Last week the official Strictly Come Dancing Instagram account revealed which pro-dancers would be returning to the BBC dance competition, with Giovanni Pernice being left off of the line-up.
His exit from the show comes afterAmanda Abbington and two other former partners of his made complaints to the BBC about the Italian's "military tactics" during training and enlisted the help of lawyers.
Abbington branded the 33-year-old "nasty" and claimed she was the one who requested for their training sessions to be recorded \- despite Pernice insisting he was the one who asked after becoming "concerned" about her behaviour during the second week.
Amid the ongoing investigation, Pernice will no longer be part of the cast and has left fans jumping to the conclusion that a new male dancer will be added to the cast this year - despite vehemently denying all claims.
As it stands, there are currently nine female professionals and seven male professionals, leading many to hope a new arrival is on the cards.
The returning women are Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley, and Michelle Tsiakkas.
For the men, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Carlos Gu, and Vito Coppola will also be back.
Taking their theories to X, one fan wrote: "Does anyone else suspect that we are getting a new male pro? Having two extra female pros doesn't seem like a very Strictly thing."
A second replied: "Yes! They won't go with just 8 male pros, too much chance of all of them getting partners and no reserves. I reckon they'll announce a new guy in July (probably mystery new male gets a partner and Neil stays as reserve)."
The investigation into Pernice's behaviour is still ongoing with the BBC attempting to get to the bottom of what happened.
A source told Daily Mail: "Giovanni's case is very much ongoing," adding the announcement was made after the contracts for this year’s pros were finalised.
"Giovanni's absence has been known for some weeks, he won't have anything to do with the 2024 season. But the investigation into his alleged wrongdoings will continue to develop alongside preparation for the upcoming series."
With many long-term Strictly fans eagerly waiting for an update, Pernice has yet to say anything about his axing from the BBC dance show.
The Latin and Ballroom dancer broke cover to Instagram after the official 2024 pro line-up announcement but snubbed any mention of his Strictly departure, and instead reposted a video from adifferent dance project away from the BBC show.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- ITV hits back at claims 'panic' has set in among This Morning and other big name shows amid staff cuts
- Michael Mosley moves fans to tears as clip from final recorded interview emerges: 'He came across so happy!'
- ITV Vera bosses issue demands to locals as Brenda Blethyn and cast descend on small village to film finale
He shared a montage of his recent work with the company, captioning the video with a series of three love heart emojis, with many fans quick to respond in the comment section.
"How lucky are we to be taught by the best," one fan commented before a second echoed: "Can't wait. Gio is the best teacher."
A third similarly weighed in: "I just love watching these reels everyone just looks like they are having such fun and the joy on Gio's face as he's teaching speaks volumes." (sic)
