Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice may make a return to the ballroom.

While Giovanni stepped down from the BBC One series earlier this year, he could be back for the show’s upcoming 20th anniversary special.

Giovanni Pernice. Credit: BBC/Ray Burmiston
Giovanni Pernice, Rose Ayling-Ellis – (C) BBC – Photographer: Guy Levy
Due to air in December, the one-off show promises a journey through 20 years of unforgettable entertainment featuring iconic performances and plenty of heart-warming interviews with past celebrity stars, professional dancers, and judges.

The programme will showcase why Strictly Come Dancing has captured the hearts of the nation for the past 20 years as one of the BBC’s best known and well-loved programmes, with the most recent series once again confirmed as the BBC’s biggest Entertainment title.

Giovanni is set to feature in the special following his historic 2021 win with Rose Ayling-Ellis, the first deaf contestant to take home the Glitterball Trophy.

Programme Name: Strictly Come Dancing 2021 – TX: 18/12/2021 – Episode: n/a (No. n/a) – Picture Shows: Giovanni Pernice, Rose Ayling-Ellis – (C) BBC – Photographer: Guy Levy
“Giovanni has made an immense impact on Strictly and will absolutely not be erased from Strictly Come Dancing’s history,” a source told the Daily Mail. “Strictly’s bosses love Gio, they feel strongly about what happened, and they see it is as only right that he is celebrated.”

The BBC, however, has neither confirmed nor denied whether the Italian dancer will make an actual appearance.

The news comes just weeks after a BBC probe concluded after complaints from actress Amanda Abbington regarding his training methods.

A BBC spokesperson commented: “Editorial decisions about what the final show will include haven’t been finalised yet.”