He said: “From knowing Giovanni, he is such a competitive guy, and I recognise it in him because I recognise it in myself.
“Sometimes you can get so ingrained in your work and so passionate about it being the best it can possibly be, that you almost get consumed by it and it can send you a bit mad.
“Now and again I have got really stressed out to a point where I was mentally exhausted after a season of Strictly.
“After the year that me and Stacey [Dooley] danced together, I myself felt like I was calming down and like I had allowed myself to enjoy the season…and I feel like I am seeing this in Giovanni this year.”
EastEnders star Rose, the show’s first deaf contestant, and her dance partner Giovanni have made it through to the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 Grand Final, which will air this weekend.