DIARYDIANNE Is Katie dancing on air with Giovanni?
STRICTLY Come Dancing hunk Giovanni Pernice has been spending time with another Coronation Street beauty after splitting with Georgia May Foote last year.
We hear that Sicilian dancer Giovanni has been partying in London with Katie McGlynn, who plays Sinead Tinker on Corrie.
The pair were spotted looking friendly together at a party after Katie travelled to the capital to spend a few days with a friend.
A friend of Katie’s told us: “She went to London to stay with a female friend. She went to a party and Giovanni was there.
“They get on really well but aren’t in a relationship. Katie is single and they are pals.”
Rochdale actress Katie tweeted her excitement about being in London, but made no mention of spending time with Giovanni who was partnered with Georgia on the BBC One dancing show in 2015.
Katie and former Corrie actress Georgia, from Bury, shared an onscreen boyfriend on the ITV1 soap - Chesney Brown played by Sam Aston.
Sinead started dating kebab shop worker Ches after he split from Georgia’s character Katy Armstrong.
Georgia and Giovanni made it to the finals of Strictly but they parted ways last August.
Announcing the split on Twitter Georgia said: “It is with great sadness we have decided to split up. There is nobody else involved.
“Although it was not an easy decision to make, sometimes you realise that it is better to be friends, and this is one of those times. We both have very busy work schedules for the rest of the year so we are both going to focus on our upcoming work projects, and we wish each other well for the future.”
Georgia is now dating model George Alsford and was whisked to Bruges for a romantic 26th birthday break by her man, rounded off by a trip to the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London’s Soho.
On Friday, Katie led the style stakes in a stunning full length sequin-encrusted gown at the starstudded Mirror Ball at The Lowry Hotel.
And, quite by chance, The Diary got talking to Katie about Strictly Come Dancing as we hear she is quite an accomplished dancer.
Would she like to appear on the show, we enquired?
She said: “I love dancing and would love to do Strictly, but while I’m on Coronation Street it’s just not possible.”
As to a particular dancer she’d like to be partnered with she said: “I don’t really know any of the dancers.” Hmm...
While we wait to see how this one develops, on Corrie she’s got her hands full - as Sinead is currently agonising over what to do after discovering that she is pregnant with Daniel Osbourne’s baby only weeks after ditching Chesney for Ken Barlow’s son.
THE BBC has apologised after accidentally announcing that Mark E Smith from The Fall had DIED instead of wishing him a happy 60th birthday.
A tweet from BBC Music’s official account announced “RIP Mark E Smith” next to a sad face emoji.
The post, which the BBC say was made in “genuine human error,” was swiftly deleted and replaced with the correct tweet saying “Happy 60th Mark E Smith” next to a party popper symbol.
But eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice the first tweet and pointed out the gaffe.
One follower of BBC Music, an umbrella title used by the BBC for its music output, pointed out: “Changed from RIP to happy!!”
The Fall, formed in Prestwich in 1976, are considered one Manchester’s most important post-punk bands, fronted by singer-songwriter Smith from Broughton.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: “This was a genuine human error and the message was posted by mistake and swiftly deleted. “We apologise for the error.” Birthday messages have been pouring in for Smith, including from The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess who said: “Asked Mark E Smith what was his favourite live act ever. ‘Weird Al Jankovic’ he said quickly. He was serious and explained for ages why.”