PETE Wicks plans to invite Maura Higgins to watch him in the Strictly Come Dancing final if he makes it through tonight’s results show.

The ex-Towie lothario, 36, has told pals he would like to “make it official” with the ex-Love Island beauty, 34, when she jets back from I’m A Celebrity in Australia.

Pete Wicks with Jowita Przystal on Strictly Come Dancing
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Pete Wicks with Jowita Przystal on Strictly Come DancingCredit: BBC

Maura Higgins pictured in Oz
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Maura Higgins pictured in OzCredit: Australia Media

Maura and Pete spotted out on a date
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Maura and Pete spotted out on a dateCredit: Splash
It comes after months of the pair meeting for secret dates, although both stars refuse to label it a relationship and insist they are still single.

A source said: “Pete has really missed Maura while she has been away, and he has found it hard not being able to contact her.

“It’s made him realise how ­special she is to him.

“He’s told his mates that he is thinking of asking her to be ‘exclusive’, meaning they won’t date anyone else.

“Plus if he does make it through to the Strictly finals next week he thinks it would be the perfect week to invite her to watch him in the audience.”

Pete and his professional dance partner Jowita Przystal, 30, appeared to “kiss” during last night’s Strictly semi-finals.

He was seen to hold her very close after their Argentine tango, which was described as “hot” by judge Motsi Mabuse.

It came after Pete was hailed as “Mr Strictly Come Dancing” following his foxtrot to Beyond the Sea.

Head judge Shirley Ballas said Pete was an “inspiration” to fans of the BBC One show.

She said: “I am going to get all emotional — you are Mr Strictly Come Dancing.

“You will inspire people to go to the dance studio.”

Meanwhile Chris McCausland, 47, and his partner Dianne Buswell, 35, broke down in tears following their Viennese waltz to Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.

Turning to his friends in the audience, the blind comedian said: “You know what you are doing is big when your really close mates don’t take the mickey out of you.”

Dianne said: “When I got Chris, I had a lot of messages saying ‘you will be out pretty soon’. We proved so many people wrong and that is a testament to Chris.”

Last night saw JLS singer JB Gill and Lauren Oakley top the leaderboard with a score of 79 out of 80, followed by Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec with 75, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola with 72, Chris and Dianne with 69 and Pete and Jowita with 65.