Pete Wicks has addressed Maura Higgins’ comments about their relationship (Image: GC Images)

Pete Wicks has spoken about Maura Higgins’ comments surrounding their rumoured relationship while she was on I’m A Celebrity last month

Strictly Come Dancing star Pete Wicks has finally had his say after Maura Higgins revealed that the pair were in a relationship whilst appearing on I’m A Celeb.

Chatting with his co-host and best pal Sam Thompson on their Staying Relevant podcast, the pair were updating listeners on the latest goings-on in their lives. Sam then proceeded to share details of his interview with Maura after she had been voted out of the ITV show.

Sam initially spoke of how he was not planning to talk about Pete’s relationship with Maura during his I’m A Celeb spin-off show, I’m a Celebrity: Unpacked with Joel Dommett, saying that his “loyalty to Pete beats everything”. Pete the replied: “It does until the leaving interview, and you say ‘welcome to the family’, so I guess that one just sort of slipped out did it?”

Pete made it all the way to the semi-final’s of Strictly after losing out to Tasha Ghouri for a place in last weekend’s final ( Image: Getty Images)But, while Sam had let “slip”, it was actually Maura herself that seemingly confirmed rumours of their romance while she was in the Jungle, as she opened up to her fellow campmates.

It was during an interview with ITV’s This Morning in the days after her elimination that she spoke in even greater detail about her new love interest, telling presenter Alison Hammond : “You do forget about the cameras, and I do like to keep things private, but let’s be real, I said it. I can’t remember saying it, but I said the words ‘I miss him’.”

She added: “I do miss him, like I missed all my friends and family. Honestly, he’s been so supportive, honestly. I didn’t know if he was still in Strictly and I’m so proud of him, he’s proud of me, and I can’t wait to see him when I get back.”

I’m A Celeb fans were given another glimpse into how she feels about the TOWIE star during an episode of I’m A Celeb’s ‘Coming Out’ that aired last Friday (December 13) when she said: “If you’re missing someone, you’re missing someone and it comes out. And I do, I miss him. Yeah, I really do miss him.” She could even be seen checking with her friend Talia whether Pete was still competing in Strictly.

Since her return to the UK after competing on the ITV show, she has been spotted reuniting with Pete as she took to Instagram to post a picture alongside friends at the ME hotel, London.

Pete and dance partner Jowita Przystal’s impressive run in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing came to an end after finishing in the bottom two with former Love Islander Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec, with the former Love Island star beating them in the dance-off to earn their place in the final.