“I Don’t Know How to Accept This” Strictly Star Pete Wicks Breaks Silence After Losing His Beloved Frenchie Peggy

“SHE WAS MY CONSTANT — AND NOW SHE’S GONE.”

Pete Wicks has shared the devastating news that has left him heartbroken after months of hoping for a miracle. In a raw, tear-streaked video posted to his social media in mid-December 2025, the former TOWIE star and recent Strictly Come Dancing contestant finally confirmed what many fans had feared: his beloved French bulldog Peggy had passed away after a prolonged battle with serious health issues.

The announcement came quietly at first—no dramatic caption, no flood of photos, just Pete sitting in a softly lit room, voice cracking as he spoke directly to the camera. “I don’t know how to accept this,” he began, eyes red and distant. “Peggy was my constant. Through everything—the chaos of filming, the highs and lows of life, the nights I couldn’t sleep—she was there. And now she’s gone.”

For anyone who has followed Pete’s journey over the years, Peggy was more than a pet. She was a fixture in his world: curled up on the sofa during Instagram Lives, peeking out from under blankets in paparazzi shots, stealing the show in countless stories and reels. French bulldogs are known for their expressive faces and unwavering loyalty, and Peggy embodied both in full. Her bat-like ears, soulful eyes, and that signature snort-laugh endeared her to thousands who had never met her. To Pete, she was family—perhaps the steadiest relationship in a life often lived in the public eye.

The trouble began months earlier. In July 2025, Pete posted an alarming update: Peggy had fallen gravely ill, and he had “nearly lost” her. He described a terrifying week of emergency vet visits, tests, and treatments that stretched into months. Fans rallied immediately—sending messages of support, sharing stories of their own dogs’ recoveries, even donating to pet charities in her name. Pete kept followers updated sporadically: photos of Peggy resting with an IV drip, updates on medications, quiet pleas for positive thoughts. “She’s a fighter,” he wrote more than once. “We’re fighting together.”

But the fighter’s battle ended far too soon. By December, the treatments had taken their toll. Peggy’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and despite every effort—specialist consultations, round-the-clock care, experimental options—there came a moment when Pete had to make the hardest decision any pet owner faces. He held her in his arms as she slipped away peacefully, surrounded by love. “It was quick at the end,” he later shared in a follow-up post. “But the lead-up… it broke me.”

The grief hit hard and publicly. Pete, who has always worn his heart closer to the surface than many reality stars, didn’t hide the pain. In interviews shortly after, he spoke candidly about the void Peggy left. “People say it’s just a dog,” he told one outlet, voice steadying only with effort. “But she wasn’t ‘just’ anything. She was my shadow, my alarm clock, my reason to come home. Losing her feels like losing part of myself.”

Pete’s openness resonated deeply. Within hours of his initial post, thousands flooded the comments with condolences, shared pet-loss stories, and virtual hugs. Fellow celebrities weighed in: Strictly partner Jowita Przystał, TOWIE castmates, even distant acquaintances sent messages of solidarity. The outpouring highlighted something universal—the profound bond between humans and their animals, especially in an era when pets often fill emotional spaces left empty by life’s uncertainties.

To understand why Peggy’s loss struck so many, consider Pete’s life in recent years. TOWIE launched him into fame in the 2010s, but the show’s drama often overshadowed quieter realities. Relationships came and went in tabloid headlines. Then came Strictly Come Dancing in 2025, where Pete—known more for cheeky charm than ballroom finesse—surprised everyone with genuine dedication and vulnerability. He spoke openly about imposter syndrome, the physical grind, the emotional rollercoaster. Through it all, Peggy remained his anchor: waiting at home after long rehearsals, greeting him with ecstatic wiggles, offering silent comfort when the world felt too loud.

French bulldogs, with their brachycephalic faces and compact bodies, are prone to health complications—breathing issues, spinal problems, skin conditions. Peggy’s struggles were not uncommon in the breed, yet Pete spared no expense or effort. He consulted top vets, adjusted his schedule around her needs, even joked in lighter moments about becoming “a full-time dog nurse.” The months of treatment became a testament to his devotion, turning what could have been a private ordeal into a shared journey with fans.

In the wake of her passing, Pete has been navigating grief in real time. He posted a single black-and-white photo of Peggy sleeping peacefully, captioned simply: “My girl. Forever.” Another update showed an empty dog bed, the silence deafening. He admitted to sleepless nights, to reaching instinctively for a leash that no longer hangs by the door. “I keep expecting her to trot in,” he said in one interview. “The house feels wrong without her snore.”

Yet amid the sorrow, small signs of healing emerged. In early 2026, Pete announced he had welcomed a new puppy—Rodney, a rescue Frenchie mix with big paws and an even bigger personality. The introduction was tentative, almost apologetic. “This isn’t replacing her,” he stressed. “No one could. But my heart had room, and Rodney needed a home.” Photos of Rodney tumbling over toys, nuzzling Pete’s leg, brought a flicker of light back to his smile. Fans celebrated the step forward, understanding that love expands rather than divides.

Pete’s story taps into a broader cultural conversation about pet loss. In a world where mental health discussions have become more open, the grief of losing a companion animal is finally being recognized as legitimate and profound. Studies show that pet bereavement can mirror—or even exceed—human loss in intensity, triggering similar stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Pete’s public processing has helped normalize that pain. “It’s okay to be devastated,” he seemed to say through every tearful update. “They were family.”

For Strictly viewers, the timing added another layer. Pete had danced through personal challenges on the show, channeling emotion into performance. Losing Peggy so soon after the series wrapped felt like one final, unfair blow. Yet it also underscored his humanity—the same authenticity that endeared him to audiences. He wasn’t posing for sympathy; he was simply grieving.

As weeks turn to months, Pete continues to honor Peggy’s memory. He has spoken about starting a small fund or awareness campaign for French bulldog health issues, hoping to help other owners avoid similar heartbreak. He shares occasional memories—old videos of Peggy “dancing” on hind legs, her triumphant zoomies after bath time—keeping her spirit alive without clinging too tightly.

In one of his most poignant reflections, Pete said: “She taught me unconditional love. No judgment, no conditions—just pure presence. I’ll carry that with me always.”

For a man who has spent years in the spotlight, navigating fame’s highs and lows, Peggy offered something rare: constancy. She didn’t care about likes, followers, or headlines. She cared about walks, belly rubs, and being near her person. In losing her, Pete lost that quiet certainty.

Yet in sharing the pain so openly, he has gained something else: connection. Thousands of strangers have told him their own stories—of dogs who waited at doors that never opened again, of empty collars hung on hooks, of the ache that time softens but never erases. In that collective mourning, Pete finds solace. He is not alone.

As 2026 unfolds, Pete Wicks steps forward carrying both the weight of loss and the warmth of memory. Peggy’s paw prints remain etched in his heart, a reminder that love, even when it ends, leaves an indelible mark.

“I don’t know how to accept this,” he said at the beginning.

Perhaps he never fully will.

But in speaking her name, in letting the world see his tears, he honors her the only way he knows how: with honesty, with love, with the same fierce loyalty she gave him every single day.

Rest easy, Peggy. You were loved beyond measure.