In the crisp autumn air of October 2025, as leaves crunch underfoot and the first hints of winter frost tease the horizon, a beacon of warmth and wagging tails lights up British television screens. Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake Series 2 premieres on Monday, October 13, at 9pm on U&W, with the full five-episode box set dropping simultaneously on the free streaming platform U. This isn’t just a sequel—it’s a heartfelt homecoming for podcaster, reality TV veteran, and self-proclaimed “dog dad” Pete Wicks, who swaps the glamour of Strictly Come Dancing and The Only Way is Essex for the muddy paws and soul-stirring barks of Dogs Trust rehoming centres across the UK. Building on the transformative summer he spent at Basildon’s facility in 2024, Pete dives deeper into the charity’s frontline mission: rescuing vulnerable strays, nursing them through heartbreak and healing, and guiding them toward the forever homes that every dog deserves. More than a feel-good docuseries, this season weaves an emotional tapestry of canine resilience and human compassion, illuminating the profound, unspoken bond that turns four-legged survivors into cherished family members—a connection that heals as much as it inspires.

Pete Wicks’ odyssey with Dogs Trust began not on a scripted set, but in the raw, unfiltered chaos of real-life rescue work. Back in the sweltering heat of summer 2024, the 37-year-old Essex lad—known for his cheeky grin and unapologetic vulnerability on shows like Celebs Go Dating—traded his podcast mic for a lead and a mop bucket. Immersed at Dogs Trust Basildon, one of the charity’s 20 UK rehoming centres, Pete spent weeks rolling up his sleeves alongside a dedicated cadre of carers, vets, and behaviourists. What started as a personal passion project—fueled by his own pack of rescue dogs, including the irrepressible Pug-cross Eric, whom he adopted from the very same centre—morphed into a revelation. “That summer changed me,” Pete reflected in a recent interview, his voice cracking with the weight of memory. “I went in thinking I knew everything about dogs because I’ve got three at home, but watching these pups go from terrified shadows to tail-wagging wonders? It’s like witnessing miracles every day.” From bottle-feeding orphaned litters at dawn to coaxing skittish seniors through trust-building exercises, Pete’s hands-on immersion peeled back the glamour of pet ownership, exposing the gritty heroism required to mend broken spirits. By summer’s end, he wasn’t just a celebrity ambassador; he was a convert, vowing to amplify the voices of the voiceless—those wagging underdogs whose stories too often end in silence.

The debut series, which aired in January 2025, was nothing short of a phenomenon. Across four episodes, it drew a seven-day consolidated audience of 501,000 viewers, marking U&W’s highest unscripted premiere since 2016 and topping the streaming charts on U that week. Total consumption soared past one million, but the real metric of success? Impact. During its run, Dogs Trust recorded their highest-ever surge in adoption applications—a staggering 30% increase—while rehoming centres nationwide buzzed with unprecedented footfall and volunteer enquiries. Stories poured in: a young couple in Manchester adopting a lanky Lurcher named Luna, inspired by her on-screen transformation; a retiree in Scotland opening her home to a battle-scarred Staffie, crediting Pete’s raw narration for melting her hesitations. Critically, it scooped Best Popular Factual Programme at the Broadcast Digital Awards, praised for blending unvarnished emotion with educational heft. “It’s not about cute clips,” one reviewer noted. “It’s a masterclass in empathy, showing how dogs teach us to forgive, to trust, and to love without reservation.” That bond—the series’ beating heart—resonates because it’s universal: in a world of fleeting connections, dogs offer unwavering loyalty, mirroring our own capacity for redemption.

Series 2 builds on this foundation with a bolder canvas, expanding Pete’s remit from Basildon’s confines to a nationwide tour of Dogs Trust’s network. Over five 60-minute episodes, he crisscrosses the country—from the bustling streets of Shoreham-by-Sea to the rolling hills of Newbury—embedding with teams who confront the charity’s toughest cases. Episode one catapults viewers into the fray: a battered suitcase dumped at reception yields four quivering puppies, barely weaned and wide-eyed with abandonment. Pete, sleeves rolled to his elbows, joins the neonatal nursery frenzy—mixing formula, monitoring vitals, and whispering encouragements as tiny hearts race toward stability. “These little ones didn’t ask for this,” he murmurs to the camera, cradling a wriggling bundle. “But look at them fight. That’s the human in us all—pushing through the pain.” The episode pivots to Kenilworth, where Pete meets Theo, a lumbering Italian Mastiff whose gentle soul belies a dire heart murmur. As vets deliberate surgery and behaviouralists coax him from his crate, Pete’s bond with Theo becomes a microcosm of the series’ ethos: healing isn’t linear, but love accelerates it. Subsequent instalments unpack layered narratives—a terrified Lurcher named Terri, paralysed by past abuse, inching toward leash walks; a boisterous Chi family surrendered in heartbreak, learning pack dynamics in playpens; and Esme, an elderly Greyhound whose twilight years demand specialised palliative care. Each arc pulses with the rhythm of recovery: intake assessments laced with sorrow, training sessions sparking breakthroughs, and the euphoric dawn of adoption days, where tails blur into joyful helices.

