Body language expert reveals who Pete Wicks REALLY prefers in Maura Higgins and Jowita ‘love triangle

It’s the love triangle spanning the two biggest reality shows of the moment – Strictly and I’m a Celeb – and with every day that passes, fans become more and more confused. 

Is former TOWIE star Pete Wicks pining for Maura Higgins who is on the other side of the world in the Australian jungle, or is he entangled in a romance with his dance partner Jowita Przystał?

Before Maura departed for Queensland, they were spotted smooching on a string of dates, and Pete left a smitten comment on her final Instagram post before the jungle, saying: ‘What a woman’.

Yet Maura herself insists she’s single, while fans are convinced Pete and Jowita have fallen for each other because of the intensity of their Strictly performances. 

What’s more, they’ve been seen cosying up away from the dancefloor – with Pete placing a protective hand on her back on an outing in London and taking her to his hometown to meet rescue dogs, a cause hugely close to his heart. 

Now, body language expert Inbaal Honigman tells MailOnline that she’s solved the mystery, insisting that Pete’s dynamic with both women is ‘entirely different’.

Maura Higgins and Pete Wicks spotted on a date night, at the London Palladium earlier in November 

Pete Wicks and Jowita Pryzstal looked cosy as they enjoyed a day meeting a group of puppies at the Dogs Trust in Basildon last week in snaps shared to Instagram.

Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Inbaal said: ‘Pete’s dynamic with Jowita is entirely different to how he relates to Maura, judging by their photos. 

‘In the majority of Pete’s photographs with Jowita, she’s the one leaning towards him, he rarely leans towards her. This tells us that she’s dependent on him, whereas he’s not dependent on her. 

‘He’s the dominant person in the situation, whether standing or sitting. Pete’s shoulders are even and balanced, so he’s not disrupting his own stability to accommodate her.

‘Pete is the one leading the scene each time, and Jowita tilts her head towards him, or snuggles into him. She takes action while he stays still. He’s the leader and she’s the follower.’

She claimed that Pete is certainly enjoying the attention from Jowita, but that’s not to say that any feelings she might have for him are reciprocated.  

‘These photos tell us that Pete’s connection with Jowita is flattering for him,’ she said. ‘It would appear that he lets her feed his vanity. Only on the odd occasion do we see him reaching out to embrace her.’

Last week, when Pete and Jowita were saved from Strictly elimination by the public vote, their closeness was noticed by fans, with Jowita clinging onto Pete’s arm and stroking his jacket as they were interviewed.

‘Pete and Jowita’s video on the sofa makes it clear that Jowita is the affectionate one, stroking his arm and embracing him, while he’s facing away from her,’ Inbaal said.

Maura and Pete couldn’t keep their hands off each other on a dinner date at Gloria restaurant in Shoreditch in late October 

The pair put on a tactile display, but Maura has since insisted that she is ‘single’ and not in a relationship with Pete 

Pete Wicks has been setting the Strictly dancefloor alight with his sizzling routines with Jowita Przystał. But it was Maura Higgins who was in his arms for a daring TikTok dance routine last month

According to Inbaal, Maura – pictured with Pete at the BAFTA TV Awards in May this year – has the upper hand in their relationship 

‘In the footage, his leg is folded towards her, so there’s no doubt that he enjoys his time with her and likes her, just not as much as she likes him.’

There is no denying that the pair are close, and perhaps it was telling when Pete said on Lorraine earlier this week that Jowita is a ‘friend for life’. 

When it comes to Maura, however, Inbaal said their connection is a ‘whole different story’.   

‘Many of the couple’s pictures together show Maura looking away from her man, while he looks towards her,’ Inbaal said. 

‘When they walk side by side, his feet point forwards while her feet point away from him.’

In direct contrast to his relationship with Jowita, Maura is the ‘leader’ and Pete is the ‘follower’. 

‘She offers him very little eye contact, which means she gives him very little attention. With Maura, Pete has to work hard to earn her recognition,’ Inbaal explained. 

Perhaps playing hard to get was the reason that Maura insisted she was still single as she prepared to make her I’m A Celebrity debut, despite being pictured kissing Pete on several occasions.

When asked if she is in a relationship with Pete, Maura said: ‘I’m not. I’ve been on dates with many people. I mean, I date, but I’m very much single. Everyone goes on dates.’

Pete and Jowita looked cosy in London earlier this week, with the TV personality resting a protective hand on the dancer’s shoulder as they crossed the road

Fans are convinced that there’s something going on between Pete and Jowita due to the intensity of their dance routines 

The pair appeared on Lorraine earlier this week and said of his bond with Jowita: ‘We have a very strong friendship and are friends for life’

She added: ‘It is quite scary going in later. They have all met and got to know each other.

‘It’s never easy being the newbie, but I am not a shy person, so I feel like I will be fine. It will be nice to bring some energy to the camp.

‘I am single at the moment, but honestly no-one is going to fancy me in the jungle. Trust me!’

The plot thickened, however, when Pete wrote a smitten comment under Maura’s Instagram post as she made her I’m A Celebrity arrival, sparking further speculation the two are dating.

‘What a woman,’ he commented.  

Meanwhile, Jowita and Pete have been competing on Strictly together since September, and in recent weeks, sources have claimed they have been secretly seeing each other away from the show and have been spotted looking cosy on car rides together.

‘The chemistry between them has been pretty clear since the moment they met but the last few weeks something has changed and they’ve started seeing each other away from the show,’ a source told The Sun.

‘They’ve tried to keep it low-key but they often travel together rather than getting separate cars to different locations.

‘And they’re so tactile backstage it has become pretty obvious something is going on. Everyone is talking about the fact they seem closer than ever.’

Jamie Borthwick’s departure sparked backlash from viewers, with Pete and Jowita looking visibly shocked on Sunday’s show when Tess Daly announced they were through and not in the dance off.