Giovanni Pernice cosies up to Bianca Guaccero as they share intimate date amid romance rumours

Giovanni Pernice has been seen cosying up to his dance partner while walking in Rome and then heading for an intimate lunch date.

The , 34, is starring on Ballando con le Stelle - the Italian version of - with the 43-year-old actress and television presenter. The pair have sparked romance rumours as they shared a kiss on the show after performing a Rumba routine - and according to several reports in Italian media, they were also spotted kissing in front of her home.

On Friday, Giovanni and Bianca were pictured smiling and laughing while looking at each other adoringly in the streets of . They then headed to a restaurant to grab lunch, where they were seen smiling and talking while sipping a coffee.

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During their lunch date, Giovanni opted for a casual look, wearing a black Nike hoodie paired with tracksuit bottoms, trainers and aviator sunglasses. Bianca looked stylish in a star print cardigan paired with a black vest, leggings and ankle boots.

Rumours of a relationship between the pair have been growing in recent weeks - and during an appearance on Italian TV programme Casa Chi, Bianca admitted she feels "lucky" to have Giovanni by her side as she declared: "He is making me become a better person." She added: "I think when you have, next to you, a friend, a partner, a brother, a person who instead of bringing you down, being jealous of you, or taking your light away, wants to make this light shine in an even more powerful way than you do alone, then that person becomes an added value in your life. If you meet them, you are a lucky person, and I feel like a lucky person."

And also Bianca's mum seems to approve of her reported relationship with Giovanni, according to , as she said: "I really like Giovanni because I see Bianca happy...The only thing I would like for her is love and happiness, a person who can truly appreciate her."

It comes after a friend of Giovanni said he is "looking to the future" and he "loves dancing with Bianca," according to . The pal added: "He has a twinkle in his eye, and never more so than when you mention her. She is the perfect person for him to have been partnered with after the whole Amanda saga. He has been through a really difficult time and was thrilled to be dancing again but didn't realise he would have someone as wonderful as Bianca to do that with."

Giovanni joined Ballando con le Stelle after leaving Strictly amid a scandal involving actress Amanda Abbington. While an internal investigation eventually cleared the star of wrongdoing, word has emerged that the dancer is effectively due to the past year of controversy.

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