Giovanni Pernice speaks out about splitting from Maura Higgins

We found out last week that Strictly star Giovanni Pernice and Love Island’s Maura Higgins had split up after four months of dating. Now, Giovanni has taken to his Instagram account to speak out publicly about the split for the first time and deny claims that either he or Maura had been unfaithful.

Giovanni speaks out about split

After thanking fans for their support, Giovanni wrote:

Firstly, great relationships with great people can come to a natural end. This has been the case for me recently. There was absolutely no wrong-doing & this should be the end of any speculation. Whilst I respect & understand interest in my personal life, wouldn’t it be fantastic to instead use this space to raise awareness of subjects & issues which need the attention.

He continued:

My eyes have been opened to so many things during my career. But I am learning so much from this series of Strictly. The show has highlighted many important conversations for different communities & increased representation. These are the conversations which deserve the time, energy & recognition. We must concentrate on what’s important and how we can all make a difference in life.

Giovanni and Rose’s Strictly 2021 journey

Giovanni is currently partnered with EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis on Strictly. She is the show’s first ever Deaf contestant and has been teaching Giovanni BSL (British Sign Language), which he’s been showing off on Instagram. This weekend, they even incorporated an argument in BSL into the choreography for their Viennese Waltz. After scoring an impressive 37 for the dance, they remain hot favourites to win the whole competition, ahead of Bake-Off star John Whaite and his pro partner Johannes Radebe.