Is Rose Alying-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice's Strictly chemistry the real deal or just a great performance?

Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice's chemistry on Strictly Come Dancing 2021 is the hot topic on everyone's lips this Monday, but just how real are their lovestruck performances? 

Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice have nailed yet another Strictly Come Dancing performance, wowing viewers of the BBC reality series with their stunning Viennese waltz on last night's episode. 

The Eastenders actress and her Italian professional partner performed a sultry routine to Alicia Keys' Fallin', earning an impressive 37/40 from the Strictly judges 2021 and sailing straight through to next week's show. The rotary ballroom dance was made all the more special by its opening sketch, which saw the couple act out a passionate argument through Rose's primary form of communication, British Sign Language. 

With Rose Ayling-Ellis already tipped to win the competition, this latest feat in a string of triumphs has only hyped up the buzz about her close relationship with Giovanni. The double act has oozed chemistry both on and off the dance floor since the Strictly Come Dancing launch last month, with the soap star regularly teasing her mentor in rehearsals and teaching him how to sign to her. 

Rose and Giovanni even make a joint plea to the NHS after her hearing aid broke, in which the 26-year-old actress joked, "It's quite nice, I don't have to hear his voice!" This friendly banter in the studio has enhanced their intimacy on stage, making for some streamlined—and seductive—performances. 

“Their funny relationship doesn’t harm their chemistry on the floor though and the signs of mutual confidence and trust are there in the way their pelvises combine so well and with no signs of any inhibitions," body language expert Judi James told the Daily Express. 

Speculation that the two are an item has been inflamed by recent reports that the Strictly Curse has struck Giovanni and Maura Higgins' relationship, bringing an end to their short-lived romance. It's understood that the Love Island star, who publicly confirmed she was dating the pro dancer in July, is "devastated" over the split. 

However, we wouldn't start anticipating a wedding dance between Giovanni and Rose any time soon. While the couple has undeniable chemistry on-screen, there are plenty of signs to suggest that their spark won't be turning into fireworks. The multi-talented actress has admitted that she laughed in Giovanni's face when he told her she needed to act like he was in love with her, joking that she couldn't take his request seriously.

"It's because his face, he looks so serious, his eyes, he's like, 'You have to fall in love with me'," she said during an interview with Rylan Clark-Neal on Strictly's It Takes Two. 

"It's acting, it's a lot of acting and I love acting," she said on the companion show the following week, implying that the seductive dances might not be so natural after all. 

It's also worth remembering that Rose is already in a relationship. She has been dating Samuel Arnold for seven years—and by the looks of her Instagram, they're pretty committed to each other. The couple has even traveled to faraway places together, visiting the Huacachina desert in Peru back in 2019.  

As for Giovanni's take on Rose, it seems like the ballroom dancing champ is extremely fond of his celebrity partner—but maybe not in a romantic way. After lauding her professionalism, he shared some insight into how he feels about her on a personal level. 

"I think we just bonded from the beginning," Giovanni told Rylan. "She's a lovely lady, and the fact that she's deaf as well, it's harder for her, so it makes me feel...I give more attention to everything. For me as a teacher, I have to work twice harder. For her, as a student, she has to work three times harder. It makes me feel more protective."