McGee reveals why wedding ring is off

STRICTLY COME Dancing’s Debbie McGee has revealed why she has not been wearing her wedding ring during the programme, while brushing off rumours of a romance with dance partner Giovanni Pernice.

The 59-year-old broadcaster, who was married to late magician Paul Daniels, said that to wear her wedding jewellery could be dangerous for both herself and Pernice.

McGee, whose appearance on the BBC show comes a year and a half after Daniels’ death, told ITV’s This Morning: “I’ve never, ever worn jewellery at a rehearsal ever, especially doing these rehearsals.

“If Giovanni grabs my hand and gets me, and I haven’t got big stones, but I could scratch him or pull a finger off.”

Pernice, 27, signalled to the jewels in his earlobes and joked that it is OK for him to wear those while training. “I can’t dance without these,” he said.

Asked about speculation that they are involved in a romantic relationship, McGee and Pernice said it just makes them laugh.

Pernice said: “The thing is, when you’re on the show, you spend so much time with your dance partner, and now we just have this respect and we just love each other as a person. But when you see in the papers we’re having a love affair, both of us laugh.” McGee added: “We do giggle.” She said that being in the bottom two during last weekend’s results show against Paralympian Jonnie Peacock was “horrible” and she hopes the viewers will be “back with us” for this weekend.