Viewers of Strictly Come Dancing were quick to announce their displeasure upon noticing a fan favourite was missing from the Halloween special's line-up.
The Halloween episode, which is held on week six of the BBC One celebrity ballroom dancing competition, aired on Saturday night (October 29), with the remaining 11 couples on the series performing their spooky routines.
However, fans were sad upon realising that the show’s ‘King of Halloween’ was absent for this year’s episode.
Professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, and his 2022 celebrity partner, Richie Anderson, were eliminated during Movie Week, where they performed a Lion King-themed routine.
The BBC Radio 2 host Richie took on the role as meerkat Timon, with Giovanni dressing as Pumbaa.
It was the first time Giovanni, the show’s reigning champion, had been absent from Halloween Week since he joined the show in 2015.
He made history during last year’s episode with partner Rose Ayling-Ellis, after the pair received a perfect score of 40 out of 40.
One viewer wrote on Twitter : "Who we really missed this week! The HALLOWEEN KING himself #Strictly”.
Another said: "This Halloween week was as predicted so boring without Giovanni However thankfully Ellie T & Johannes were tonight’s saviours as they show what Halloween is truly about It’s spooky, it’s fun, it’s CAMP! #Strictly."
Others thought the Halloween episode just wasn’t right without him, with one fan writing: "Halloween week without Giovanni just doesn't hit the same. #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly", and another typing: "#Strictly Halloween just isn’t the same without Giovanni ‘Petrifying’ Pernice, is it?"
Other fans missed him from the show generally, as one fan said: "Missed Giovanni tonight #Strictly", and a second commented: " Strictly Come Dancing just wasn't the same without the fantastic Giovanni. Giovanni has produced such spectacular performances on Halloween. Giovanni is top class."
The dancer responded to one fan on social media, after they reminisced about Giovanni's routine with Rose last year. He replied: "Well technically I'm not competing this year which means nobody is beating the title ha ha ha!! Anyway, enjoy the show tonight… I know I will."
This year, comedian Ellie Taylor and professional partner Johannes Radebe came joint top of the leaderboard with their Hocus Pocus-inspired routine, dancing to I Put A Spell On You by Bette Midler. They came join top with Kiss FM DJ Tyler West and his partner Dianne Buswell, who performed a Beetlejuice-inspired cha cha cha.
