Pete Wicks is feeling “frustrated” over his friendship with Olivia Attwood as new fears have developed, claims a source, after the pair were at the centre of the rumour mill.

Pete Wicks is feeling “frustrated” over his friendship with Olivia Attwood as new fears have developed, claims a source(Image: ITV)

Pete Wicks found himself at the centre of a media storm recently after being snapped looking cosy with married pal Olivia Attwood during a recent trip to Ibiza.

Now, a source tells Mirror the former TOWIE star, 36, is frustrated as he’s struggling to shake off his playboy image. “Pete is sick of being unable to have close friends without it being misconstrued. He always has this problem of people thinking the worst,” says the source, who claims the pair are nothing more than good friends.

Olivia, 34, and Pete were on the White Isle for a mix of work and pleasure. They enjoyed a holiday with pals and hit the clubs while recording the Kiss radio show they co-host, The Sunday Roast.

Pete and olivia have been close friends for several years (Image: Getty Images)

But during a boat trip, Pete was pictured with his arms around the former Love Islander as she lay on him. The photo sparked speculation among fans on the true nature of their relationship – and, reportedly, left Olivia’s husband, Bradley Dack, furious back at home.

According to sources, Olivia’s footballer husband was “livid” after his teammates shared the photos in Gillingham FC’s WhatsApp group. One was reported as saying, “Bradley’s tried to laugh it off, but inside he’s fuming. He trusts Liv, but Pete having his hands over his wife while she’s wearing a bikini isn’t a great look. He’s livid with her for putting him in this position.”

Olivia’s followers have been quick to target her on social media, with one telling her that they are “worried” for her marriage. The star clapped back with, “Don’t be. Worry about your own.”

Bradley and Olivia have been married for two years and have been together on and off since meeting in 2015. Meanwhile, she’s been friends with Pete for several years, since meeting on TOWIE in 2019.

Earlier this year, Pete dated another Love Island alumni, Maura Higgins, but is thought to be single now. But he often finds his romances under the microscope – including tumultuous relationships with Megan McKenna, Chloe Sims and Ella Rae Wise.

Olivia married footballer Bradley Dack last year and has been with him on and off for ten years(Image: Instagram)

During his time on Strictly last year, Pete was also rumoured to be dating his pro partner Jowita Przystał, something they both denied. And, while fans fixate on whether he has a special someone, the Essex native has previously confessed he just gets along “better with women” when it comes to friends.

Pete said earlier this year: “I grew up with two really strong women, my mum and my nan, so I’ve always felt comfortable around women. A friend is a friend and the idea that men and women can’t be friends is a load of b******s.”

When it comes to Olivia, he said, “I count Vicky Pattison and Olivia Attwood as two of my really, really close friends. I adore the bones of those girls. Female friendships are important, but friendship in general is important.”

The duo began co-hosting their radio show this year, and even attended the BRIT Awards together in March. Despite any upset their summer trip has caused, Pete and Olivia brushed over the drama – gushing about the fun they had.

Olivia and Pete co-host a KISS Radio Show together(Image: Kiss FM)

They hosted a live version of the show from Ibiza last month(Image: Kiss FM)

Talking on their podcast, Pete said, “Obviously, we were out there working for a couple of days and then we had a couple of days off. It was… the people we were with made it such an amazing trip, but also we don’t get a lot of time off, and it was nice to go off radar a little bit.”

Laughing, Olivia chimed in, “I’m not going to lie, it was very feral. There’s a lot that happened that we can’t even discuss on this podcast.”

But despite trying to make light of it, our source claims the furore has Pete worried that it puts his friendship with Olivia at risk.

“Pete isn’t the playboy people are making him out to be, he loves Olivia as a friend and is there for her, but there’s nothing romantic going on,” says our source. “He doesn’t want to lose their friendship over this because they get along so well and that means so much to him.”