For months Pete Wicks and Maura Higgins have been surrounded by romance rumours. The pair were spotted getting cosy while at a restaurant and, since then, fans have been hooked.

While neither have ever confirmed they’re boyfriend and girlfriend, Maura did open up about him during her time on I’m A Celebrity.

Today (January 13), Pete appeared on Paul Brunson’s Need To Talk podcast, and gave more of an insight into their relationship.

Pete said he wants his relationships to stay more private as he gets older (Credit: We Need To Talk/YouTube)

Pete Wicks opens up on Maura Higgins relationship

Maura recently appeared on the same podcast, and tried to stay quiet about her and Pete’s relationship. But since then she did admit they have been seeing each other. Today, Pete confirmed to Paul that he and Maura have known each other “for a long time”.

He explained: “We have the same sense of humour. She is super intelligent. And I think that is something people don’t realise about Maura.”

It’s different now. We spend more time together now than we did before.

Despite having been each other’s lives for six years, Pete admitted for a while their support was from a distance. But now, things have changed.

“She’s incredibly witty and we have always been there for each other over the past six years at a distance. We’ve always been friends and we’ve always been there for each other.

“But It’s different now. We’ve always been friends but we spend more time together now than we did before. And I think she is an incredible person. My relationship with her is she’s a great person and I would hope she thinks I’m alright.”

However, when Paul directly asked Pete if they were together, Pete evidently wanted to keep some of that to himself.

While earlier in his life, Pete may have been more open to people knowing those things about him, he explained as he’s got older, privacy is much more important to him.

He said: “I’m at a different stage of my life now. The things that made me known, which were my relationships and the drama, my reality background is not something that I’m doing any more.”

Pete opened up on his relationship with Maura (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Pete is prioritising his privacy

This new direction has allowed Pete to prioritise different things, and one of those things is his vulnerable side.

Pete explained: “The private me, and the more vulnerable me, I’m putting that one version of me out. So I have to protect parts of my life that I don’t want everyone to be a part of.”

Those parts involve his relationships, including both family and romantic. But he also acknowledges that because of his public image, he knows people will want to know certain things about his life.

“I no longer feel the need to have to give everyone that,” he admitted. “As you become older, that becomes more important. As you navigate this mad little industry, you realise people are going to talk no matter what.”