Pete Wicks, former TOWIE star and this year's red carpet host for the Pride of Britain Awards, has revealed he once helped save a young girl's life after she was hit by a bus. The 37-year-old, who is hosting the red carpet alongside GK Barry, told the Mirror about the 'shocking' experience while the winners of the emotional awards were being decided.
Autopilot in Crisis
Reflecting on the life-changing incident, Pete shared: "Years ago, when I was like 21, a young girl got hit by a bus in front of me as I was driving to work." He was the first person on the scene and jumped out of his car to help.
He explained: "When things happen, you go into kind of autopilot sometimes, and I don't think you necessarily know what you're doing. But it was the kind of shock afterwards."
Confirming the girl was okay, he added: "Yeah, it kind of really hits you. But she was okay. Yes, she was OK. But it's really tough. I think a lot of the time in crisis, you kind of go into an autopilot. You have to have the mentality to want to help, and I think that's really really important. And actually, having the mentality to want to help is a brave thing."
Childhood Trauma
Pete also had to be brave at age 12 when he discovered his mother in their kitchen following a tragic attempt to take her own life. He recalled reaching out to his grandmother Doreen for help before dialling for an ambulance in a desperate bid to save her.
In his book Never Enough, Pete discusses the profound impact of this traumatic event, which made him fiercely protective of his mum, Tracy. He describes her as the "strongest woman I know and my hero".
Emotional Judging Panel
The revelations came during a day of huge emotion for Pete and the judging panel, which included Carol Vorderman, Kate Garraway, Olympian Dame Denise Lewis, and Michael Sheen, who met at London's Grosvenor Hotel last week to decide the winners of the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises.
Welsh star Michael Sheen, fighting back tears, exclaimed: "Thank God for these people," as judges debated the extraordinary nominees. He added: "I'm a passionate judge. It's very emotional and quite overwhelming."
Praising all the nominees, Pete said: "One thing that stands out with the nominees is their vulnerability and their ability to look beyond themselves. All of them deserve to win, especially all the kids."
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