BREAKING: Giovanni Pernice Begins Rehearsals with Stunning Celebrity Partner for Italian Strictly – Announces UK Return Date

Giovanni Pernice was all smiles on Saturday as he posed for playful snaps with his dance partner after beginning rehearsals for the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing.

It was recently revealed that the Italian professional dancer, 34, had signed up to Ballando con le Stelle after leaving the UK show amid bullying claims made by former dance partner Amanda Abbington.

But while the BBC have yet to reveal the results of the investigation into the actress’ claims, Giovanni has ploughed with his career, taking part in the Italian dance show alongside the wife of disgraced ex Strictly star Graziano Di Prima.

Taking to Instagram at the weekend, Giovanni larked about in fun photos with Italian actress and singer Bianca Guaccero, 43 – which comes just hours ahead of the UK show’s big launch.

Giovanni cut a casual figure in a black T-shirt, while Bianca dinned a purple vest for the snaps – wth the pair demonstrating their bond by posing close to one another.

Giovanni Pernice was all smiles on Saturday as he posed for playful snaps with his dance partner after beginning rehearsals for the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing

It was recently revealed that the Italian dancer had signed up to Ballando con le Stelle after leaving the UK show amid bullying claims made by former dance partner Amanda Abbington

Captioning the post, the pair penned: ‘Sweaty but… happy, loaded, willing to give their best and ready to make you have fun and dream!

‘September 28 is getting closer. Are you ready to support us?’

In the comments, many fans noted that they will be supporting the couple, with some saying that they’ll ‘miss’ him on the UK version.

The 20th anniversary series of Strictly has been somewhat tainted after the BBC show was embroiled in scandal in a year plagued with controversy.

It all began last October when actress Amanda Abbington unexpectedly quit the show before claiming that her partner Giovanni Pernice was abusive towards her.

The Sherlock actress has made a series of accusations about Giovanni’s teaching methods and has described his behaviour as ‘unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean’. He strongly denies all of the claims.

Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners.

He has vehemently denied the claims.

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But while the BBC have yet to reveal the results of the investigation into the actress’ claims, Giovanni has ploughed with his career, taking part in the Italian dance show

Taking to Instagram at the weekend, Giovanni larked about in fun photos with Italian actress and singer Bianca Guaccero, 43 – which comes just hours ahead of the UK show’s big launch

Giovanni cut a casual figure in a black T-shirt, while Bianca dinned a purple vest for the snaps – wth the pair demonstrating their bond by posing close to one another

Captioning the post, the pair penned: ‘Sweaty but… happy, loaded, willing to give their best and ready to make you have fun and dream!’

With the report into his misconduct due any day now, Amanda has reportedly been left deeply disappointed with the BBC bosses over fears they’re ‘protecting’ the dancer amid the bullying probe.

There have been high-level meetings among BBC bosses as they navigate how to deliver their findings as they fear the looming possibility of legal action from either Amanda or Giovanni if either is disappointed by the outcome.

After Giovanni, the show was hit with a fresh wave of scandal when Graziano Di Prima was sacked  in July for ‘kicking’ his partner Love Island star Zara McDermott.

Zara explained that she didn’t report the incidents at the time as she was ‘scared’ of backlash.

Instead it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into pro dancer Giovanni was taking place.

In one interview, Amanda compared the dance show to ‘the trenches’ telling Channel 4 News that BBC producers had been left ‘horrified’ by clips that also allegedly exhibited ‘humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature’.

In another, where she spoke to Christine Lampard on Lorraine, she said: ‘It was inappropriate, it was mean, it was nasty, it was bullying and I put up with it for five, six weeks.

‘It started very early on and when it started to happen I would shut down because I recognised those red flags.

‘And so I would shut down and it would be difficult to get in, and that would be a self-fulfilling prophecy.’

Talking about her schedule on the show, she said: ‘I was going into the rehearsal room every day. I’ve been in rehearsal rooms for 32 years.

‘I know what rehearsal rooms are supposed to be like.

‘I don’t care what background you’re from – whether it’s dancing, acting, singing – you have a duty of care to bring into that rehearsal room compassion, understanding, sensitivity and kindness.The actress also admitted she would become nauseous after completing rehearsals with Giovanni, a fan favourite who had appeared on Strictly for eight years prior to his suspension.

Despite the controversy surrounding his departure, Giovanni confimed last week that he will be joining the lineup for the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing.

Giovanni has vehemently denied Amanda’s claims that the dancer bullied her and she suffered with PTSD after leaving the competition

A source told The Mail On Sunday: ‘Gio is thrilled, he has been hoping that it would happen, he had everything crossed.

‘He is so excited that he can keep on dancing and what makes it all the more lovely is that it will be in his home country.

‘The deadline has been looming and the BBC has been on pause with its result but the Ballando bosses love him, they adore him, and they have now signed him.

‘It is absolutely horrendous for Gio. He has been stuck in limbo and has been unable to move on with his life. It will be a lovely, lovely boost for him.

Ballando con le Stelle launched in 2005 – a year after Strictly began in the UK – and is filmed in a magnificent 19th century theatre at the RAI Auditorium at the Foro Italico in Rome.