Amanda Moss / 29 October 2024 / Categories: Media, People, People Who, Opinions

Pete Wicks

How one dance with the media changed me 180 degrees

I was dancer, still am and always a dancer really so watching strictly for me was a given when the show started. I got into the third or fourth season and have watched pretty loyally since.

This year before the season started I picked Wynne and Katya to win, something we do as a family every year. Even before we’ve seen anyone dance.

When the series began I thought they were the front runners, Katya’s choreography and Russian work ethic and Wynne’s musicality and popularity with the UK viewers would mean I’d take the pot, or so I thought.

Looks like my daughter, may have the winner in Pete Wicks after Saturday night.

Not a fan initially myself I never really saw the point of reality shows like The Only Way is Essex and I guess judged or misjudged the people as a collective in that show.

Why I am writing these musings, my overnight change of position (with the help of the media) first leading me to believe Pete and Jowita, someone I admire, were having a relationship and then Wynne suddenly had inappropriately touched up Katya Jones.

When the joker stepped out onto the floor, I didn’t actually recognise it was Pete Wickes, I was thinking what is Joaquin Phoenix doing on Strictly.

I was in, enthralled as I watched Arthur Fleck transverse around the floor with Lee Quinzel, Lady Gaga’s character in Joker Folie a Deux.

Pete Wicks and Jowita Pryzstal completely embodied the characters. The style was off the charts. The improvement for a non dancer was staggering. This Viennese waltz was my dance of the night.

My change of allegiance got me thinking how the press, the narrative that runs alongside a show like strictly, influences the way we think.

The Pete Wickes romance and then the Wynne Evans faux pas, true or not influenced me.

Pete’s spectacular characterization of Arther Fleck revealed to me a deep deep connection to his story and personal difficulties and he drew me in without saying a word.

It made me look a little deeper into his love of animals and how he has used his profile to spotlight animals and animal welfare, something I also relate to and am passionate about.

Going forward I have my eye on Pete Wicks as a dancer, and I will be remembering we don’t ever really know who people are.

I formed a picture of who Pete was based on nothing really and then when I discovered similarities to me I changed my opinion. When I discovered something through the media that didn’t align for me, I changed my opinion of Wynne, true or not, fair or not.

So unless we don’t prejudge, and judge based on the dancing alone Strictly becomes a popularity contest driven by the media and not a dancing competition driven by the talent, hard work, brilliant teaching and sheer determination.

All qualities every dancer admires.

The year before last I picked Jowita and Hamza and last year I picked Ellie and Vito. 2 for 2

My sweepstake is still Katya and Wynne however we would all love to see this Viennese Waltz again in the strictly final.