Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice reveals dream dance partner

Virgin Radio

4 May 2023, 11:06

Strictly Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice has revealed there is one celebrity he has his sights on for the hit BBC show.

After winning the competition in 2021 with Rose Ayling-Ellis, Pernice was paired-up with presenter Richie Anderson last year but in a new interview, he admitted there is someone else he had his sights on.

Speaking to The Sun, the dancer shared he suggested Rylan Clark join the show as his dance partner.

At the time, Clark had just stepped down from presenting the Strictly spin-off, It Takes Two, and Giovanni thought he might be up for joining the main programme.

Speaking about their friendship and Rylan leaving It Takes Two, Giovanni said: "We are very, very good friends. I said to him last year, 'Why don’t you do Strictly on the line-up? You can dance with me’. He was like, 'Oh, that is the only reason I’d join the show'."

We would love to see it- maybe this year?

The dancer also went on to pay tribute to former head judge Len Goodman, who sadly passed away last week at the age of 78.

He also said he would like to honour Goodman in some way on the show by performing “one of his favourite dances”.

Giovanni has been a professional dancer on the BBC show since 2015 but has recently branched out with fellow dancer Anton Du Beke to create a travel documentary, Adventures in Sicily.

The travel show saw the pair travel to Giovanni’s native Sicily to experience all the island has to offer and share some touching moments with his family.

The three-part series was born out of Giovanni not being able to visit his hometown since the coronavirus pandemic, and Strictly judge and good friend Anton jumped at the chance to explore the Mediterranean shores.