STRICTLY fans reckon they’ve worked out the identity of the latest dancer about to be snapped up by the show.
They believe it’s another Italian, who will be joining countryman Vito Coppola in the line-up for series 23 of the BBC Saturday night staple.
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Last week the BBC confirmed that two new faces will be added to the line-up, and one of those names viewers are adamant will be joining is Catania-born dancer Simone Arena, 33, who also happens to be dating another Strictly pro, Michelle Tsiakkas.
Michelle, 29, was paired up with EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick on series 22 of Strictly.
One fan says: “I think Simone is a strong possibility due to his Michelle connection.”
And another agrees, adding: “My bet personally is that we get Simone”, before suggesting the reasoning behind their theory is that Simone, “seems to fit the Italian stallion casting type that was missing from the last series.”
Simone has already competed on Dancing With The Stars in Belgium and Ireland, as well as in his native Italy.
Last week, The Sun revealed that Strictly bosses have been in talks with another Italian dancer, former Dancing With The Stars winner – Pasquale La Rocca, as they seek to replace Giovanni Pernice.
Giovanni, 34, left the BBC show last year after being accused of ‘bullying‘ by actress Amanda Abbington.
Beeb bosses launched an official probe and upheld six of the 17 complaints against him but he was cleared of being physically abusive to Amanda.
Simone has a bit of previous when it comes to Strictly. In 2018, he appeared as a background dancer on the show’s Blackpool special.
And he’s also recently been working closely with Giovanni, collaborating on his Ballando dance workshops.
Giovanni meanwhile, is currently dating 43-year-old Italian actress and singer Bianca Gauccero, after they were paired up and won the Italian version of Strictly last year.
Just days ago, another Strictly dancer, Jowita Pryztal, 30, who previously had a brief relationship with Giovanni in 2022, appeared to aim a swipe at the Italian.
The pair dated for three months, in the same year Jowita won Strictly, with 35-year-old BBC cameraman, Hamza Yassin.
But she recently uploaded a video to TikTok, which saw her dancing to Gladdest – Done With Your Ex (Shake It To The Max Remix) by Moliy and Silent Addy, in what fans took to be a dig Giovanni.
She wrote in her caption: “Dance it. I had to, it’s a viiibe! #vibes #ex #womenpower.”
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