2026, Pete and Olivia made their first public appearance as a couple at the National Television Awards. Pete was presenting red carpet coverage with Sam Thompson when Olivia arrived.
She walked over, wrapped her arms around him, and Pete kissed her while holding her waist. The moment was captured by photographers and quickly went viral.
A source said: “Olivia and Pete are really smitten but have both been cautious and are taking things slowly. Being together as a couple at the NTAs is huge.”
Pete Wicks’ Dating History
Pete’s romantic past has been as dramatic as any reality TV storyline. He dated Megan McKenna for over a year in 2016, and their on-off relationship played out on TOWIE. He also dated castmates Jess Wright and Shelby Tribble, and appeared on Celebs Go Dating three times (2019, 2020, 2022).
His most recent high-profile romance before Olivia was with Maura Higgins. They dated quietly for about six months in 2024, but the relationship ended in early 2025 amid reports that Maura had discovered messages to other women on Pete’s phone. Maura later described being celibate for a year, saying: “I’ve been cheated on by the majority of my exes.”
He was also briefly linked to Strictly pro Jowita Przystał after they shared a choreographed kiss during a live podcast show at the O2 Arena. Pete shut down those rumors firmly, saying: “We are not engaged. We are not dating—we really are not. She is my friend.”
What Olivia Has Said About Her Split From Bradley Dack
Olivia’s decision to leave her marriage was not easy. In a candid interview, she revealed that Dack had “lied and cheated on me multiple times” over the past decade.
“What happened didn’t break my heart—I broke my own heart by leaving, because the easiest thing to do would’ve been to stay,” she said. “Actually pulling the rug and sticking to it is the hardest thing.”
She also explained why she went public with the reason for their split: “Why should I fall on the sword when ultimately the breakdown was nothing to do with me? I wanted the relationship to work.”
What the Future Holds
Pete and Olivia are taking things slowly, but the signs are promising. They’ve integrated their lives—walking their dogs together, working together on their radio show, and supporting each other’s careers.
Olivia has said she and Pete are “bringing out a new side of each other.” And while she’s been cautious about making any grand declarations, she’s clearly happy.
For Pete, this relationship represents something new: a partnership built on friendship, trust, and years of knowing each other before the romance began. After a decade of very public ups and downs, he may have finally found the peace he was looking for.
As Olivia put it: “We tick a lot of the boxes that are really important in adult relationships.”
For now, the couple is enjoying each other’s company, navigating the spotlight together, and proving that sometimes the best love stories start as friendships.
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