Pete Wicks has revealed he walked away from The Only Way Is Essex for "different reasons" but has other projects up his sleeve.
The tattooed star who shot to fame on the show back in 2015 was known for his heartthrob personality and partying ways but now aged 34, he admits life is very different.
Away from screens, the reality star has been heavily involved in animal charity work and has jetted to the likes of Romania and South Korea to help shut down dog meat farms.
Now, he has teased that he already has several projects lined up just months after stepping back from the ITVBe series.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, he said: "It's a different year for me, I've obviously taken a step back from TOWIE for a number of different reasons, the timing was right.
"I've got so much going on, I'm just about to start a brand new TV project but it's going to be a very busy year."
However, Pete went on to reflect on his "typecast" after first appearing on screens, admitting it was "frustrating" but explained that "every action has a reaction" and there was a "reason" behind his typecasting.
Over the years, Pete has made no secret that he prefers animals, mainly dogs, to people and stated that nobody is able to get their head around the "wicked" scenes at foreign dog farms.
"I wanted to go and see that for myself," he said before adding: "If more people actually experienced and saw some of the sounds, smells and visuals I did, it would certainly change their opinion on wearing fur."
His TV career has led Pete to have a "tiny bit of a platform" to raise awareness of animal welfare charities and he's even partnered with Dogs on the Streets which helps homeless people find accommodation with their four-legged relatives.
But while Pete would "love" to start his own animal charity, he thinks he's more use to thousands of various charities to give them as much help as possible.
Last month, Pete and his best friend and Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson teamed up with Philips OneBlade for their Flip 360 campaign.
The bearded hunk had completely revamped his image and shaved his beard in favour of a moustache, which he admits was a quite difficult decision.
However, the most nerve-wracking part was letting Sam get in close proximity to him as he shaved his iconic facial hair off.
"I think that probably made it 100 times worse because Sam being close to me at any point is horrendous," he joked while adding: "Let alone when there's something involved that could change the way I look, he could have taken my eyebrows off!"
The pair often entertain their millions of fans with hilarious TikTok videos, with Pete saying Sam is just like a "little brother" to him and despite Pete seeming "moody", they have a close bond.
Pete has teamed up with Philips as part of a new campaign which is encouraging the nation to switch up their grooming look. The campaign celebrates the launch of the new OneBlade 360, which features a new blade that adjusts to the curve of your face so you can reach even the most hard-to-reach areas. The product is available to purchase via Philips.co.uk for £49.99.
