There's been lots of speculation surrounding Giovanni Pernice's future on Strictly Come Dancing following Amanda Abbington's allegations and now it's been confirmed that he's been axed from the 2024 line-up.
So here's what you need to know about the former Strictly star.
Who is Giovanni Pernice?
Giovanni was a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing for almost a decade. He first joined the cast of pros in 2015 and stepped down in 2024.
How old is Giovanni Pernice?
Giovanni was born on 5 September 1990, making him 33 years old.
Where is Giovanni Pernice from?
Giovanni is from Sicily in Italy.
Who has Giovanni Pernice been partnered with in Strictly Come Dancing?
As he was on the show for nearly a decade, he’s had quite a few dance partners over the years. Since his first coupling with Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote, he has been paired with the likes of Laura Whitmore, Good Morning Britain's Ranvir Singh, Drag Race’s Michelle Visage, and was in the second same-sex dance couple with Richie Anderson in 2022.
Who was Giovanni Pernice's dancing partner for Strictly 2023?
Although he expressed interest in dancing with Zara McDermott, Giovanni was ultimately partnered with actress Amanda Abbington.
What happened between Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington?
Amanda surprised fans when she announced five weeks into filming her series of Strictly that she would be pulling out of the competition.
She wrote in a since-deleted Instagram, "I did not come to this decision easily or lightly... I'm so sad I am unable to go any further."
She also cited "personal reasons" as to why she was "unable to continue". Giovanni wrote, "I am so sad we can't continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love."
It was soon reported that Giovanni had allegedly been verbally abusive and cruel towards Amanda, and she did a tell-all interview where she said that his behaviour was "inappropriate". She went on to say, "It was mean, it was nasty, it was bullying, and I put up with it for five weeks."
Giovanni has denied Amanda's claims and said in a statement, "To my dear fans, you will be as surprised as I am that allegations have been made about my dance teaching methods in the media this week.
"Of course, I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name."
What happened between Giovanni Pernice and Laura Whitmore?
The Irish presenter was paired up with Pernice back in 2016 and was voted out in week six of the competition. She has since revealed that Giovanni made her "cry every day" and that the experience left her "broken, both mentally and physically."
What else does Giovanni Pernice do?
Chatting to The Mirror in 2023, Giovanni revealed that he will be starting up a lifestyle brand with two of his pals and his first endeavour is to be a unisex fragrance.
The company is to be called GP Vita and Giovanni has said, "[We'll be] creating products to inspire and bring joy to life."
Is Giovanni Pernice in a relationship?
Giovanni is rumoured to be single after reportedly splitting from 24-year old model, Molly Brown.
He previously opened up about his dating life to Spencer Matthews on his podcast.
The Strictly champ said “When you’re in competition, it’s either you’re in a relationship with your partner [or] you’re just single and enjoy your time when you can. It’s impossible sometimes, but that’s the reason why most of the dance couples are together – because it’s either this or nothing. And they stop dancing, and they break up straight away.”
Who has Giovanni Pernice dated?
Giovanni’s most recent romance is believed to have been with Jowita Przystal after they met during Strictly in 2022. They were spotted holding hands in January but sources said that they split in March.
He had another relationship that didn’t go the distance in 2021 after he dated Love Island 2019 star Maura Higgins but the two split after four months. When the pair separated, he wrote on Instagram, “Great relationships with great people can come to a natural end. This has been the case for me recently. There was absolutely no wrongdoing and this should be the end of any speculation.”
At the end of 2018, he met former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts when she competed on Strictly. Although they were not partnered together, a flame was ignited. The two even discussed babies, and Ashley told You magazine, “If children are meant to be, they're meant to be.”
The pair split after around a year together in January 2020 and removed pictures of themselves together from their Instagram accounts.
Ashley isn’t the only Strictly star he’s coupled up with romantically, he’s also had a relationship with his first celeb dance partner Georgia May Foote, as well as fellow dancing pro Luba Mushtuk.
He also dated TOWIE’s Jess Wright. The couple was first spotted together in November 2017 but parted ways six months later.
It turns out that Giovanni also shared a little dalliance with Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, prior to her stint on the dating show. Apparently the duo shared a few dates back in 2022 which meant the minute it was hinted that Tasha would be taking part in Strictly EVERYONE thought she would be partnered with Giovanni. However, by the time it was confirmed Giovanni was no longer on the series.
What happened with Giovanni Pernice and Rose Ayling-Ellis?
Giovanni was coupled up with the EastEnders star during the 2021 series and they were an instant hit with the viewers.
The two did numerous dances, including the Samba and American smooth, but their most memorable dance floor moment was when they performed their Couples Choice dance with part of the routine having no music, to show what it was like for Rose as a deaf person.
After they won the 2021 series, Giovanni wrote on Instagram, “We are the champion my friend. Dreams do come true if you believe in it...and that’s what you did super🌟!”
Rose and Giovanni reunited in his show Adventures in Sicily with fellow Strictly star Anton Du Beke.
Does Giovanni Pernice have Instagram?
Yes. You can follow him at @giovannipernice.