”I prefer dogs to people, If people could be more like dogs, I think the world would be a better place”

Despite his shot immune system and narrowly missing out on the Strictly final, Pete, 36, is otherwise on great form, offering the same charm and dry humour fans love him for on Staying Relevant, the podcast he hosts with best mate Sam Thompson. But we are actually about to see an entirely different side to the former reality star. He is taking the helm of a show he admits is ‘the best thing I’ve ever done’ (no, it’s not a return to his 2015 fame-finder TOWIE) called For Dogs’ Sake, where he plays a pivotal part in helping troubled pooches get a second chance in life. The dog-obsessive might prefer his four-legged pals to humans (we wonder if this applies to his rumoured love interest Maura Higgins), but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a real people’s champion. Take the floor, Mr Strictly Come Dancing…

Did you surprise yourself on the show?

I take everything I do seriously, but I don’t take myself seriously, and I think that was part and parcel of what this was about. I was evidently not the best dancer or the most technically great. I wasn’t gifted. I have no talent. But I tried my best, and I think it’s a really important thing for everyone – you don’t have to be the best at something, but if you enjoy it, then why shouldn’t you carry on? I loved every minute. It wasn’t a surprise to me that I would put as much work in as I did, because that’s me as a person, but certainly, the amount of joy that I got from it surprised me.

How did it compare to your expectations?

I had no expectations at all. The only time I saw Strictly was when I went to the first live show the year before to see Zara [McDermott] with Sam [Thompson]. I’ve never actually watched an episode on the TV. Watching it live, I thought, God, this is massive, in terms of what goes into it. For me, I never treated [Strictly] like a competition. I enjoyed every Saturday. I thought I’d go [out on] week one, so every week was a gift, as far as I’m concerned. I didn’t expect it to be such a magical little family of people.

How would you feel about doing future projects together?

I would love to do stuff with Chris. I think it would be hilarious. He and I have such an unlikely kind of friendship, but he’s just a joy to be around. Any opportunity to work with Chris, I would absolutely welcome.

Now, let’s talk about your newest project…

For Dogs’ Sake is the best thing I’ve ever done. I don’t consider it to be work. This is something I’ve always wanted to do, ever since I was blessed enough to end up on TV. Dogs, and animals in particular, have been a passion of mine throughout my life.

Why are dogs so important to you?

They’ve always been a big part of my life, I find them my safe place. I prefer dogs to people, I always have done. It’s the innocence, it’s the fact they live for the moment. They don’t care what you look like. They don’t care what’s happening in your life. They just give you unconditional love. If people could be more like dogs, I think the world would be a better place. I’ve got two rescue dogs myself now [Eric and Peggy], one of which is actually from Dogs Trust [Basildon], where the show was filmed. It was a real full-circle moment. I adopted Eric from Dogs Trust 10 years ago, so to then come back and be able to be part of the team and immerse myself in that world was a really beautiful thing. Rescue dogs, or dogs that need a second chance in life, I have a bit of an affinity [with]. I would consider myself a bit of an underdog, and I think everyone deserves a second chance, and a little bit of love.

You did some puppy-naming on the show – how did you come up with Eric and Peggy’s?

I am a bit of a weirdo, I love dogs with human names. I just find it quite funny if you’re out and you’re shouting for Christopher and over comes a pug, do you know what I mean? When I got Eric, I had another dog called Ernest, so I had Eric and Ernie. He just looks like an Eric, like the bloke in the pub who sits in the corner with a pint of Guinness and doesn’t talk to anyone. And Peggy… she’s got one eye, so she’s my Pirate Peggy. I used to be Pirate Pete back in the day, so she’s Pirate Peggy. The naming process is always fun. I do it based on what I think they look like. I give them personalities and voices in my head. It’s really sad. I’m a sad little man.

We love it! How difficult was it not to get attached to the dogs at Dogs Trust?

I was attached to every single one. I literally see a dog in the street and get attached to it. I am an absolute sucker when it comes to dogs. Certainly being at Dogs Trust was very, very difficult for me. If I had my way and I didn’t have to work, I would just live in the middle of nowhere in a forest surrounded by dogs.

Would you want to adopt any more?

Peggy is a little nightmare, which prevents me from getting any more at the minute, but I’m sure I’ll be adding to my little crew at some point.

How would you sum up the show?

The whole thing was just a roller coaster of laughter and tears, but ultimately, it was quite life-affirming for me. It’s just a really nice opportunity to highlight how important dogs are. As much as it’s got my name on the title, it’s not about me, it’s about the dogs, and it’s about the people who work at the shelters who help these dogs find a second chance.

Anything you learned that surprised you?

There’s something really funny actually. This is a wild, genuine fact. We had a litter of puppies come in who’d been left in a cardboard box in a supermarket, and they all looked completely different. As we were trying to work out what breeds they are, I found out that the same litter of puppies could have two different dads.

That’s not possible, surely?

I promise you, that’s what I said. I said, ‘You’ve got to be lying.’ It’s genuine. If a mum has had a lovely time with two different dog dads, then she could have a litter that is a mixture of both dads. That comes from a vet, so I haven’t made that up. It took me about two weeks to believe it was true.