Lauren Oakley teams up with Giovanni Pernice outside of Strictly
This week the pro is filling in for Amy Dowden and dancing the couple's choice with JB Gill
Strictly Come Dancing's Lauren Oakley is the latest BBC dance star supporting Giovanni Pernice by teaching one of his Ballando dance classes.
This week Oakley is replacing Amy Dowden on Strictly to perform the couple's choice dance with JB Gill during the BBC show's first ever icons week after Dowden had a health scare following Saturday's live show. They begun training together on Monday and she wished the pro dancer a speedy recovery.
While she's training to take centre stage on Strictly Come Dancing this weekend, the dancer has also penned in some dance classes with Pernice next month in late November.
Lauren Oakley's dance classes
It comes as the BBC has concluded its investigation into the Pernice and Amanda Abbington training scandal that threatened to overshadow the 20th anniversary series. The broadcaster concluded its findings, apologised to Abbington and upheld complaints of verbal bullying against Pernice.
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It also concluded the pro was not physically abusive towards his 2023 celebrity partner. Pernice has left the dancing show but has not ruled out a return to Strictly in a recent interview on Lorraine, although he is starring on the Italian Dancing With The Stars — Ballando con le Stelle — as a pro dancer. Pernice and Abbington publicly both said they were happy with the findings of the investigation.
Behind the scenes, Oakley has been a support to her fellow pro dancer and friend Pernice. The friends who met on Strictly drove people wild with their reunion in recent days. Now it's been revealed Oakley will teach two Ballando dance classes.
Oakley will be teaching two classes, first she will be showing people how to dance the Cha Cha Cha and in the second class she will be teaching the Samba.
The Instagram post read: "New class!! Beyond excited to have the incredibly talented Lauren join us for an afternoon of classes on the 24th November."
It added: "She’ll be getting into technique and styling, and of course will be having loads of fun doing it! All levels welcome - come and learn from one of the very best."
The dance classes are open to everyone of all experiences, from beginnings to more advanced dancers. They are solo dance classes rather than teaching partnered dances. The style of dance is decided by the teacher, whether that's Pernice or one of his Strictly helpers.
The Ballando dance classes have had the support of Strictly Come Dancing stars before. So far, judges Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas have all taught the Ballando classes with Pernice.
It's not the first time that Oakley has shown public support to Pernice. Back in June this year, she attended his live show with Anton Du Beke.
Strictly's stand in
This weekend though, Strictly will be Oakley's focus as she is standing in to dance with JB Gill.
Dowden has Crohn's and she had to miss out on Strictly last year while undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023 but this year in February doctors said there was "no evidence" of the disease.
A Strictly Come Dancing spokesperson said: "Amy Dowden MBE is doing much better and the Strictly family send her love and wish her well. She is delighted that fellow professional dancer, Lauren Oakley, is able to step in for rehearsals and to perform in Saturday’s show for JB Gill’s Couple’s Choice dance."
The BBC hope that Dowden will be able to return to the dance floor next week. Luckily, Oakley was able to step up to the role because the professional dancer hasn't got a celebrity partner on Strictly Come Dancing. Last year, she was partnered with newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy.