In a television twist that has left British viewers howling with surprise and sentiment, Pete Wicks—the tattooed heartthrob once synonymous with the wild nights of The Only Way Is Essex—has been dramatically unveiled as the new face of “For Dogs’ Sake” Season 2. Airing its premiere episode last night on October 16, 2025, the U&W series positions the 36-year-old reality star as nothing short of a spiritual successor to the late, great Paul O’Grady, the irreplaceable comic genius behind ITV’s beloved “For the Love of Dogs.” Insiders are buzzing with praise, dubbing Wicks a “worthy heir” to O’Grady’s throne of animal advocacy, but not everyone’s tail is wagging. As the nation tunes in to watch Wicks trade Essex clubbing for canine cuddles, a burning question lingers: can this former bad boy truly fill the paw prints of a national treasure, or will his rocky past prove too much baggage for the primetime spotlight?

The announcement, dropped like a surprise fetch during a live teaser clip on U&W’s social channels, sent shockwaves through living rooms and social feeds alike. Wicks, fresh off his glittering run on Strictly Come Dancing where he charmed audiences with unexpected vulnerability and slick footwork, stepped into the rehoming center at Dogs Trust Basildon with the ease of a lifelong mutt whisperer. “I’ve spent years hiding behind the glamour and the drama,” Wicks confessed in the opening montage, his voice cracking as he knelt to greet a trembling terrier mix named Luna. “But these dogs? They don’t care about your tattoos or your tabloid headlines. They just need love—and that’s what I’m here to give.” The episode, filmed over a sun-drenched Essex summer, follows Wicks as he dives headfirst into the gritty, heart-tugging world of rescue: bottle-feeding orphaned pups, navigating behavioral quirks in anxious strays, and witnessing the tear-jerking adoptions that turn broken tails into wagging wonders.

For those unfamiliar with Wicks’ whirlwind path to this furry redemption arc, a quick rewind is in order. Born Peter James Wicks on November 1, 1988, in Harlow, Essex, he burst onto screens in 2015 as the brooding newcomer to TOWIE, the ITVBe juggernaut that turned spray tans and sibling squabbles into national obsession. With his brooding gaze, inked arms, and a penchant for high-octane romances—most notoriously with co-stars Megan McKenna and Chloe Sims—Wicks embodied the show’s “bad boy” archetype. Sleepless nights in Marbella clubs, explosive breakups splashed across tabloids, and a revolving door of flings painted him as the ultimate Essex rogue. Yet beneath the bravado lay a sharper edge: before fame, Wicks was a corporate director at a medical recruitment firm, supplying consultants to the NHS—a far cry from the chaos of reality TV. “I was the guy in a suit, closing deals,” he once reflected in his 2018 memoir, For the Love of Frenchies: The Dogs that Changed My Life. “Then TOWIE happened, and suddenly I was the villain everyone loved to hate.”

That book, a raw ode to his French Bulldogs Peggy and Harley, hinted at the softer side that would later define his pivot. Post-TOWIE in 2021, Wicks traded scripted drama for survival stints on Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls and grueling challenges on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, where a rib-cracking mishap forced an early exit but earned him respect for grit. His bromance with Sam Thompson, forged on Celebs Go Dating, blossomed into the hit podcast Staying Relevant, a candid chat show blending banter with mental health advocacy. Wicks has been disarmingly open about his battles: the testicular cancer scare that prompted a Movember partnership, the loneliness of single life after a string of heartbreaks, and the therapy sessions that reshaped his self-image. “I was the joker who never cried,” he shared on a recent episode. “But dogs don’t judge—they just sit with you.” It’s this authenticity that propelled him onto Strictly in 2024, where his partnership with Jowita Przystal wasn’t just dance-floor fire but a showcase of emotional growth, culminating in a semi-final finish that had fans chanting for a full-time gig.

