Surprise surprise. Why anyone reads that rag I will never know.

Even though I don't believe any of the rubbish apparently written in the Daily Fail I do think Giovanni and Laura should never have been partnered together. It was a very provocative move by Strictly knowing Laura is friends with Georgia. It must have made for an awkward situation for all three of them.

Perhaps as a fan of the show she thought they'd be making the most of their time training

I imagine it takes hours from a day filming those stupid 30 second snippets.

That would seem to suggest that the original leak did come from someone close to her wouldn't it? Though maybe not as I can't see her giving a story to Dan Wootton of all people (though she seems to be making clear that that is not what she's refuting). And that it's the response that possibly came from Gio's camp that she's saying is lies. All a bit odd to come out now, after the fact, anyway and not in anyone's interests.

EDIT - Oh, confused now - is it that that was deleted? Or comments from Dan? If so, what did he say? I don't think that highly of him!

No almost about it. Neither emerges well from the tabloids' sudden interest in the couple leaving Strictly a fortnight ago. What I don't get is why they thought it was current or interesting to mention any of this now. The 'insider' stories from the show usually centre on people still competing

Its a non-story really. They worked together professionally but did not develop the sort of friendship that continues after their time together on the show was over. With Strictly over, they are simply moving in quite different circles so there is no 'feud'... they both just carry on with their very different professional and personal lives.

Like lots and lots of other past contestants and pro dancers.

Neither Laura or Gio benefits from the Daily Mail or the Sun story. It is damaging to both of them.

Whilst I enjoyed their dances, I think the pairing was a mistake by the show's producers. Has there ever been a series with so many troubled partnerships? I wonder if they handled the pairings differently this year?

Hell hath no fury - I had to look that one up. The full phrase is 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" - meaning no one is angrier than a woman who has been rejected in love.

Why coat it in this flowery language?! You're suggesting that this source is Georgia.
Go on then, use it as another opportunity to take digs at her.

Others will have their own opinions, I'm sure. Perhaps ones that are based on evidence rather than your 'theory' which is based on none at all.

The thing is, I don't think Laura and Georgia are close friends at all, they seem to have gone out once because of a mutual friendship with Caroline Flack and one of the papers suddenly started calling them best friends and everyone ran with it. Georgia seems to be much closer to Daisy, who clearly has no problem with Giovanni.

That's how I read the situation as well. On Caroline's Instagram account she posted some videos of the three of them out one evening just before Strictly. I think, and may be entirely wrong, that Caroline felt sorry for Georgia when she and Giovanni split because I have no recollection of any friendship between the two of them before that. Same with Daisy and Georgia - they seem to be new BFFs as well.

Well... Gio is about to announce some news - which sounded like professional news. He had dropped some clues on his social media, which he had started using again after a bit of a break.

So, maybe someone wanted to rain on his parade? Professional jealousy?

I am having a little smile now about how things are progressing. Laura and Gio had some kind of spat (maybe) and we have had Daisy as being involved because she had dinner with him and now Georgia is back in the picture. Busy lad Gio!

Neither Laura nor Gio are 'devils incarnate', neither are they super mega A list celebrities so why is it front page news. My thought on this is the DM don't like the beeb and are associated through ITV with 'X' factor. They are perfectly happy to take a tiny grain of sand and create the Gobi desert from it!

I think if Laura (or Gio) are going to tweet, txt, or whatever about it they should not be cryptic it just makes for more confusion and creates more conjecture.

I can't get on board with that.

The original Sun article sounded believable, along the lines of what I'd surmised myself and really to some extent was there for all to see on the weekend they were eliminated.

I think someone close to Gio has made a misguided attempt at defending him to the Mail but gone way too far in using the terms 'bully' and 'abuse' and rubbishing Laura's dance ability. Gio really ought to say something publically to refute the source.

I couldn't warm to Laura and found her as boring to watch as Rachel Riley and Kirsty Gallagher. These tall girls, as with Daisydo seem to struggle yet Alesha Dixon, who also being tall, was able to fit herself into the Latin. Gio is an excellent dancer and probably comes across as arrogant due to his age.

The actual quote is;

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned

To be fair though, none had anywhere near the training and experience Alesha had.

Using the term "bully" makes Giovanni sound a right wuss and I don't think the Italian Stallion is going to like that very much If you're right Ochre then he should be extremely annoyed with whoever was trying to "help" him.

If Laura was a friend of Georgia's and had decided to keep a very professional distance between herself and Giovanni, then you can see how these rumours could start. With hindsight, maybe it was a mistake to pair Laura with Giovanni in the first place.

Laura was good friends with both Caroline and Daisy before Strictly. I feel for her that friendships with ladies who she has far more in common with than just Strictly have been affected just because of which pro she was paired with.

I think that Laura's clarification that she wasn't referring to the Sun story when she commented earlier about the lies published, tends to confirm your assessment. Whether or not it came from Laura (and I wouldn't have a clue - I never know where these sources are from), that clarification tweet seems to confirm that she's not refuting the original Sun story itself, and so it does sound like that's true or at least her version. And yes, it then sounds like Gio or someone close to him came out all guns blazing in response.

Totally agree.

'Cold fish' and 'piece of work' are famous Sicilian phrases

I don't follow SM of the dancers or pros.....is this today??

Wonder what and when?

Ha! Yes, not likely to be his words in a million years - but that Daily Mail story is someone coming out to "defend" him - rightly or wrongly.

Any of the professional dancers or BBC Strictly production team or celebrities on the show could be described as 'a source close' to Gio. Anyone actually close to him would not use the name 'Giovanni' but 'Gio' - as to be fair the Sun article did. The Sun article seemed to have a bit of truth at its heart wrapped around with a thick coating of Dan Wootton's trademark spite and bile.

The Mail article is more tricky for both Laura and Gio.

Gio's manager Gavin Barker is an old hand who wouldn't handle a press response in the way the Mail source has responded. Equally, that is not the voice of Gio - his English is simply not that good. I hope that Gio gets some good advice on how to deal with this rubbish.

The phrase 'undermined Giovanni's skills as a dancer' used in the Mail article sticks out to me for different reasons.

At least we got two pages worth before it came round!!! Yes, Georgia is the one to be blamed! Clearly there is no beef between Laura and Giovanni, she is conducting the arguement all by herself! She was responsible for how off they were with each other on Saturday night, she got Laura to unfollow Gio and effectively blank him since Saturday night. And she has to be responsible for all the stories too - from both 'sides'. Let them just roll with their 'theories' it will be turned on her regardless.

I think the implication that Georgia is behind it quite ridiculous

Laura doesn't seem to have a problem with Dan's story and looking at his tweets, it seems to have come from her side. She's upset about the second story which has probably come from someone on Giovanni's side.

It's a shame this has been made public at all.

Personally I think Laura and Gio got on fine, but obviously something went a miss at the end. Laura not thanking him on twitter, when she has through the series and then unfollowing him, following him, unfollowing and then following him again are obvious signs that not all is well. I wouldn't be surprised if she felt like he took the spot light off her in their last dance nor would I be surprised if she was upset that her experience on the show was overshadowed by the break up of GG.