Pete Wicks gives his dogs human names as well as 'personalities and voices'

Pete Wicks gives dogs names based "on what they look like" and imagines their "personalities and voices" in his head.

The 'Strictly Come Dancing' star has two rescue dogs - Eric and Peggy - and he "loves" and finds the thought of shouting a human name at a cute pooch and pretending they are people "quite funny".

He told Heat magazine: "I am a bit of a weirdo ...

"The naming process is always fun. I do it based on what I think they look like.

"I just find it quite funny if you're out, and you're shouting for Christopher and over comes a pug, do you know what I mean?

"When I got Eric, I had another dog called Ernest, so I had Eric and Ernie.

"He just looks like an Eric, like the bloke in the pub who sits in the corner with a pint of Guinness and doesn't talk to anyone.

"And Peggy .... she's got one eye, so she's my Pirate Peggy.

"I used to be Pirate Pete back in the day, so she's Pirate Peggy ...

"I give them personalities and voices in my head.

"It's really sad. I'm a sad little man."

The 37-year-old TV personality is fronting the documentary series 'Pete Wicks: For Dogs' Sake' - and found it hard meeting rescue pooches at Dog's Trust Basildon in Essex.

The former 'The Only Way Is Essex' star explained: "It was a real full-circle moment.

"I adopted Eric from Dogs Trust 10 years ago, so to then come back and be able to be part of the team and immerse myself in that world was a really beautiful thing.

"Rescue dogs, or dogs that need a second chance in life, I have a bit of an affinity with.

"I would consider myself a bit of an underdog, and I think everyone deserves a second chance, and a little bit of love."

Pete continued: "As much as it's got my name on the title, it's not about me, it's about the dogs, and it's about the people who work at the shelters who help these dogs find a second chance."

'Pete Wicks: For Dogs' Sake' starts on Tuesday (07.01.25) at 8pm on UandW.