Strictly’s Shirley Ballas doubles down on Giovanni Pernice support amid BBC probe

Giovanni Pernice has received support from Shirley Ballas as the Strictly star has spoken out in his favour again.

During a press chat this Saturday, July 6, the ballroom dancer said, in reference to the internal probe targeting the Sicilian over at the BBC: “I’ve known Giovanni for 10 years, and he’s a good friend of mine. But I’m not involved on any side of that [the investigation].”

“I think before I speak, and I stay in my lane, which is ballroom dancing. I think everybody goes into Strictly with the best will in the world to entertain the country.”

Questioned over her Strictly Come Dancing co-stars, she said she couldn’t comment on what ‘the thoughts are [of the professionals when teaching the celebrities].’ She said that the other professionals are ‘doing their thing’ and added that in the industry, ‘everybody is very competitive’.

“You don’t want to kill their enthusiasm or the thought that they can be the Glitterball champion. So, I think sometimes, words can be cruel and people deliver them in not a great way. I learned the difference.”