Jason Donovan appeared on The One Show this week, where he mentioned having competed against the likes of Alex Jones on Strictly Come Dancing more than a decade ago
The star arrived in London almost ten years ago with barely a word of English and needing a BBC translator to get him through his first series where he got to the final with Georgia May Foote.
Strictly's Mr Nasty? Or a passionate Italian perfectionist? BBC insiders reveal how 'fame changed' Giovanni Pernice since he started on show in 2015 as a hard-up dancer with no English - but family say: 'He might be a pain in the a**e' - but he's no bully dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Italian has faced claims from three of his former dance partners on the show that he bullied and mistreated them, although he strenuously denies any wrongdoing.
As Giovanni Pernice brings his nine year career on Strictly to a close after sensationally 'quitting' we take a closer look at his celebrity partnerships during his time on the show