Former Strictly star Giovanni Pernice’s new dance partner has described him as an ‘incredible teacher and incredible person’ as it emerged she has met his family.
Divorced Bianca Guaccero, 43, and Giovanni, 34, are currently leading the Italian version of Strictly – known as Ballando Con Le Stelle – and the two have also hit it off together off screen.
Just days ago they confirmed they were a couple and now pictures posted on social media by Giovanni’s sister Angela show how loved up Bianca has also met his parents, sister and adorable nephew Piero.
Speaking on Italian TV, smitten Bianca said: 'Giovanni has built up an incredible career in England and he is also an incredible dancer, incredible teacher and incredible person.’
Giovanni added: ’She [Bianca] is a phenomenal talent; she can do anything. I am a perfectionist, and we practice two, three, four hours a day, I’m very headstrong. Everything has to be perfect.’
’I have a Ferrari in my hands so it is good to be like this because we have to do a good job on Saturday nights [when Ballando is broadcast].’
Former Strictly star Giovanni Pernice ’s new dance partner has described him as an ‘incredible teacher and incredible person’ as it emerged she has met his family
Divorced Bianca Guaccero, 43, and Giovanni, 34, are currently leading the Italian version of Strictly – known as Ballando Con Le Stelle – and have now confirmed they are a couple
Rumours are swirling that BBC bosses are desperate to have the Italian on their 20th anniversary Strictly show which is planned for next month and will be a guaranteed ratings winner.
Giovanni has been rebuilding his life and career after dramatically quitting Strictly following bullying claims by his former dance partner Amanda Abbington, but a probe later cleared him of ten out of 16 allegations.
The remaining claims of bullying and harassment were upheld and BBC chiefs apologised to Amanda but Giovanni’s career has shown no sign of being affected as he and Bianca are regularly voted the best couple on the Italian version.
During last weekend’s show Giovanni invited mum Rosalba, dad Piero, Angela her husband and Piero to a recording of the show and they later went out for a slap-up traditional Sunday lunch in Rome.
Later Angela shared the pictures on her social media and she isn pictured smiling with Bianca and Rosalba at restaurant table while in others Bianca holds Piero in her arms while standing next to a smiling Giovanni.
There is also a lovely family shot of Bianca and Giovanni – who has his hand on her knee – standing next to his admiring parents.
Angela also shared other clips of the couple being interviewed on Italian TV and she added: ’I love her,’ while on UK based fan said: ’Thanks for sharing, we really miss him in the UK.’
The chemistry between the pair is obvious and in another clip on Saturday’s show Giovanni gushed: 'Bianca is my priority. She has been my priority from the beginning. She is still my priority today and will be until the end of the show and beyond.’
Now pictures posted on social media by Giovanni’s sister Angela show how loved up Bianca has also met his parents, sister and adorable nephew Piero
Speaking on Italian TV, smitten Bianca said: 'Giovanni has built up an incredible career in England and he is also an incredible dancer, incredible teacher and incredible person'
Bianca, clearly moved by his words, shared: 'Being someone's priority is something new for me. I have always been the one taking care of others.
She continued: 'It's an amazing feeling. It's something I'm discovering at the age of forty-three. Having someone next to me who is proud of me and is happy for my happiness is something new to me. This has never happened to me in my life.’
Interviewed by Monica Setta for Storie di Donne al Bivio (Stories of Women at the Crossroads) which will air on December 21, Bianca promised her partner she is ready take things further.
Opening up even more she said she would let go of her anxieties in order to keep their relationship going and said: ’Dear Giovanni, I promise you to leave out all my fears, doubts and closures. The symbolic gift I put under the Christmas tree is to believe in our possibilities.'
The pair have dived deep into their romance, already spending time with each other's families and immersing in their different cultures across London and Italy.
In another clip released from the interview, Bianca said: 'I had a heavy stone on my heart, I had difficulty believing in true love.
‘When I met Giovanni I felt at home and I was in London with him and then 24 hours with my parents. I wanted to introduce him to the country and the people I love.’
In the last few weeks, Giovanni and Bianca have been getting to know each other, with her visiting him in London and Giovanni meeting her family in Bitonto, Southern Italy.
Giovanni and Bianca are being acclaimed as the best dancing duo on this year’s show. For their boogie, they got a standing ovation from Ballando con le Stelle viewers.
Despite their talent, the couple only arrived in 5th place last Saturday. The judges all agree they are talented, but some claim they are boring.
'From a technical perspective, this dance was flawless, but I did not like what I saw. It was done well, but it was boring', said judge Selvaggia Lucarelli.
'When I see other performances, I wonder, what will happen tonight? You don’t excite me as much as others.'
'Every week is the same show, it's wonderful, but I don't expect anything else from you', she said in a previous episode of the show.
'He comes from England, you can’t say he’s boring. It’s unbelievable. If they are perfect, you want them to do less', shouted Rossella Erra, viewers' ambassador, a role that is not part of the judging panel, but can award extra points to one couple each week.
'I am coming to term with the fact that, no matter what we do, that will always be the result, and I regret that', replied Bianca.
Giovanni Pernice , 34, and his Italian dancing partner, Bianca Guaccero, 43, have confirmed they are dating after sparking romance rumours on the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing
In a videoclip introducing their routine in last Saturday's episode of Ballando con le Stelle, Giovanni has said: 'Bianca is my priority. She has been my priority from the beginning' (pictured during routine earlier this month)
Interviewed by Monica Setta for Storie di Donne al Bivio (Stories of Women at the Crossroads) which will air on December 21, Bianca promised her partner she is ready take things further (pictured last week)
In the last few weeks, Giovanni and Bianca have been getting to know each other, with her visiting him in London and Giovanni meeting her family in Bitonto, Southern Italy
'You were excellent. You did a really difficult choreography. You were at the level of a professional couple. The synchronisation was perfect', said Carolyn Smith, the only professional dancer and choreographer in the judging panel.
'That was the best boogie seen on Ballando con le Stelle ever', said judge Ivan Zazzaroni.
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 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 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.
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
'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 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.
The professional dancer is part of the cast of the Italian series of the show after dramatically quitting Strictly in the midst of Amanda Abbington's abuse allegations (pictured)
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 Abbington's abuse allegations.
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