Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins shared a kiss at this year’s glamorous Pride of Britain event. The Mirror looks back at their flirty past, which includes cozy lunches and moments where they shared “intense” looks.
After months of rumors, Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins confirmed their relationship with a kiss, even though Pete had said earlier that night he was “single.” According to The Mirror, the two were seen kissing and getting close at the Pride of Britain afterparty at the Red Bar in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
This news probably won’t shock fans, as there have been rumors about Pete and Maura for a while. Meanwhile, Pete, 35, has also faced a lot of attention over his friendship with his Strictly Come Dancing partner, Jowita Przystal, because their strong chemistry made fans wonder if there was more going on. The Mirror looks back at Pete and Maura’s flirty history and their playful moments together.
Close Conversation
This isn’t the first time Pete and Maura seemed close at the Pride of Britain Awards. At the 2023 event, they were seen having a deep conversation and sharing looks that hinted at something more than just friendship.
Maura broke up with her Hollywood stuntman boyfriend, Bobby Holland Hanton, in March, and Pete, known for his playboy image, has been single for a while. Though he has a reputation as a womanizer, Pete has spoken openly about wanting to settle down. In a recent interview with The Times, he said, “I’m nearly 36. I want to get married and have kids. I’ve had many great opportunities, but what’s the point if I can’t share them with someone?” He also admitted that he’s not ready for a serious relationship yet because he’s still figuring himself out.
Maura has been a strong supporter of Pete. In September, she cheered him on when he released his memoir Never Enough: My Words Unfiltered by posting “Proud of you” on her Instagram story.
The two have also been seen having fun trying out dance moves on TikTok, with Maura getting into the spirit as Pete continues on Strictly Come Dancing.
Lunch Kiss
In August, Pete and Maura were spotted enjoying a cozy outdoor lunch at the Broadwick Soho Hotel. Even though it was a public place, they didn’t hold back when it came to kissing. Pete reportedly arrived about an hour after Maura, who was with friends. An eyewitness told The Sun that after sitting for a while, Maura leaned in for a long, passionate kiss with Pete, which was more than just a friendly peck. The source added that they could barely take their eyes off each other, with Pete keeping his arm around Maura all evening. They looked very much in love and weren’t trying to hide it.
Intense Looks
After photos of them in Soho went public, body language expert Judi James commented that they seemed “equally smitten” with each other, which is rare for celebrities. She told The Mirror that when famous reality stars like Maura and Pete start a relationship, it often looks one-sided or staged, where one person seems more interested than the other. But in their case, Judi noted that their eye contact and gazes at each other looked balanced and intense. This kind of connection is unusual for reality stars, as one usually looks captivated while the other might be distracted by cameras.
Making Light of Rumors
They also seem to be having fun with the rumors about their relationship.
Maura responded to the gossip with some playful humor by wearing a t-shirt featuring the photo that got everyone talking, along with the slogan “We can’t be friends.”
She wore the shirt while supporting Pete and his friend Sam Thompson during their live podcast recording at Hammersmith Apollo. Maura shared a picture of herself in the shirt on her Instagram Story and wrote, “Hilarious night… You smashed it!”
Podcast probe
Pete recently chatted with Olivia Attwood, a former star from TOWIE, on her podcast So Wrong It’s Right, where she asked him about his relationship with Maura. Olivia, 33, didn’t hold back and directly asked, “Your dating life. Maura Higgins?” Pete responded, “Me and Maura have known each other for a long time.”
Olivia kept pushing, saying, “You’ve had a kiss; we’ve seen it!” Pete replied, “No, you haven’t seen it.” Olivia wasn’t letting him off the hook, adding, “We’ve seen a picture of it.” She then asked, “Are you and your dance partner romantically involved?”
Pete burst out laughing and exclaimed, “My God!” Olivia said, “You don’t get awards by not asking the questions!” Instead of answering, Pete joked, “One of the biggest problems is my b******.” He added, “I have to wear Spanx… otherwise, Shirley will end up with a couple of black eyes!”
After party kiss
Even though Pete and Maura haven’t talked much about their clear chemistry, people at the Pride of Britain Awards noticed their feelings for each other. Maura was seen giving Pete a sweet kiss on the nose, followed by a kiss on the lips.
An attendee told The Mirror that they overheard Pete talking about being single at the afterparty, despite their affectionate behavior. The guest said, “Pete did seem cozy with Maura at times, but he wasn’t shy about telling people he was single. He proudly declared he was single on the red carpet during interviews and even joked about not being in a relationship at the bar after the awards.”
My Neighbors Persistently Tossed Their Dogs’ Waste into Our Yard – My Retaliation Was Severe
Sometimes, you reach a point where you have to stand your ground, and that’s exactly what happened to me. This story is about how I went from being the laid-back neighbor to someone who served up a slice of justice with a little extra something on the side.
My name’s Mandy, and let me start by saying that I’m not one to hold grudges. I’m a firm believer in “live and let live,” the kind of person who prefers to keep the peace and not sweat the small stuff.
I live in a small, quiet suburban neighborhood. You know the kind, where everyone waves at each other in the morning and you can leave your doors unlocked without a second thought. It’s the perfect place to raise my two kids.
Our home has a charming little garden out front, complete with a white picket fence—the whole package, really. But as idyllic as it sounds, even paradise can have a few thorns.
The Thompsons — John and Sarah — moved in next door about a year ago. They seemed nice enough at first. They were in their early 40s, two big dogs named Max and Daisy, and had no kids. We exchanged pleasantries, borrowed a cup of sugar here and there, and I even gave them some of my homemade chocolate chip cookies as a welcome gift.
You know, just your typical neighborly stuff. But after a few months, things started to change, and not for the better.
