Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen Hauer has broken her silence on the Giovanni Pernice scandal, describing it as "really sad". The 42-year-old, who has been a pro on the show for 13 years, said his resignation was a "massive surprise".
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mirror, Hauer said: "We will miss him. Things can happen that we don’t know about. I don’t want to say anything that’s not right, and I don’t want to hurt anyone. But it’s not a nice feeling for anyone." She added that she has not spoken to Pernice since the allegations emerged.
Pernice, 33, resigned last month amid allegations he bullied at least three former dance partners. The BBC and the Met Police are investigating complaints. Pernice denies the allegations. Fellow judge Anton Du Beke has continued to appear alongside Pernice on their joint tour.
On her personal life, Hauer revealed she is "smitten" with former rugby player Simon Davidson, whom she met through Strictly colleague Gorka Marquez. Despite three divorces, she has not ruled out marriage again, saying: "Never say never. The marriage doesn’t go wrong, it is the person."
Hauer is also launching a new show, Speakeasy, with Gorka next year, focusing on dance genres like the Argentine tango. She remains optimistic about winning the Glitterball Trophy but said it is not "the be all and end all".
