A popular Italian dancer is rumoured to join the Strictly Come Dancing professional lineup this season.

The BBC show unveiled its professional lineup on Friday (April 11) and announced that two new dancers will be taking part in the competition.

According to The Sun, one of the names in talks is Pasquale La Rocca, a former Dancing With The Stars champion.

A TV insider told the publication: ‘Pasquale is well known and very popular in the industry so would be a perfect fit.

‘He’s had meetings with bosses and is being lined up as the next Giovanni Pernice.

‘A final decision is yet to be made but it won’t be long following the news of the return cast – and Pasquale ticks all the right boxes.’

Strictly Come Dancing bosses are lining up a new Italian dancer who has been tipped to be the 'next' Giovanni Pernice (pictured)
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Strictly Come Dancing bosses are lining up a new Italian dancer who has been tipped to be the ‘next’ Giovanni Pernice (pictured)

According to The Sun, one of the names in talks to join the show is Pasquale La Rocca, a former Dancing With The Stars champion
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According to The Sun, one of the names in talks to join the show is Pasquale La Rocca, a former Dancing With The Stars champion

MailOnline has contacted the BBC and representatives for Pasquale for comment.

Pasquale, 35, is already well-known among the Strictly dancers as he’s good friends with many of them.

Back in 2018, he appeared as a background dancer during the Strictly Blackpool special and also worked closely with Giovanni on the Ballando classes.

But in a move that shocked many, he announced he’d be stepping away from those classes in the summer last year.

Pasquale penned: ‘Over the last few days I have received a lot of DMs and messages from you in regards to my dance classes. I thought I should clear the air and give you an update on what’s happening from my side.

‘Circumstances out of my control have brought my Ballando dance classes journey to an end. I don’t wish to linger on this, but to move forward.’

The ballroom and Latin champ left the Irish version of Dancing With The Stars in 2023 after winning five times.

He has also danced on the Italian and Belgian versions of the show.

Despite rumours that Giovanni might be making a return after missing out on last year's series, he will not be heading back to the ballroom this time around
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Despite rumours that Giovanni might be making a return after missing out on last year’s series, he will not be heading back to the ballroom this time around

The professional dancer, 34, left the show after his former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington made numerous complaints about his behaviour
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The professional dancer, 34, left the show after his former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington made numerous complaints about his behaviour

Despite rumours that Giovanni might be making a return after missing out on last year’s series, he will not be heading back to the ballroom this time around.  

 The professional dancer, 34, left the show after his former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington made numerous complaints about his behaviour and has since joined and won the cast of the Italian version of the show Ballando Con Le Stelle.

Out of 17 allegations, the BBC upheld six, some of which are for Giovanni using swear words. The report found that his language could be ‘belittling’.

Revealing the cast of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing which will air later this August, Giovanni was notably absent from the list.

Dianne Buswell, who lifted the glitter ball in December with Chris McCausland, will be joining Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk and Jowita Przystal in returning to the dance floor this September.


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Strictly Come Dancing bosses have announced the lineup for this year’s show and there are two top dancers returning to the cast

They will be joined by Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola who will all take to the floor once more alongside two new stars, who will be announced closer to the time.

Amy Dowden, who pulled out in the opening weeks of last year’s show due to a foot injury, will also be back on Strictly for 2025, as will Carlos Gu and Kai Widdrington, who didn’t have a celebrity partner last year.

Despite rumours that he might be making a return after missing out on last year’s series, Giovanni Pernice will not be heading back to the ballroom this time around.

Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios said : ‘The excitement is already building ahead of the new series and in addition to welcoming back our fantastic returning Pros, we are looking forward to welcoming two brand new Professional Dancers to the line up who will help bring another unforgettable series of dazzling dance and loads more besides to viewers later in 2025.’

As well as the pros taking part in the competition itself, all of them will be taking to the floor each week in group routines.