'Strictly Come Dancing' star Ashley Roberts explains why she won't be hit by the show's 'curse'

Strictly Come Dancing star Ashley Roberts says she trusts her boyfriend Giovanni Pernice and isn’t concerned about the show’s infamous ‘curse’.

Over the years, the BBC dancing programme has seen many of its professional dancers and celebrities end relationships and marriages.

But the former Pussycat Doll, who confirmed her romance with Pernice with an Instagram post back in January, is confident they won’t be affected by the show’s tendency to split up couples.

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Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Roberts told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid that isn’t worried about her boyfriend leaving her for a new dance partner.

She said: "I feel like we have a real connection. He’s also very supportive and he’s so excited I’m doing Waitress [the musical]. He said, 'I’m gonna be there on the 17th June for the first night'.

Morgan then asked: "Are you worried about him with some hot woman he gets placed with? Whoever it may be?"

She replied: "That's a good question but I do trust him," before changing the topic to professional dancer Pasha Kovalev’s exit from the show.

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Roberts and Pernice weren’t dancing partners during the last series, but they still ended up starting a romance that has continued beyond the show.

She added: "We weren't partnered up, we ended up having a bit of a romance on the show but it ended up evolving into something much bigger.”

During an appearance on Lorraine, Pernice jumped to Roberts’ defence when he was asked about the backlash she received for having an unfair advantage in the competition, due to her dancing experience.

“Every single year people talk about experience, but it’s completely different, they’ve never danced ballroom or Latin before,” he said.