Giovanni Pernice reunites with Strictly Come Dancing co-star after BBC snub

Giovanni Pernice enjoyed a joyful reunion with his friend and former Strictly Come Dancing colleague, Lauren Oakley, amid his latest visit to the UK. The dancer is dividing his time between the UK, where he has been leading dance workshops through his company Ballando, and Italy, where he's competing on 'Ballando con le Stelle', the Italian counterpart of Dancing with the Stars.

His participation with actress Bianca Guaccero on the Italian show comes after a seven-year stint on BBC One's Strictly, which ended when Pernice was not asked back amidst allegations regarding his conduct during training with ex-celebrity partner Amanda Abbington —a BBC inquiry upheld "some but not all" of her complaints, though Giovanni has denied them.

Despite leaving Strictly, Giovanni still appears to maintain friendly relations with several members of the show, including judge Anton Du Beke, alongside whom he's slated to tour next year, and now Lauren. Over the most recent weekend, Lauren—who didn't receive a celebrity partner for Strictly's 20th season—joined Giovanni for his London-based dance classes, culminating in the two sharing a snug photo op.

Ballando's official Instagram account posted an image of the duo captioned: "The best surprise visit today," which Giovanni then shared on his own Instagram Story, tagging Lauren in the post.

She posted on her Instagram Story a heartwarming picture that captured a hug with Giovanni, who is seen planting a kiss on Lauren's head. Alongside the photo, she captioned, "It's been a minute," adding a white heart emoji for sentiment, reports the Manchester Evening News.

This affectionate post surfaces after Giovanni recently joined forces again with Strictly judges Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood, who supported his past dance workshops offered by his enterprise Ballando. Ballando is known for arranging dance sessions catering to all levels, from novices to seasoned dancers.