Those dogs quickly became the bane of my existence. Don’t get me wrong, I love animals, but these dogs had a habit that was driving me up the wall. They’d do their business right at the edge of their yard, but they didn’t stop there. No, the Thompsons had devised a little system.
They’d wait until they thought no one was looking, scoop up the mess, and then—get this—they’d toss it right over the fence into my garden. It started off as an occasional thing, but before long, I was finding piles of dog crap in my flower beds nearly every other day.
At first, I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt. Who throws dog poop over a fence on purpose, right? I figured it had to be some kind of accident. So, I decided to address the issue directly, hoping a friendly chat would solve the problem.
One afternoon, as John and I were both out in our yards, I decided to bring it up.
“Hey, John,” I said with a smile, trying to keep things light, “I’ve noticed some dog poop in my garden lately. I think it might be from Max or Daisy. Could you maybe keep an eye on them when they’re outside?”
John turned to me, his face breaking into a tight-lipped smile, the kind that doesn’t quite reach the eyes. “Oh, I’m sure it’s not them. Maybe it’s your kids,” he said with a slight smirk, as if he were mocking me.
I was taken aback. My kids? Really? I wanted to argue, but I could see that John wasn’t in the mood to admit anything. I didn’t want to escalate things into a shouting match with my neighbor, so I decided to let it go—for the moment, at least.
But I knew I couldn’t just let this slide. They weren’t going to stop unless I did something about it, and confronting them directly hadn’t worked. So, I decided it was time for something a little more… creative. Something subtle, yet effective.
A plan started to form in my mind, and the more I thought about it, the more deliciously petty it seemed. If they were going to keep throwing their dogs’ crap into my yard, I was going to give them a taste of their own medicine—literally.
Now, I should mention that I’ve always been a pretty good baker. My chocolate chip cookies are legendary around here, so I figured it was time to put that reputation to good use. The plan was simple: I’d bake a batch of cookies, but with a little twist.
The next day, I gathered my supplies—flour, sugar, chocolate chips, and a little something extra. I’m not proud of what I did next, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I went out to my garden, put on a pair of gloves, and scooped up some of the offending material, sealing it in a bag.
Now, before you jump to conclusions, let me clarify. I wasn’t about to use actual dog poop in my baking. But I needed something that would get the message across.
Instead, I headed to the pet store and picked up a bag of the smelliest dog treats I could find. These little brown nuggets looked just like chocolate chips, but they had a distinctly unpleasant odor. Perfect. I mixed them in with the real chocolate chips, baked up a fresh batch of cookies, and let them cool.
As the cookies baked, the scent wafted through my kitchen. The aroma of chocolate mixed with the pungent smell of dog treats created an odd, unsettling combination. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was exactly what I needed. I could barely stomach it, but I pushed through, knowing the Thompsons were about to get a taste of their own medicine.
Once the cookies had cooled, I carefully packed them into a shiny, decorative tin. To add a final touch, I wrote a note in my best handwriting:
“To the best neighbors, enjoy these fresh-baked cookies! – The Wilsons”
I chuckled to myself as I imagined their reaction, but I wasn’t done yet. Timing was everything. The next day, I waited patiently until I saw Mrs. Thompson head out, likely on one of her daily errands. With the coast clear, I darted across our lawns and stealthily placed the tin of cookies on their porch. Then, I retreated to my house, positioning myself near the window so I could observe the aftermath.
It didn’t take long for the chaos to begin. That evening, while watering my garden, I heard a commotion erupt from the Thompson household. The dogs were barking like mad, their deep barks echoing through the quiet neighborhood. Amid the noise, I caught the unmistakable sound of Mr. Thompson shouting, “What the hell is wrong with these cookies?!”
I couldn’t resist the grin that spread across my face. This was better than I’d imagined. I knew they’d discover that something was off, but I hadn’t anticipated just how quickly it would all unfold.
Several hours later, I overheard the Thompsons having a heated discussion in their backyard. Their voices were low, but they carried clearly across the fence.
“Those Wilsons gave us some kind of sick prank cookies!” Mrs. Thompson hissed, her voice filled with anger and embarrassment.
“They must’ve known about the poop,” Mr. Thompson replied, his tone a mix of frustration and guilt. “What are we going to do?”
“Just keep quiet,” she said, her voice firm. “We don’t want the whole neighborhood knowing we’ve been throwing dog crap over the fence.”
I nearly dropped my watering can. There it was—the confirmation I had been waiting for. They were guilty, and they knew it. And now, they realized that I knew too.
But here’s the best part: a few days later, something miraculous happened. The dog poop stopped appearing in my yard. It was as if by magic. My little act of revenge had worked, and I couldn’t have been more pleased.
Yet, the story didn’t end there. A few weeks later, our neighborhood hosted a BBQ, and the Thompsons showed up. They seemed subdued, keeping mostly to themselves and avoiding eye contact with me. But I wasn’t about to let them off the hook that easily.
“Hey, John! Sarah!” I called out cheerfully, waving them over with a plate of fresh cookies in hand. “I’ve got some more cookies for the party. Want to try one?”
Their faces went pale as they caught sight of the cookies. They mumbled something about being full and quickly excused themselves, practically fleeing in the opposite direction. I chuckled to myself as I watched them scurry away. The rest of the neighbors happily devoured the cookies, unaware of the inside joke between me and the Thompsons.
As the evening wore on, I overheard some of the neighbors chatting about the Thompsons.
“Have you noticed how quiet their dogs have been lately?” one neighbor asked.
“Yeah, and their yard’s been spotless,” another added.
It seemed my little act of creative revenge had not only solved my problem but had also reformed the Thompsons’ behavior. They were now the model neighbors, all thanks to a little ingenuity and a lot of nerve.
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