Giovanni Pernice leaves Strictly fans devastated with huge career announcement

Giovanni Pernice fans won't have the opportunity to see him and Strictly judge Anton du Beke take to the stage next year, despite the huge popularity of the duo's Together Again show, which is currently touring the UK. Talking on stage at Guildford's G Live venue, the pair admitted they'll soon be taking at least a year out.

That's in spite of Anton joking about the huge financial consequences of fathering twins and suggesting during the performance that he'd still be touring to pay off their school fees when he was "1,000 years old". He told disappointed fans: "We call [our show] Together because we like spending time together and we've had a lot of fun over the last few years - but we're not going out on tour next year, we're having a year off." The pair insisted that "this isn't goodbye", admitting that they "can't stay away from each other" and intend to reunite after "a bit of time off".

"Obviously we are taking a break, but it's not a goodbye - it's an arrivederci," Giovanni told the crowd, adding: "I can't really stay away from this man because we all know he is the showman!"

Anton reciprocated the compliments by calling Gio "the most wonderful boy in the world".

Earlier in the show, they'd playfully fought with each other the way they do best, and left audiences gobsmacked when Anton wandered through the audience dressed as a Deliveroo driver.

He joked that he'd been forced to resort to the extra work to pay for his "gorgeous" but "expensive" wife, Hannah Summers, and their twins George and Henrietta.

Walking through the crowd, he had audience members in stitches by asking if any of them were "G Pernice", before finally spotting Giovanni and delivering his pizza to him.

However, before he took a bite, Anton demanded a code as proof of purchase, arguing: "You could be anyone!"

Gio couldn't provide one, so Anton packed up, telling him: "No code, no pizza!" while the hungry-looking Italian begged the crowd: "Help me!" in mock frustration.

Like previous stage shows, Together Again is well worth seeing and in fact could be fans' only chance to see the pair's playful on-stage antics and carefully choreographed dance routines until at least 2027.

The tour continues its run through Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England until July 30, when it wraps at Southend's Cliffs Pavilion. Get your tickets here: https://www.antonandgiovanni.com/2025-tickets