Giovanni Pernice was visibly moved as he wrote a touching message on Sunday. The Strictly Come Dancing star recently revealed his plans to take “a brief break” after his upcoming tour next year.
However, before that, he commemorated the conclusion of his Ballando dance classes. Giovanni took to his Instagram Story to convey his appreciation to all those who participated over the past four months.
He 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!”
However, while the classes may be over, Giovanni promises that there is still more to come. “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!”
Last month, the 33-year-old announced that he would be stepping back from touring after sharing details of his next tour, Giovanni: The Last Dance.
Taking to Instagram again, he wrote: “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 row, I plan to take a little break after next year’s tour, so book your tickets in advance for ‘GIOVANNI – THE LAST DANCE’ now at www.giovannipernice.com.”
It remains uncertain whether the star will return to the Strictly ballroom this year. His participation in the BBC show last year has been under scrutiny, especially after his partner Amanda Abbington unexpectedly departed during the series, citing “personal reasons.” However, she has since disclosed that she was diagnosed with PTSD.
According to The Sun, last month, Amanda and two of Giovanni’s former dance partners, Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh, convened to share their experiences after reportedly encountering difficulties while working with the dancer.
Nevertheless, Giovanni’s 2019 celebrity partner, Michelle Visage, seemed to defend him despite acknowledging his “rigorous” teaching style during an appearance on This Morning.
“I don’t like gossip, so I’m not here to gossip, but what I can say from my experience was yes, he’s tough,” she said.
“He’s probably the toughest pro there is. I wanted that,” she added. “So, it depends, some people can handle that, some people don’t want to handle that. I wanted that.”
Responding to Amanda’s claims, Giovanni told the Invite Only podcast: “It’s a shame because, in my opinion, she could have gone all the way. I am a perfectionist, 100%, but it comes from a perspective of caring.”
