Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice says it’s a ‘privilege’ to dance in all-male partnership with Richie Anderson-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Strictly Come Dancing pro Giovanni Pernice has declared dancing in an all-male pairing on the show a ‘privilege.’

The Italian dancer – who lifted the glitter ball trophy last year with Rose Ayling-Ellis – is partnered with BBC Radio 2 DJ Richie Anderson.

Richie and Giovanni form Strictly’s second male-male couple, after Bake Off champ John Whaite and South African pro Johannes Radebe made history last year, finishing as runners up.

Following in John and Johannes’ footsteps, reigning champ Gio shared his excitement to be dancing with another man, which he has never done to the same extent before.

He was quizzed by Rylan Clark on their partnership while appearing on Monday night’s Strictly: It Takes Two and after securing enough public votes to sail through to movie week.

‘Talking of ballroom and latin, Gio, this is the first time you’ve been partnered with a male, how are you finding it?’, he probed, jokingly asking whether Giovanni was getting ‘jealous’ about letting Richie lead while he is the follower.

Gio says it’s a ‘privilege’ for him to dance with another man (Picture: PA)

‘Actually, I enjoy it,’ Giovanni began. ‘I watch it back and I was in the girl position, and I look good!’

He added: ‘I enjoy doing it and it gives me an opportunity to squeeze my brain and make this kind of choreography that brings the best out of Richie but, at the same time, it’s new for me.

‘So, I’m very, very pleased and privileged to be able to do it.’

And, as Rylan pointed out, whatever they pair are doing in training is clearly working, as they dazzled the judges with their high-energy quickstep on Saturday night.

The Italian pro an radio DJ are climbing up the leaderboard (Picture: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

After taking on a Wham! cha cha cha in week one, they earned an impressive score of 32 in week two, an increase of nine points from their first dance.

Richie explained his disbelief at the high scores, saying he thought they judges had ‘mixed up’ his paddles with someone else’s.

‘That’s the kind of thing you dream of when you come on Strictly Come Dancing. I just wanna get a little bit better every week, even if it’s two or three per cent better, you’re making steps forwards,’ he said.

‘But, to stand there in front of the judges and to get eights, I never thought that would happen to me in a month of Sundays on this show.’

John and Johannes formed Strictly’s first male-male couple last year (Picture: PA)

Richie and Giovanni aren’t the only same-sex pairing on the show this year, as they join comedian Jayde Adams and her pro partner Karen Hauer.

Previously, Richie has spoken about feeling inspired by John and Johannes from series 19, saying the pair gave him the ‘confidence’ to dance with another man.

‘John and Johannes last year gave me the confidence to be in an all-male partnership this year,’ he said ahead of the show’s launch.

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Addressing the importance of representation through Strictly and how much it would have meant for him when he was a child, he added: ‘I’m so glad I’m doing it. 

‘I just felt so much inspiration. I wish I could have seen that on TV growing up, when I was growing up as a teenager and constantly trying to discover what I was and what I wasn’t.’

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday and Sunday on BBC One.

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