‘We're on a mission!'

Strictly 2021 star Rose Ayling-Ellis and her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice tell TV Times why they hope to change the world through dance…

- STEVEN PERKINS

Fridays are always hectic for the couples competing in Strictly Come Dancing with last-minute preparations ahead of them tripping the light fantastic in Saturday’s show.

But when TV Times catches up with EastEnders’ Rose Ayling-Ellis and her professional partner Giovanni Pernice for a video call, they seem to be taking it all in their stride as they grin, giggle and crack jokes throughout our interview.

Rose, who is making history as the show’s first deaf contestant, has already wowed the judges with a jaunty jive and a party-starting salsa, and, at the time of writing, she is poised to tackle a tricksy foxtrot in Movie Week.

Here, Rose, 26, and Giovanni, 31, tell us how they’re hoping their time on the BBC1 extravaganza will have a lasting impact…

Rose, how has the Strictly experience compared to your expectations?

ROSE It’s definitely harder than people say, but it’s so satisfying when you get it right.

When something clicks in your head, it’s really satisfying; it’s a very satisfying thing to do. I said ‘satisfying’ quite a lot there – sorry for saying ‘satisfying’ about 20 times in one sentence!

What has training been like so far?

ROSE EastEnders bosses gave me some time off [Rose plays Frankie Lewis in the BBC1 soap] so I can just focus on dancing, which is really nice as I do need the extra time, because, for me, it’s all about muscle memory.

To learn my dance, I have to do it again and again and again – I can’t rely on the music to do that for me. It must be very different for you, Giovanni?