Pete Wicks has shared a quietly emotional new chapter with fans, introducing his new puppy just months after losing his beloved dog Peggy, a loss he has admitted left him heartbroken.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star, now 37, revealed four-month-old Rodney in a series of intimate Instagram photos, showing the tiny pup curled up contentedly on his lap. Pete explained that Rodney has joined the family as a little brother to his longtime companion, French bulldog Eric, and he thanked Dogs Trust and its West London centre for helping make the adoption possible.
But from the outset, Pete was clear about one thing. This was not about replacing what he had lost.
In a deeply personal message to followers, Pete spoke candidly about the pain of losing Peggy, a dog he described as irreplaceable. He admitted that the grief was so heavy it was something he struggled to talk about publicly, choosing instead to process it quietly behind the scenes.
Welcoming a new puppy, he explained, was not an attempt to fill the space Peggy left behind. It was a conscious decision to open his heart again and offer love, safety and stability to another dog in need.
Peggy’s death was confirmed last month on Pete’s podcast Staying Relevant, where he revealed she had passed away around a month earlier following a long period of treatment. On that episode, Pete brought Eric into the studio with him, explaining that the older dog had been feeling lonely and that he also knew listeners would inevitably ask where Peggy was.
Pete had previously told fans in July that he had “nearly lost” Peggy after months of veterinary care. Her passing came during what he later described as a heavy and emotionally draining year, one that even saw him planning to spend Christmas Day quietly at home with Eric.
Despite the heartbreak, Pete has continued to be a passionate advocate for rescue dogs. Through his work and his documentary series For Dogs’ Sake, filmed at a Dogs Trust rehoming centre, he has consistently highlighted the importance of responsible adoption. He has often spoken about choosing a dog that truly fits your life, and in his case, one that would also suit Eric, now aged 12.
Pete first adopted Peggy in 2018 through French Bulldog Saviours, while Eric has been by his side even longer, having been rehomed from a Dogs Trust centre near Pete’s hometown in 2016.
Now, as Rodney begins to settle into his new home, fans are seeing a softer, hopeful side of Pete. It is a chapter shaped by loss, love and resilience, and by the quiet courage it takes to open your heart again after it has been broken.
For Pete, Rodney is not a replacement. He is simply proof that love, once given, can always find room to grow again.