Shirley Ballas has finally confirmed when Strictly Come Dancing’s celebrity line-up will be revealed.

The dance judge, 63, gave the thrilling news teasing it’s just days away – 

after it was confirmed veteran Giovanni Pernice won’t return to the show amid the BBC’s investigation for workplace ‘misconduct’.

Shirley – who has defended the dancing pro on multiple occasions – said: 

‘The celebrities will be announced, I believe, July. I think it’s coming up rather soon.’

As the 20th installment of the beloved dancing contest is approaching, Shirley told HELLO!:

 ‘It’s going to be absolutely off the chart. Just when you think the show can’t get any better, it does.’

The BBC launched an investigation after Giovanni, 33, was accused of ‘bullying behaviour’ while working with celebrity contestants on the dancing show, including Amanda Abbingdon, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore.

The show celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and executives are hoping the focus can be on that, rather than Pernice saga.

Since the accusations – which Giovanni strongly denies – the pro dancer has quit the show. 

Giovanni’s former celebrity partner Amanda has claimed the show left her with PTSD and reportedly demanded footage of the pairs rehearsals together, presumably hoping the video footage could ‘back up’ her claims. 

Three women, including actress Amanda, have also reportedly hired £700-an-hour lawyers at leading London law firm Carter Ruck.

The dancer launched a fightback by hiring rival law firm Schillings. His case is being handled by Joelle Rich, 39, who represented Johnny Depp in his libel trial in 2020.

Despite requesting the video footage, Amanda will reportedly not be given the  tapes.

It appears it may be the BBC can’t give her the tapes because they feature a third person, Giovanni, not just her. 

He is therefore entitled for private ­information or content about him not to be disclosed without his authorisation. 

Sherlock actress Amanda, 51, previously rubbished reports Giovanni had asked the BBC to record his rehearsals with the actress over what he claimed were his growing concerns about her ‘behaviour’ – claiming she had requested their dance practices to be filmed, not him.

She told The Daily Mail: ‘I asked for them to be recorded, it was me.’

It comes after Amanda reportedly ‘called the police after receiving death threats from trolls’ as the bullying controversy continues.

According to reports, Amanda had already been bombarded by ‘unspeakable and incredibly threatening’ messages from troll fans of Giovanni. 

Shirley defended the Italian dancer earlier in the year, calling him an ‘absolute gentleman’. 

Speaking about the bombshell revelations, Shirley said on Lorraine: ‘I’ve known Giovanni for many years and he is an absolutely splendid teacher. 

‘My only ever experience with him is he is an absolute gentlemen. He gives 100%.

With the highly anticipated 20th season of Strictly Come Dancing fast approaching, fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the celebrity line-up. Shirley Ballas, the beloved dance judge, has now confirmed that the big reveal will happen in July, just days away.

Amidst all the excitement, it was recently revealed that veteran dancer Giovanni Pernice will not be returning to the show due to allegations of workplace misconduct. This news has caused a stir, with the BBC launching an investigation into the accusations of bullying behavior against Giovanni.

Despite the controversy surrounding Giovanni, Shirley Ballas is looking forward to the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing. She shared with HELLO! that the show is going to be “absolutely off the chart” and that viewers can expect a spectacular 20th-anniversary celebration.

Since Giovanni’s departure from the show, there have been further developments in the ongoing saga. His former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington has reportedly hired lawyers to handle the situation, including demands for video footage of their rehearsals. The situation has escalated to involve legal representation on both sides.

Meanwhile, Amanda has also been dealing with online harassment and threats from trolls, prompting her to contact the police for assistance. The social media backlash has added another layer of complexity to an already contentious situation.

Throughout it all, Shirley Ballas has stood by Giovanni, describing him as an “absolute gentleman” and defending his character. As the drama unfolds, fans of the show are eagerly anticipating the start of the new season and the announcement of the celebrity contestants.

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