Giovanni Pernice prompted many comments from his social media followers on Wednesday evening, when he posted a provocative new photo to Instagram.
The Strictly star uploaded a smouldering black-and-white photo that showed him about to kiss an unknown woman, their eyes closed as they moved closer to each other.
The lettering underneath the photo read: "Giovanni Pernice, coming soon. All will be revealed at gpvita.com on 24 Oct."
The Italian heartthrob captioned the image: "A dream project is finally launching next week! I'm super excited to be unveiling…. well, you will have to wait until next Tuesday 24 October to find out at gpvita.com! Can you guess? @giovannipernicevita #vita #gpvita."
"Perhaps a fragrance. I can't wait to find out," commented one of his followers, but many others were more interested in the photo than what it might signify. One wrote: "On a scale of one to ten how much would you like to be that woman," another joked: "What's my future husband doing kissing someone else?!"
Giovanni teased his next move in a new post
A third responded: "I don't care but would love to be the girl in the photograph…" Whatever Gio's new project turns out to be, Strictly viewers will always remember him for his collaboration with actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, with whom he won the 2021 series of the BBC dance competition.
At the weekend, Rose made an Instagram post reflecting on the couple's BAFTA win for their beautiful Couple's Choice routine – and her fans were quick to comment on their special partnership.
Taking to Instagram, the 2021 Strictly winner revealed how honoured she was to be included in The Guardian's Culture section, in a feature about up-and-coming BAFTA winners.
© GettyOne wrote: "Amazing Rose, remember you work very hard for all that you do and achieve and all the awards you won and the BAFTA with Gio was icing on the cake… it would be lovely if you two could do something together again."
A second added: "I can only wholeheartedly agree with you. I would love to see them dance again but still watching 2021 Strictly." A third commenter, meanwhile, wrote: "Brilliant and humble, you're amazing Rose!"
© BBCDespite winning much praise and accolades for their Couple's Choice dance, Rose confessed that she initially disliked the routine. "I hated it," she previously told The Guardian. "I watched this pre-recorded video by external choreographers and immediately didn't like what they’d come up with."
She feared the dance would score her the "pity" vote, adding: "I was up for the idea, as long as it wasn't a patronising stunt. An attempt to get the pity vote, all sad, dreary and 'poor me'."
© BBC"It was what hearing people think deaf people experience," the actress continued. "Very insular, cut-off, small. It was so sad. And that's not me."
After reworking the routine, Rose learnt to love the dance as it began to feel "more true" to her. At the time, after the couple danced their routine, tears began to flow as judge Motsi Mabuse delivered an emotional speech and Anton du Beke was seen tearing up as well.
