STRICTLY Coming Dancing showman Giovanni Pernice is set to make a spectacular return to the stage in 2021 with his show ‘This is Me’ - after the tour was cut short this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Italian dancing sensation said he was “devastated” to have had to put the 2020 tour on hold just a couple of weeks after opening night, announcing on Instagram on March 17: “Never wanted this moment to arrive, but here we go… I’m so sorry to say that we have had to reschedule the remaining shows of the This is Me tour.

“We have to think of everyone’s health and wellbeing.

“Thank you to all of the amazing audiences we have had and apologies to those that haven’t seen the show yet.

“I hope we will be able to return soon… but in the meantime, be safe, be healthy, look after each other and be kind. I miss you already.”

But there is good news for Giovanni’s fans - he has rescheduled the rest of the tour after the sell-out successes of his previous tours, with the star arriving at the Hexagon in Reading on February 24, 2021.

The showman is set to light up the stage, along with his cast of professional dancers, for his fourth year of touring.

This is Me will feature the Ballroom and Latin dances that have inspired his career.

Giovanni, 29, has become a firm fan favourite on the stage and screen, having been a professional dancer on the hit BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing since 2015.

He has reached the final three times, with Georgia May Foote, Debbie McGee, and Faye Tozer respectively.

On the 2019 series Giovanni was partnered with Michelle Visage, who is a judge on the popular TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, making it all the way to Blackpool.

Will 2020 be the year Giovanni wins the coveted glitter ball? He certainly hopes so.

He said: “I dream about that trophy every night, you know, it’s what it means to you.

“I would love to sleep next to that trophy for the rest of my life! But seriously, I just feel very lucky to have been on the show for so long and to have had such great partners.”

Tickets at www.whatsonreading.com/hexagon now.