Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice and former Love Island contestant Maura Higgins have finally confirmed rumours they are dating.

The pair went Instagram official on Friday evening, as they both shared loved-up snaps with their followers.

Maura, who appeared on the 2019 series of Love Island, posted a photo of them embracing by the sea, captioning the photo: “I’m yours” and adding a love heart emoji.

Giovanni, who has appeared as a dancer on Strictly since 2015, posted a similar photo and wrote: “You’re mine.”

The pair had been linked in the press in recent weeks, following Maura’s split from fellow Love Islander Chris Taylor. 

Earlier this week, she shared a photo on her Instagram Stories showing her holding the hand of an unknown man at dinner, prompting her followers to speculate that it was Giovanni’s.

Fellow Love Island stars Molly-Mae Hague, Lucie Donlan and Luke Mabbott and former Strictly contestants Michelle Visage and Faye Tozer were among those sending their congratulations after the pair went public.

Strictly pro Neil Jones also quipped: “You two are so cute. Please name your first child after me.”

Maura, who appeared on last year’s Dancing On Ice, announced her split from Chris back in May, just six months after they went public with their romance. 

The pair found love after leaving the ITV2 show, where Maura began a relationship with Curtis Pritchard, who is coincidentally the brother of Giovanni’s former Strictly colleague AJ Pritchard. 

Giovanni was previously in a relationship with ex Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote, who he was paired up with on Strictly in 2015. 

He went on to date former The Only Way Is Essex star Jessica Wright and The Pussycat Dolls’ Ashley Roberts.