He has sparked romance rumours on the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing with his celebrity partner Bianca Guaccero.
And Giovanni Pernice did little to quash the rumours on Friday as he was spotted cosying up to Bianca on an intimate lunch date in Rome.
The Italian dancer, 34, was seen gazing adoringly into Bianca’s eyes as they strolled along the Italian streets before grabbing a bite to eat.
Bianca, 43, clutched onto Giovanni’s arm, flashing a diamond ring on her engagement finger. Mystery surrounds the accessory because she has been wearing it for months, but Giovanni recently insisted the Italian actress is single.
During a chat with The Mail last month, Giovanni dodged answering whether romance was on the cards for the pair but did muse: ‘Well, she’s single’.
And Giovanni Pernice did little to quash the romance rumours with Bianca Guaccero on Friday as he was spotted cosying up to her on an intimate lunch date in Rome
Bianca, 43, flashing a diamond ring on her finger. Mystery surrounds the accessory because she has been wearing it for months, but Giovanni recently insisted the Italian actress is single
The pair recently set tongues wagging when they shared a kiss on the Italian version of Strictly, locking lips after performing a sensual Rumba routine
Giovanni added: She’s 43. She’s got a child, she’s brilliant. She comes to rehearsals.
‘It’s definitely a place of happiness, I’m happy to be able to do what I love to do.’
When asked if the pair had ever kissed in rehearsals, Giovanni replied coply: ‘All I’m interested in is Bianca.
‘She’s great, she’s a fantastic dancer. We broke the record of the most tens on the show! In 19 years of history.’
They did, however, set tongues wagging when they shared a kiss on the show, locking lips after performing a sensual Rumba routine.
Viewers have also remarked on the sexual chemistry between them.
A friend of the Sicilian star said: ‘Giovanni is looking to the future and he loves dancing with Bianca, and he has a twinkle in his eye, and never more so than when you mention her.
‘She is the perfect person for him to have been partnered with after the whole Amanda saga.
‘He has been through a really difficult time and was thrilled to be dancing again but didn’t realise he would have someone as wonderful as Bianca to do that with.’
Giovanni opted for a casual look as he teamed a black Nike hoodie with tracksuit bottoms and trainers and aviator sunglasses
Bianca looked effortlessly stylish in a star print cardigan that she layered over a black vest and leggings teamed with ankle boots
During a chat with The Mail last month , Giovanni dodged answering whether romance was on the cards for the pair but did muse: ‘Well, she’s single’
Giovanni has been single since splitting from British model Molly Brown, 24, in the summer.
Sources close to the couple told The Mirror that Giovanni has been ‘under a lot of stress’, and there has been a string of arguments between them, after he quit Strictly in May following accusations he bullied celebrity partner Amanda Abbington.
The source said: ‘Giovanni and Molly grew very close, very quickly, after they split up the first time and got back together.
‘Their relationship has been pretty full on. But they have rowed again recently and it all came to a head earlier this week, when they called it quits.
‘Molly has been very supportive of Giovanni, but he has been under a lot of stress lately and that has taken its toll. It is not impossible they will try to give things another go once the dust has settled a little, after all, they have done that before.’
Bianca is also single since splitting with her director husband Dario Acocella in 2017. The couple have a daughter called Alice.
If things take a romantic turn on the show will be something Giovanni is used to.
When paired with Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote in 2015 – Giovanni’s first year on Strictly – they began dating.
He also found love with singer Ashley Roberts who appeared on Strictly in 2018 though they were not a pair – she danced with Pasha Kovalev.
In 2022, Giovanni was linked to fellow Strictly professional Jowita Przystal, who is Polish.
This year he joined Ballando con le Stelle after dramatically quitting Strictly in the midst of Amanda’s abuse allegations.
Giovanni was cleared of 11 out of 17 of Amanda’s complaints against him following a six-month BBC investigation.
Giovanni’s friend previously said: ‘Giovanni is looking to the future and he loves dancing with Bianca, and he has a twinkle in his eye, and never more so than when you mention her’
The pal added: ‘He has been through a really difficult time and was thrilled to be dancing again but didn’t realise he would have someone as wonderful as Bianca to do that with’
Giovanni has been single since splitting from British model Molly Brown, 24, in the summer. Sources close to the couple said there hadbeen a string of arguments between them
This year he joined Italian Strictly, Ballando con le Stelle, after dramatically quitting Strictly in the midst of Amanda Abbington’s abuse allegations
Amanda appeared on Newsnight after the report came out and she said that her former Strictly partner Giovanni called her names.
She said her time on the BBC show was an ‘ongoing litany of being verbally abused’ by the Italian star.
But it later emerged that Amanda called Giovanni a string of swear words – and was even deemed to have been the one to start the coarse language by the BBC probe.
The Sherlock actress, 52, was also ruled to have been the only one of the pair to have used the ‘c-word’ in the hours of rehearsal footage seen by investigators in the inquiry.