What elevates For Dogs’ Sake beyond standard animal fare is its unflinching gaze at the human-canine symbiosis, where vulnerability begets strength. Dogs Trust, founded in 1891 as the National Canine Defence League, rehomes over 15,000 dogs annually through a “never put a healthy dog down” pledge, but the road is paved with pitfalls. Series 2 delves into the unseen: the midnight emergencies where staff forgo sleep to stabilise fractures; the ethical tightropes of euthanasia decisions for the terminally ill; and the quiet advocacy for responsible ownership, from microchipping mandates to breed-specific myths debunked. Pete emerges as the perfect conduit—his Essex candour cuts through jargon, while his personal disclosures (like the grief of losing a beloved pet mid-filming) forge intimacy. “Dogs don’t judge your tattoos or your TV history,” he quips in episode two, wrestling a squirming pup into a cone of shame. “They just see you. And in that, they show us how to really see each other.” Viewers witness this alchemy in heart-tugging reunions: a once-feral terrier bounding into a family’s arms, or Theo’s tentative wag as a compassionate couple signs his papers. These aren’t staged theatrics; they’re testimonials to resilience, underscoring how dogs, in their boundless forgiveness, mirror humanity’s better angels. In an age of isolation—post-pandemic stats show a 20% rise in pet adoptions as emotional lifelines—the series posits the bond as balm: a four-pawed reminder that connection, however pawsome or paw-sitively chaotic, mends what words cannot.

Behind the lens, the production—masterminded by BBC Studios Entertainment—honours this intimacy with a verité style that lets moments breathe. Directors capture the unscripted poetry: steam rising from a post-walk kettle as carers debrief over tea; the soft click of kennel doors at dusk, a symphony of settling sighs. Pete’s narration, laced with his signature gravelly warmth, guides without overshadowing, while original score swells sparingly—acoustic strums for triumphs, sombre piano for trials. Filming spanned spring 2025, weaving Pete’s Strictly commitments with on-site marathons, yielding footage that’s as educational as it is evocative. “We’re not just telling dog stories,” executive producer Sarah Wright shared. “We’re celebrating the unsung heroes—the volunteers clocking 40-hour weeks, the behaviourists decoding tail flicks like hieroglyphs. And through Pete, we’re showing how one person’s spark can ignite a movement.” The ripple effect from series one proves it: beyond adoptions, the show sparked donation drives and policy chats, with Pete hosting pop-up events at centres, where fans queued for selfies with adoptable stars.

The anticipation for series two has been tail-waggingly electric. Social media erupts with countdowns—#ForDogsSake trends weekly, fans sharing their own rescue tales under Pete’s posts. “Tissues at the ready,” tweets one devotee, echoing the Mail on Sunday’s four-star rave for the original: “Endearingly authentic.” X buzzes with centre shoutouts: Basildon celebrating familiar faces from series one, now thriving in homes; Shoreham teasing pup reunions. Pete, ever the engager, drops teaser clips on Instagram—Theo’s soulful gaze, Terri’s triumphant zoomies—garnering millions of views. “Prepare for tears, laughter, and more beautiful souls,” he urges, his call amplified by Dogs Trust’s nationwide push. Chief Executive Owen Sharp hails it as “a deeper dive into our world,” crediting Pete’s authenticity for humanising the charity’s grind. With series three slated for 2026 and a Christmas special promising festive fosters and holiday heartwarmers, the franchise paws its way toward longevity.

Yet For Dogs’ Sake transcends telly—it’s a clarion for compassion in a canine crisis. UK shelters face a 25% intake spike amid economic strains, with breeds like Frenchies and XL Bullies caught in stigma’s crosshairs. Pete’s platform—bolstered by his 1.5 million followers—counters this with nuance: episodes unpack overbreeding’s toll, the joy of senior adoptions, and the therapy dogs provide for veterans and kids. One standout arc follows a PTSD-afflicted Labrador aiding a young refugee, their mutual trust a quiet revolution. “If more people could be like dogs,” Pete muses, “we’d live in a better world.” It’s a sentiment that lingers, long after credits roll, urging viewers to volunteer, adopt, or simply pause for a park walk. In celebrating these furry philosophers—who love fiercely despite scars—the series reminds us: the greatest stories aren’t scripted; they’re shared, one paw print at a time.

As October 13 dawns, Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake Series 2 beckons like a warm hearth on a chilly eve. Stream it on U, tune in on U&W, and let Pete and his pack pull at those heartstrings. In the grand kennel of life, where bonds form in the unlikeliest crates, this show proves: every dog has its day, and in their eyes, we find our own.