Strictly Come Dancing stars Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice have delighted fans and reduced some to tears with their touching messages to each other on Instagram after the live tour came to an end at the weekend.
It's now been two months since the EastEnders star, Strictly 's first ever deaf contestant, and pro dancer Giovanni triumphed in the BBC ballroom to lift the 2021 Glitterball trophy.
After the confetti had settled on their win, Rose and Giovanni joined a whole host of other stars from the show on the live tour, which returned after a two year hiatus.
The tour kicked off in Birmingham, calling in at arenas in the likes of Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool, before ending at the O2 Arena in London at the weekend.
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Off 33 live shows, Rose and Giovanni won an emphatic 31 of them, losing once to Sara and Aljaz i n Newcastle and John and Johannes in Manchester.
Giovanni marked the end of the tour by posting a picture of him and Rose to his Instagram grid and writing: "SCD champion (tick), SCD live tour champion (tick)
"The end of our @bbcstrictly journey but the beginning of an eternal friendship!! I love you @rose.a.e. THANK YOU for the best 6 months of my life!"
Rose was one of the first people to react to Giovanni's heartfelt post, with her writing: "Thank YOU for the best 6 months of my life!!"
Oti Mabuse reacted with a series of heart emojis, while a fan posted: " I love that she's changed your life and opened your eyes to real love. Rose is unique an utter beauty inside and out."
A second responded: "That made me cry," with, an equally moved third fan, telling Giovanni: "I can't cope! @giovannipernice just tell her how you feel."
Another of one Giovanni's many followers, praised his partnership with Rose, writing: "Beautiful. You adapted and worked with Rose in a way that made her into a beautiful dancer. I’m deaf too, and also, in my job, have seen so many young deaf people uncomfortable with their deafness.
"Yours and Rose’s incredibly spell-binding partnership has shown deafness in a positive light and I’m seeing real changes in attitudes in schools, nurseries and in society in general. Your beautiful friendship has showcased how full inclusion and equality is enriching for both deaf and hearing people."
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