Entertainment
Strictly 2021: Has Giovanni Pernice ever won the Glitterball?
Giovanni is partnered with Rose this year (Picture: PA)
Giovanni Pernice could be on his way to claiming the Strictly Come Dancing Glitterball this year.
The Italian dancer was partnered with EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis this series, and the couple are the bookies’ favourites to win following a string of brilliant ballroom performances.
On last week’s Halloween special, Rose became the earliest ever recipient of a perfect 40, with her and Giovanni’s ice queen-themed tango set to Ed Sheeran’s Shivers earning 10s from Craig Revel-Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.
This meant that Giovanni, 31, continues his reign as the Strictly King of Halloween, being consistently the highest scoring pro on Halloween week.
However, this has never translated to getting his hands on the Glitterball.
Has Giovanni Pernice ever won Strictly?
Gio has yet to be crowned Strictly champ, although he has got very close over the years.
Out of six years on the show, he and his celebrity partner have made it to the final on three occasions – with Georgia May Foote in 2015 (his first series), with Debbie McGee in 2017, and with Faye Tozer in 2018.
Giovanni last made it to the final with Faye in 2018 (Picture: BBC/ PA)
However, Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani, Joe McFadden and Katya Jones, and Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton won those three series respectively.
2021 could be his year, though, as Rose and Gio are highly tipped to make it to the final.
Who has Giovanni danced with on Strictly?
Giovanni has been on seven series of Strictly, including the current series, joining the show in 2015 for series 13.
He has danced with Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote, Love Island presenter Laura Whitmore, TV star Debbie McGee, Steps singer Faye Tozer, RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage, and Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh.
Aside from his three appearances in the final, Giovanni came ninth with Laura in 2016, seventh with Michelle in 2019, and reached the semi-final with Ranvir last year.
The Italian dancer was paired with Ranvir Singh last year (Picture: PA)
Which pro dancers have won Strictly?
There have been 18 series of Strictly so far, and 16 professional dancers have lifted the trophy.
Brendan Cole, Darren Bennett, Lilia Kopylova, Karen Hardy, Matthew Cutler, Camilla Dallerup, Ola Jordan, Artem Chigvintsev, Aliona Vilani, Flavia Cacace, Aljaz Skorjanec, Pasha Kovalev, Joanne Clifton, Katya Jones, Kevin Clifton and Oti Mabuse have won with their celebrity partners so far.
More: Strictly Come Dancing
Just two dancers have won the title twice – former pro Aliona Vilani, who partnered Harry Judd and Jay McGuiness to victory, and Oti Mabuse, who won two years in a row with Kelvin Fletcher and Bill Bailey.
Out of the remaining couples on the current series, just two of the pros have won – Aljaz, partnered with Sara Davies, and Katya, partnered with Adam Peaty – with Giovanni, Amy Dowden, Nadiya Bychkova, Johannes Radebe, and newly partnered dancers Kai Widdrington, Nikita Kuzmin and Nancy Xu yet to win.
Strictly continues on Saturday night on BBC One.
