Totally agree, Ochre . You beat me to it. He can send a positive tweet about the partnership and how he enjoyed dancing with her. After all the crap that she has gone through. Otherwise produce the evidence and then go and do whatever you want to do.

One public tweet and you put a near-identical story to the top of the press for another 24 hours.

They just didn't get on at times behind the scenes. But produced some very good, professional work, which I enjoyed.

Edit: Gio has already made several positive statements about working with Laura since her exit from the competition. He doesn't need to add anything.

Second Edit: Daily Mail can put up their evidence if challenged. It is their allegation.

Maybe she sent him some stinky text messages? Would that be very bad?? See what I'm saying? We don't know the story at the heart of it.

As we don't know any of it, it makes no more sense to blame Gio for not laying it to rest (if possible) than to blame Laura for things that may not have happened.

All I remember of the Backshall / Ola thing was James jumping up and down being generally obnoxious on twitter (bear in mind I quite like James ) while Ola and Steve kept perfect silence on the matter. Only after he was out of the contest was Backshall able to say he'd made no such accusations. And Lady Lavender says Ola doesn't even mention it in her book, years later.

I think we have to expect silence on the matter and trust common sense to remind us that the tabloids are the tabloids.

The 'allegations' could be a Tabloid's interpretation, of someone's interpretation, of something they heard third or fourth hand - or it could be based on even less than that - or based on nothing.

We don't know.

BIB - Either confirm with the evidence or deny the story.

Or a third party's interpretation of a brusque text that is simply the writer's style stripped of the understanding of the true recipient.

What a bloody sentence

Posting it anyway

But why? Gio hasn't accused Laura of anything

My suspicion is that if there is any evidence at all it wouldn't stand up to scrutiny


So if that's the case why not say that they had some professional disagreements but there was absolutely no bullying or abuse.

He does need to say something, surely he's not going to let the public slander of his celebrity partner go unchallenged when his name is directly involved.

Really would everyone saying 'oh it's chip paper' ignore those sort of allegations against themselves without publically challenging them?

Laura is being accused of bullying Giovanni, so only he can clear or confirm, it's a very specific accusation, not a general one. If it was a general statement saying she was a bully then different, here it says she bullied Giovannni.

We don't know.

I think its second hand at best, as the so-called text messages are not quoted directly. They are summarized in the way that you do if you are repeating a story someone else has told you. They don't say 'Gio was called a muppet' or whatever. So nothing is quoted. That is quite key. Its second hand (or third hand) stuff, from someone who has overheard a grumble down the canteen. Or whatever.

Laura has said no abusive text messages from her. That is much clearer.

Edit: There are no abusive text messages if Laura says there are no text messages and there is no quote from Gio saying there are text messages. They don't exist.

Unless you get Vodafone weighing in.

There are no text messages. There might well be mischief making.

If this continues Laura could always choose to publish any text messages she sent herself.

Well quite. She knows what she has written. Her statement is simple and clear. 'No abusive messages'. The so-called messages don't exist as far as she is concerned.

And Gio is not a source to the Mail - its a second or third-hand source. Mischief making.

Horrible piece of trouble making for Laura and Gio. Yuk.

There are stories discussing Laura's alleged bullying and abuse all over the net with no denial from Gio or the BBC a number of hours later.

She is being treated appallingly.

Or not.

It's an old tabloid ploy to 'allege' something on the basis they can keep the story running whether the 'accused' responds or not. Whatever they do doesn't mean the end of it.

Laura has made a statement. That's more than I needed.

I'm out!

This has been a great thread. Gio and Laura made an interesting couple and their tango was chillingly good. Shame it's ended in the blumming tabloids but it's far too unknowable (and probably petty) to sustain proper interest. Sorry to be so cut and dried, but I've got no appetite for it...

Hope Gio's back on SCD next year!

I don't need a statement or to know any details, my concern is Laura's professional reputation which is being unfairly damaged.

She has every right to do whatever it takes to disprove the slander against her.

I don't like the principle of guilty until proven innocent. The tabloids may want it to be that way, but I prefer the principle of innocent until proven guilty. I find that particularly useful when reading tabloids.

As do I fatskia but I also prefer the principle of not making serious slanderous accusations against someone without evidence.

It's out there now in writing and articles on the internet don't disappear like paper news did in the old days.

In Laura's line of work reputation is everything.

I appreciate that you want it cleared up for Laura's sake and that is a good motive.

I hope that people in show business understand how the tabloids work and how much veritas to assign to totally anonymous and unsubstantiated 'allegations'.

^ people in show business might understand how tabloids work and not believe a word of it, but many viewers will believe it and public perception does matter for people wanting work as a presenter and this could be damaging to her. It's harder for a woman too- if this were Gio being accused, he'd probably just be called a 'rogue' or a 'maverick' or a 'tough teacher'- just look at Brendan or Maks from DWTS. Laura won't get the same treatment.

I 100% agree with Ochre- Giovanni should've said something and I'm disappointed he hasn't.

Good morning, LL Was this a tweet or what he said on ITT??

Morning Sarah.

Gio's quote was used across the press but could have been taken from ITT after their exit - I seem to remember that he said something like that. The papers often 'write up' the ITT interviews without being careful about attribution.

I am really thankful that yesterday's negative story has not been picked up and embellished further today. Chip papers etc.

Roll on Blackpool, Ed Balls swinging from a rope, etc.

There is something to fix reputationally, but that is best done in a more considered way after the tabloid rubbish has stopped, Wouldn't surprise me if Laura gave an in-depth to one of the more intelligent magazines in due course. She will have something to say about life in the media eye as a professional women - but its probably better dealt with post-Strictly.

Good morning All. The following/unfollowing/tweeting/not tweeting and the significance (or not) of it all is becoming more complicated than an episode of The Missing (no spoilers please, I haven't watched last night's yet )

Nice exchange of tweets between Laura and Neil Jones - he obviously didn't get the "sssshhhhh, no-one talk to Laura" memo.

Laura: Came home to such a beautiful bunch of flowers but no note... 😊 anyone want to take credit? 🌹🌹🌹

Neil: It could be my brother or dad not quite sure

Laura: ha ha send them my love

Exactly shaposh, Giovanni is simply called a strict teacher while Laura's reputation is unfairly damaged.

Not chip paper, I google her name and there it all is still attracting plenty of comment, a lot of those negative towards Laura and all on the basis of the quoted source with no evidence.


It was the formal, scripted sounding tribute he paid to Laura on the main show Sarah before their last dance. He has now ignored everything and tweeted about Blackpool, beyond disappointed.

However it's nice to see Ore has replied to Laura's tweet to him and Greg wishing them happy birthday. I think she has two genuine friends there who would give side eye to the very suggestion Laura bullied or abused Giovanni.

I'm still in!

I'm very happy with Giovanni and Laura's performances on Strictly and they well earned my support.

This isn't changing that for me, and I hope it has as little affect on them as possible.

They did a very good job on Strictly.