A little under 12 months after they fell in love when partnered together on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ last year, Georgia May Foote has announced that she’s split from her dancer boyfriend Giovanni Pernice.

The couple finished as runners-up on 2015’s ‘Strictly’, behind eventual winner Jay McGuinness of boyband The Wanted and his pro dance partner Aliona Vilani.

Georgia May Foote Giovanni PerniceGeorgia May Foote with Giovanni Pernice in 2016

They announced their relationship soon after the series ended, and months later moved in together, but recently Foote had admitted she would feel jealous when Giovanni was partnered up with another female celebrity when ‘Strictly’ returned. However, the 25 year old actress said there was no third party in the cause of their break-up.

“It is with great sadness we have decided to split up. There is nobody else involved,” Foote wrote on Twitter on Saturday (August 27th). “Although it was not an easy decision to make, sometimes you realise that it is better to be friends and this is one of those times.”

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Former ‘Coronation Street’ star Foote is due to share the part of Holly Golightly in a new touring stage version of ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’ in September, touring the UK for two months and splitting the role with Emily Atack and Pixie Lott.

“We both have very busy work schedules for the rest of the year so we are both going to focus on our upcoming work projects and we wish each other well for the future,” her message concluded.

In a second post later on in the day, she wrote: “Nothing I ever said about my feelings to Gio were fake before people start. I still love him very very much. But things change. Please be respectful to me at this time by not saying awful things. This is a hard time for me.”

Her previous relationship with actor Sean Ward fell foul of the notorious ‘Strictly curse’ last year, when their five-month relationship disintegrated on the night of the televised final in December.

More: Georgia May Foote describes ‘Strictly’ dancer boyfriend as “the best thing that ever happened to me”