Enter Paul O’Grady, the Liverpool-born legend whose 11-series run on For the Love of Dogs from 2012 to 2022 redefined animal telly as must-see therapy. O’Grady, who passed in March 2023 at 67, wasn’t just a host—he was a volunteer soulmate to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, adopting five rescues himself and turning episodes into rollercoasters of sobs and cheers. His Lily Savage alter ego had already made him a comedy icon, but it was his unfiltered empathy—bawling over abused spaniels, quipping through vet crises—that cemented his status as “national treasure.” The show, a multi-award winner including back-to-back National Television Awards, boosted adoptions sky-high and inspired a Battersea veterinary hospital named in his honor. When Alison Hammond stepped in for 2024’s revival, ratings dipped amid backlash; fans mourned the loss of O’Grady’s raw connection, with many decrying Hammond’s “forced” rapport as a mismatch for the mutts.

It’s against this backdrop that Wicks’ “For Dogs’ Sake” emerged like a lifeline. Launched in early 2025 on U&W—the channel’s highest unscripted premiere since 2016—the first season saw Wicks embed at Basildon, coaxing a shy collie through separation anxiety and rallying for a paraplegic pug’s forever home. Viewership surged, with Dogs Trust reporting record adoption inquiries and footfall. “Pete’s got that Paul magic,” gushed a production source. “He’s not performing—he’s present.” Season 2, recommissioned alongside a Christmas special and a third run slated for 2026, amps up the stakes: Wicks travels to overseas farms in Korea (echoing his real-life rescue missions) and tackles urban strays in Manchester. Last night’s opener featured a gut-wrenching segment with a hoarding case—20 dogs crammed into a flat—where Wicks, sleeves rolled up, cradled a flea-ridden pup and whispered, “You’re safe now, mate. No more running.” Social media exploded: #PeteForPaul trended, with 500,000 tweets hailing him as “O’Grady reborn.”

Yet, not all barks are in unison. Detractors, a vocal minority on forums like Digital Spy, question if Wicks’ TOWIE tarnish—think leaked texts from his McKenna split and a “friends with benefits” saga with Sims—undermines his hero arc. “He’s genuine with dogs, sure,” sniped one commenter, “but can we forget the club rat days?” Others fret over the comparison’s weight: O’Grady’s legacy is etched in stone, from his six-month Battersea volunteer stint to the tribute fund saving countless lives. Hammond’s ITV tenure, despite flak, has stabilized ratings, and poaching Wicks could spark channel wars. “ITV must be sweating,” laughed a telly insider. “Pete’s got the X-factor, but Paul’s ghost looms large.”

Wicks, ever the pragmatist, brushes off the hype with Essex humility. In a post-episode Instagram Live, flanked by his Frenchies, he addressed the successor tag: “Paul was one of a kind—hilarious, heartbroken for these animals, and twice the man I’ll ever be. I’m not replacing him; I’m just carrying a torch.” Backed by bestie Thompson, who commented “Proud of you, Wicksey—you’re smashing it!”, and co-hosts like Zara McDermott, Wicks is channeling proceeds from the show into Dogs Trust initiatives. His entrepreneurial side shines too: modeling gigs with RSPCA endorsements and a property portfolio netting a cool £5 million fortune keep the lights on at his Harlow pad.

As Season 2 unfolds weekly, “For Dogs’ Sake” isn’t just Wicks’ redemption—it’s a beacon for second chances, mirroring the pups it saves. From TOWIE’s neon haze to the soft glow of a rehomed lab’s eyes, Pete’s journey proves reinvention is possible, one paw at a time. Fans cheer his rise, skeptics sharpen their claws, but one truth unites them: in a world of scripted snarls, Wicks’ love for the underdog feels fiercely real. Whether he cements as O’Grady’s heir or carves his own kennel, Britain’s TV landscape just got a whole lot more fetching. Tune in next week—because if last night’s premiere is any gauge, these episodes will have you laughing, crying, and scrolling petfinder.org till dawn.