Giovanni Pernice sparks headache for BBC Strictly bosses as dancer ‘determined to force way back’ on show
Pressure is growing on the BBC to reveal whether Giovanni Pernice has a future on the show with the Italian “determined to force a way back”.
The Italian dancer revealed in an ITV interview yesterday that he would “never say never” to a return to the Saturday night show.
He quit the programme after Amanda Abbington made a string of complaints about his behaviour when the pair were partners.
But despite a report upholding six complaints, Pernice believes he has been vindicated and pals believe he dreams of a return.
A source told GB News: “Giovanni would love to go back. He’s determined to return one day and force a way back.
“His heart will always be on Strictly Come Dancing and he thinks he has unfinished business on the programme.
“But the BBC has a big, big problem. They’ve already released a report detailing an investigation which upheld six claims against Giovanni.
“So for them to offer him a way back onto the show would be highly controversial. It would be a bold move for sure.
“Eventually though producers are going to need to make a decision and announce if Giovanni could ever return.
“If they did allow him back then Amanda and her supporters are likely to be dismayed, especially given the BBC has already issued a public apology to her over what she went through.”
Pernice spoke to ITV to give his side of the story on Abbington’s complaints about his behaviour during Strictly Come Dancing, insisting that he is not a bully and refusing to rule out a return to the BBC show.
Pernice also detailed the final messages he sent to Abbington during their tenure together on last year’s series as well as responded to allegations made by another of his former partners, Laura Whitmore.
The pro dancer, who was the subject of a BBC investigation into his behaviour towards Abbington in 2023’s series, claimed that he and the Sherlock star had never had an argument and that the first he knew of her being unhappy was when she made a formal complaint about him.
Pernice added that everyone was aware he was a strict teacher, saying: “I care about my job. I’m very, very, very competitive. I’ve won the Glitterball (Trophy) before.”
After Pernice’s claims about his time working with Abbington and the revelation that he has “no regrets” or plans to change his training methods moving forward, Abbington’s representatives released a statement.
It read: “Mr Pernice’s claim that ‘everything in the rehearsal room worked perfectly’ is false and delusional, and underlines the toxic culture Ms Abbington endured on Strictly Come Dancing.
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“The BBC’s own investigation concluded that Mr Pernice was in breach of multiple BBC Policies, including repeated breaches of the Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy.
“Mr Pernice was spoken to by the BBC on several occasions about his misconduct – but his behaviour only continued. At no time did Ms Abbington regard his verbal abuse or inappropriate sexual behaviour as banter.
“This is precisely the kind of gaslighting behaviour which victims of bullying and harassment often have to endure: it’s these people Ms Abbington will continue to speak up for.
“Ms Abbington remains concerned about the way the inquiry into her complaint was handled by the BBC, and the leaking of the investigation Report to the press, and will be meeting with the Corporation in due course to raise these in more detail.”
GB News has contacted Pernice’s representatives for comment.
