Shirley Ballas makes call for major change on Strictly Come Dancing after Giovanni Pernice's exit

Shirley Ballas has suggested a major change to Strictly Come Dancing.

The Strictly judge spoke to The Mirror at the TRIC Awards earlier in the week hot on the heels of it being confirmed that Giovanni Pernice was not returning to the BBC Latin and ballroom show. Shirley has spoken out in support of Giovanni over the recent weeks, where she threw her support behind the dancer and said "the truth will come out".

"I know he is a hard worker. He wants the people to do the very best that they can do. Obviously in my life I was bullied a lot. I don't condone bullying on any path but also I don't believe gossip and what you read in the newspapers because things get escalated and they are blown way out of all proportion and it can turn into a great big snowball," she said recently.

"So my feeling for Giovanni is, let them do this investigation or whatever it is they are doing and the truth will come out. So we don’t judge anybody until I know absolutely 100 per cent. I won’t pass on the gossip unless I know 100 per cent it is true. I have never ever, ever experienced any ill will or bad feeling or bad sportsmanship or rudeness from him. He will be missed."

Giovanni and Shirley are good friends

Shirley is back as a judge on the new series

She also revealed she had just spoken to Giovanni that day, adding: "I just spoke to Giovanni 30 minutes before coming here and I am going to one of his Ballando classes to teach the jive (with Anton). He is coming to my party with Anton on Sunday. You know, I can only talk from my own perspective. I have known Giovanni for 10 years. My mother loves him. It does not matter when he is on tour, or where he is or what he is doing, he will make his way across and he will say ‘Lovely to see you Shirley. Lovely to see your mum.’

"I have got so many beautiful pictures, of the times that he spent, particularly when my mum was poorly, and he reached out. So he has always been to me, and I will make that clear, to me... a perfect gentleman."

Speaking exclusively to The Mirror at the TRIC Awards, she was asked which celebrity she'd like to see do the show. She told us: "Anyone from the Royal Family, or a member of the public - can you Cha Cha Cha darling?"

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