Maura is said to have ended things after he messaged other women

PETE Wicks has broken his silence on the Strictly curse following his split from Maura Higgins.

The 37-year-old was dating Maura, 34, while taking part in the competition but they went their separate ways this month.

Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal dancing on Strictly Come Dancing.
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Pete with his pro partner Jowita on StrictlyCredit: PA

Maura Higgins and Pete Wicks on a date night.
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He was dating Maura Higgins but the pair have since splitCredit: Splash

Pete, during a podcast interview.
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Pete opened up about the curse for the first time
He has now admitted that the BBC dance show can take its toll on relationships because it’s such an intense experience.

Pete and Maura remained coy about their romance throughout but after it ended, the Love Island star made her feelings clear when asked where he was on Valentine’s Day.

She said: “I don’t know, probably cheating.”

Pete was then quizzed about the infamous curse on his podcast – Staying Relevant – with Sam Thompson this week.

Sam was keen for his insight into having been on the show himself, where he was partnered with Jowita Przystał.

Pete told Sam: “I only know it from my experience and that was with Jowita – but you don’t see them all during the week.

“You only see them on a Friday and a Saturday but obviously you do spend so much time with people that of course yeah you become incredibly close with someone so but I think that’s that could be the same on kind of any show.

“It’s quite intense and whatever else. I don’t think it’s I don’t it’s the bodies pressed up against each other, I think it’s an experience that you only know and you go through with one person and I think it’s more that than it is the bodies pressed up against each other.”

He continued: “Obviously you go through something, there’s a lot of pressure it’s all consuming yeah  but I don’t see why it’s any different to a lot of other things because you have so many other shows where you know the jungle has had romances and whatever else.

“But it’s just Strictly it’s become this all the Strictly cursed because of how it’s seen and because it goes on for so long.

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“Bear in mind you’re there for three and a half months four months so if anyone splits up with people during that period which could happen at any other point of the year it’s because of strictly because they’re on Strictly or because they did strictly.”

Pete added: “It’s a very heavy period which I think takes its strain on relationships.”

Maura is said to have called it quits after discovering he was chatting with ‘loads’ of girls online.

A source said: “Maura was suspicious of Pete and whether he might have been messing her around.

“There’s been some rows over trust.

“She felt she was proved right when she saw loads of messages with other women on his phone.

“She knew she’d never be able to feel like she could trust him — even if the messages were all innocent, it’s not something she could get past.

“She didn’t want to be constantly worried about what her man was doing.

“But Maura remained coy about the relationship the whole time and isn’t going to start bad-mouthing him after the split — she is now just determined to move on from him.”

Maura and Pete were in a relationship for months after knowing each other for six years.