Pete Wicks has shared a tender new chapter with fans, introducing his adorable new puppy just months after the death of his beloved dog Peggy, a loss he admits “broke my heart.”
The former The Only Way Is Essex star, 37, took to Instagram on Saturday to reveal four-month-old Rodney, posting cosy snaps of the pup curled up on his lap. Pete explained that Rodney is now the “little brother” to his longtime companion, French bulldog Eric, and thanked Dogs Trust and its West London centre for helping make the adoption happen.
In an emotional caption, Pete told followers that losing Peggy was something he hadn’t wanted to talk about, admitting she was “irreplaceable.” He stressed that welcoming a new dog wasn’t about replacing the one he lost, but about opening his heart and home again to offer love and safety to another dog in need.
Peggy’s death was confirmed last month on Pete’s podcast Staying Relevant, where he revealed she had passed away around a month earlier following a long period of treatment. He explained that bringing Eric into the studio that day was partly because the older dog had been feeling lonely, and because he knew fans would ask where Peggy was.
The Strictly Come Dancing star had previously shared in July that he had “nearly lost” Peggy, telling followers she was undergoing months of treatment. Her passing marked what Pete later described as a “heavy year,” one that saw him planning a quiet Christmas Day alone with Eric.
Despite the heartbreak, Pete has continued to advocate for rescue dogs through his work and his series For Dogs’ Sake, filmed at a Dogs Trust rehoming centre. He has often said that adopting responsibly means choosing a dog that truly fits your lifestyle – and, in his case, one that suits Eric too, now aged 12.
Pete first adopted Peggy in 2018 after rescuing her through French Bulldog Saviours, while Eric has been by his side since 2016, when Pete rehomed him from a Dogs Trust centre near his hometown. Now, with Rodney settling in, fans are seeing a quieter but hopeful side of Pete as he learns to love again.
