TOWIE star Pete Wicks doesn’t want ‘boring’ Mark Wright back to celebrate the show’s upcoming ten year anniversary.
Pete, 31, says former TOWIE original Mark, 33, ‘likes to distance himself’ from the reality series that once saw him womanise the likes of ex-co-stars Sam Faiers, Lauren Goodger and Lucy Mecklenburgh.
In an exclusive interview with MailOnline Pete reveals his top picks for the reunion are Joey Essex and Amy Childs – but says Mark would be a dull choice.
Not bothered: TOWIE star Pete Wicks doesn’t want ‘boring’ Mark Wright back to celebrate the show’s upcoming ten year anniversary (pictured October 2019)
He said: ‘TOWIE has become a bit of an institution hasn’t it? It’s definitely worth celebrating ten years.
‘I would most like to see Joey Essex back. It would be great to have him back, I get on really well with Joe. Surely he’d be the one that most people would like to see back?
‘Mark likes to distance himself now doesn’t he…? It’s a bit more unlikely. He’s boring.
‘Amy Childs is always a laugh, she’d be a good one to come back. Everyone has played their part in it over the years.’
TV presenter Mark, who’s now married to actress Michelle Keegan, left TOWIE in 2011 after starring on the show with his mum Carol, sister Jess and late Nanny Pat.
Throwback: Pete says Mark ‘likes to distance himself’ from the show that saw him womanise the likes of Sam Faiers, Lauren Goodger (pictured) and Lucy Mecklenburgh (taken in 2011)
He is reportedly in talks with ITVBe producers to return for the spin-off episode – with bosses hoping signing him up will entice other ex-cast members to take part.
Since leaving TOWIE Mark has starred on Strictly Come Dancing, hosted Channel 5’s The Bachelor and presented entertainment news programme Extra in the US.
But he first rose to fame as an original on the reality series that documented his on-off relationship with ex-fiancée Lauren Goodger.
Comeback?: Mark, who’s now married to actress Michelle Keegan (pictured), is reportedly in talks with ITVBe producers to return for the TOWIE reunion show
During his six years on TOWIE, Pete has become known for his long hair, tattoos and ‘volatile’ relationship with ex-girlfriend Megan McKenna.
While he’s still in love with tattoos – and is even considering getting his faced inked – Pete revealed he’s bored of his hair and recently came close to chopping it off.
He said: ‘I was thinking about getting a skin head before Christmas but my hairdresser said for me not to do it.
‘I said I was bored so instead I got a bit of balayage, some blonde tints through it – it’s a geezer’s balayage.
‘But one day I will get a skinhead again and when I do get rid of it I’ll do it properly. Last time I had a skinhead it was quite a few years ago and I’ve aged quite badly since then.
‘What I really want is to get my face tattooed but everyone tells me I’m not allowed to do it. But the more people that tell me I’m not allowed to do it, the more I want to… My mum would finally disown me.’
‘Everyone tells me I’m not allowed to do it’: Pete says he wants to get his face tattooed but fears his mum will finally disown him if he does – while also debating cutting off his long hair
Pete’s biggest fear is becoming the ‘Ian Beale of reality TV’ after admitting younger Love Island stars show him up with their ‘muscles and Botox.’
He continued: ‘I saw a picture of me from a few years ago the other day and I’ve aged terribly, it must be TOWIE. It’s aged me.
‘I’ve never had any Botox or any of that done. It’s trying to compete with these Love Island lot and muscle Marys, they look lovely and I just look like an old drunk.
‘I’m only 31 but in this game, that’s quite old. I’ve turned into the Ian Beale of reality.’
‘Our relationship was volatile’: The former Celebs Go Dating star confirmed to MailOnline him and Megan are not getting back together after they were pictured ‘looking close’ at the NTAs
Pete and Megan were pictured ‘looking close’ at January’s National Television Awards, which led fans to believe the ex-couple may have reunited.
But Pete has confirmed to MailOnline that him and Megan are just friends and they would ‘never work’ in a romantic relationship.
He said: ‘Megan is an amazing person, for us to be together, terrible, we would never work. But as friends we work really, really well.
‘I’m super proud of her at the minute with everything she’s doing. We talk every now and then because we’re really good friends.
‘The pictures from the NTAs, people started to get a bit excited but it’s not like that at all with me and Megan anymore, which is really odd, it’s unusual I guess for exes, especially exes that had a relationship as volatile as ours.
‘But where we’ve both moved on and realised that our relationship wasn’t great, you just enter a new phrase of respect for each other.’
‘We’re really good friends’: Pete says he’s ‘super proud’ of Megan, who won Celebrity X Factor last year and signed a recording contract with Simon Cowell
Animal lover Pete has posed topless in aid of vegan beauty brand Barry M’s Wildlife campaign, which aims to raise awareness for conservation charity the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.
Makeup artist Anna Lingis painted some endangered animals such as a pangolin and rhino on Pete’s chest to celebrate the release of Barry M’s new makeup pallets.
Speaking about his work with the brand, Pete said: ‘This campaign is about Barry M bringing out eyeshadow pallets but the profits are going to charities.
‘Barry M teamed up with a wildlife foundation to give the profits to endangered species, there are four different ones, a snow leopard, pangolin, a rhino… It’s to help and preserve these animals.
‘I had to shave my body and she painted me, it was really relaxing – I had a great time! It was quite hard for her to do as I’m covered in tattoos as well. I even had my nails painted. The hardest part was getting the paint off again.’
Animal lover: Pete is supporting make up brand Barry M’s Wildlife campaign which aims to raise funds for conservation charity, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation