Axed Strictly star Giovanni Pernice kisses celeb partner on spin-off show

It seems Giovanni Pernice's latest performance on Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing, turned up the heat.

The 34-year-old dancer is currently competing with actress and singer Bianca Guaccero. Speculation about a budding romance has been swirling since the duo posted a cosy social media video, prompting fans to dub them a "good-looking couple" and urging others to vote for them.

Their chemistry was palpable during a recent Rumba routine as Bianca began the dance alone atop a box, with Giovanni initially positioned behind her, facing away.

Clad in a red and black lace silk dress reminiscent of a nightgown, Bianca approached Giovanni as their dance commenced.

At the end of their routine, Giovanni turned Bianca towards him and planted a passionate kiss on her lips.

The pair exchanged smiles which caused a huge round of applause from the audience, reports Birmingham Live.

A slight wardrobe mishap occurred when Bianca's dress strap snapped as she walked towards the box before the kiss.

Post-performance, she was seen clutching her dress to prevent any further slips while taking a bow, until someone rushed onstage to assist just in time for the judges' comments.

One of the judges pointed out that there was more than one kiss in their routine, noting that the final one wasn't the only intimate moment.

Their Rumba performance garnered a commendable score of 45 out of a possible 50. Bianca took to social media to share a snippet of their dance, expressing her excitement: "What a thrill last night... Our hearts were beating so fast from the beginning to the end of the performance.

"I would have wanted you there in the middle, my friends [heart emoji]. Thank you for all the support you have given us. I love you so much See you next Saturday!"

Earlier this year, Giovanni revealed his new venture into the Italian dance scene after parting ways with Strictly Come Dancing amid unproven claims made by his ex-partner Amanda Abbington, which he has refuted.

When he broke the news on Instagram, he expressed to his fans: "I'm excited because finally, I'm back on the dance floor and hopefully, I will create some new magic on the dance floor."