GIOVANNI Pernice will hold crunch talks with Strictly Come Dancing on Thursday.
It comes as we reveal a fourth celebrity partner was left in tears after a run in with the pro backstage on spin-off show, It Takes Two.
A source for the BBC show claimed pop star Faye Tozer broke down after struggling with the intense training schedule with Sicilian star Giovanni.
Faye’s struggle comes after three of Giovanni’s celebrity partners — Amanda Abbington, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore — met to “compare notes” about his behaviour backstage in February.
But Giovanni, 33, is being backed by the BBC and is expected to be returning to the show in the autumn.
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A source said: “Giovanni has a meeting with Strictly on Thursday about his return later this year.
“They have not received any official complaints and are backing him.
“He is an accomplished pro dancer and it’s expected he will be taking his place in the formal line-up when it’s announced later this month.”
Steps singer Faye, 48, is said to have broken down off screen at It Takes Two after confessing her intense training with Giovanni was getting to her.
A second source said: “They did often clash and she was in tears on It Takes Two.
“She found how he spoke to her abrasive.”
The Sun has told how Gio’s “fiercely competitive” nature left Faye feeling emotional and they clashed in rehearsals.
The BBC said: “The pro dancers for 2024 will be announced in due course.”