For months, the grief stayed quiet.
Now, Pete Wicks has shared a tender new chapter — introducing fans to a four-month-old puppy named Rodney, after the death of his beloved dog Peggy left him heartbroken.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star, 37, took to Instagram to post a series of gentle, intimate photos, cuddling Rodney on his lap alongside his older French bulldog, Eric.
“Everyone meet Rodney,” Pete wrote. “Eric’s new little brother.”
He also thanked Dogs Trust for helping him welcome the newest member of his family.
But behind the sweetness lies quiet loss.
Pete admitted he hasn’t spoken much about losing Peggy, who passed away just weeks after undergoing months of treatment — a loss he says “broke my heart.”
Pete Wicks has revealed his adorable new puppy after the death of his dog Peggy ‘broke his heart’
The former TOWIE star, 37, who also has French Bulldog Eric, took to Instagram on Saturday to share sweet snaps of him cuddling new dog Rodney on his lap
Pete revealed his beloved French bulldog Peggy died, weeks after sharing she was undergoing ‘months of treatment’
“She was irreplaceable,” he wrote. “Getting another dog isn’t about trying to replace who I’ve lost. It’s about opening my heart and home again — and giving love to another dog who needs it.”
The Strictly Come Dancing star previously revealed Peggy’s death on his podcast Staying Relevant, explaining he knew fans would ask why she was no longer by his side. The admission came after a difficult year, one he described as emotionally heavy, spending long stretches of time alone with Eric for company.
Pete has long been open about how deeply his dogs shape his life. Eric, now 12, was rescued in 2016, while Peggy joined the family in 2018 after being rehomed through a rescue charity.
And while welcoming Rodney brings new joy, Pete has been careful to stress that adoption is about responsibility, not impulse.
“It has to be right,” he previously explained. “Not just for me — but for Eric too.”
For fans, Rodney isn’t a replacement.
He’s a symbol of something quieter — proof that even after heartbreak, it’s possible to love again.
