BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice pens emotional message as he confirms 'break'

Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice posted on Instagram, thanking his fans for their support as he made an announcement. The Italian entertainer has been up and down the country for his Let Me Entertain You live tour, a one-man show, which came to an end at the end of April. Alongside doing the show, Gio has also offered dance classes via a touring show called Ballando.

The experience allowed fans to get up close with him as he trained them in his steps, alongside fellow dancer Pasquale La Rocca. On Sunday, the 33-year-old reflected on his time teaching.

Taking to his Instagram Stories, Giovanni wrote: "Thank you!!! To everyone we have seen over the last 4 months – thank you so much for the support, the energy, and of course the dancing! Ballando On Tour may be over… but Ballando is not!”

He added: “We have lots more to come and of course the event with the judges and Gio at the end of June. See you all soon!"

The star previously hinted that he was winding down from his commitments. In a prior social media statement, Gio suggested he is stepping away from performing altogether.

However, he hinted that he will be back to perform in 2025 in a whole new show - titled The Last Dance.

He said: "I have had a wonderful time this year on my solo tour and already looking forward to even bigger and better next year!

"After performing in front of over half a million people for seven years in a row, I plan to take a little break after next year’s tour, so book your tickets in advance for GIOVANNI - THE LAST DANCE.”

The BBC is yet to confirm the line-up of professional dancers taking to the Strictly stage for the upcoming 2024 season.

Giovanni abruptly left the 2023 season when celebrity partner Amanda Abbington, 51, was forced to withdraw from the contest due to health issues.