The BBC has responded to rumours that Strictly Come Dancing favourite Giovanni Pernice may have danced his last tango on the show, amid reports he won't be returning for the new series.The broadcaster was apparently "very keen" to retain the 33-year-old Italian pro-dancer, who has been at the centre of controversy due to his intense training methods with previous celebrity partners, including actress Amanda Abbington.Speculation over Giovanni's future with Strictly has been rife after an internal memo leaked without his name listed among this year's professional dancers, sparking rumours of his exit.
It's believed that Giovanni is now looking for fresh television opportunities.His potential departure follows a tense partnership with Sherlock star Amanda, 52, in the previous series.
She exited the competition in October following a series of fiery rehearsals with Giovanni, which allegedly left her in tears because of his demanding coaching style.
An insider revealed tonight that Giovanni feels overwhelmed by the attention: "Gio feels the scrutiny on him has become too much, and now is the time to make a fresh start," they said. "He wants to focus on other TV projects, and feels he's achieved all he can on Strictly, having won the trophy back in 2021 and reaching the final an unprecedented four times", reports the Mirror.
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