STRICTLY Come Dancing winner Stacey Dooley has shut down any suggestion that she and Giovanni Pernice are 'friends'.
Stacey, who won Strictly in 2018, was quick to distance herself from the Sicilian dancer during a live telly interview.
The star was on BBC Breakfast to promote her new stage role in the West End play 2:22 A Ghost Story.
But hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent were quick to jump in and ask about Gio, who is being investigated by the BBC after at least three of his former celebrity partners made complaints about him.
Jon said to documentary maker Stacey: "While we are here, before we get to the news, I have to talk to you about Strictly.
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"Giovanni has made a statement over the weekend saying he rejects any suggestion of any threatening or abusive behaviour.
"I know you don't want to talk about that, but I guess it shines a spotlight on the intensity of that Strictly world that you..."
Clasping her hands together, Stacey replied: "What I would say is that I don't have a friendship with Giovanni.
"I didn't even have a working relationship with Giovanni and I haven't been involved with that show for years, so it would probably be irresponsible of me to comment on that.
"What I would say, more broadly, is I hope all of the women involved are okay.
"Separate from this, in my personal experience, it's a slippery slope not to believe women when they come forward and say certain things.
"But I just hope they're okay."
Sally, who has to remain impartial to good or bad news about the BBC and its shows, told Stacey: "It's a difficult time for the programme..."
Stacey, who is now in a long-term relationship with her former Strictly Come Dancing pro Kevin Clifton, responded: "Do you know what, honestly, me and Kev, we are so boring. We sit at home on the sofa with a cup of tea.
"He's pals with a lot of the pros but I don't know enough about that incident to comment."
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This weekend, Giovanni released a statement on Instagram and denied the claims against him, stating: "I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name."
But while some celebrities, including Made in Chelsea's Jamie Laing and GMB's Kate Garraway, have publicly thrown their support behind Gio, fans have noticed that his Strictly co-stars have remained quiet.
Some have suggested this could be down to the BBC's strict impartiality rules.
Writing on Reddit, one said: "I could be wrong, but maybe the other pros and judges are not allowed to comment/like because as BBC employees, they have to be seen to be impartial."
Another added: "I suspect everyone has been told not to comment to try and stop the story."
Three of Gio's former celebrity partners – including Amanda Abbington – have come forward to make formal complaints about the pro dancer, claiming they were left “traumatised” by the experience of working with him.
It’s since been claimed others may join them as the investigation continues.
The Sun revealed how Gio quit the upcoming series of Strictly ahead of the damning claims made against him.
