Yahoo News Giovanni Pernice 'quits' BBC Strictly Come Dancing after Amanda Abbington claims
Rumours are swirling that Strictly Come Dancing's resident heart-throb, Giovanni Pernice, is hanging up his dancing shoes on the show for good.
Reports out tonight - as of yet unconfirmed by the BBC or the star - suggest the Italian hunk has made the decision to leave the well-loved BBC dance competition while negotiations for the next series are ongoing. The Mirror reports that, despite criticism from former celebrity partners over his strenuous training regimes, including Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, the Beeb are "very keen" to hold onto the 33-year-old dancer.
Further weight was added to the speculation weight when an internal list circulated by the BBC featuring this year's professional dancers was circulated, but omitted Giovanni's name. Emerging reports have hinted that he intends to explore new ventures on alternative television platforms.
In response to the chatter, the BBC released a statement tonight about Giovanni's future.
The reported departure comes in the wake of tension with Pernice's most recent celebrity partner, Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington, who chose to end her Strictly journey early last October due to disagreement and emotional strains she claimed resulted from Giovanni's rigorous exercise schedule.
In light of her exit, Amanda said she had been diagnosed with slight post-traumatic stress disorder following her brief stint on the show. This revelation prompted further allegations from other celebrity participants regarding Pernice's approach.
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"Gio feels the scrutiny on him has become too much, and now is the time to make a fresh start," an insider disclosed to The sun about Giovanni's potential exit from Strictly Come Dancing tonight. "He wants to focus on other TV projects, and feels he's achieved all he can on Strictly, having won the trophy back in 2021 and reaching the final an unprecedented four times."
The insider added to the paper: "He remains adamant he's done nothing wrong other than being a hard taskmaster, but knows his style of training isn't to everyone's liking - especially in this day and age. He has a lot of other exciting projects in the pipeline right now, and he's just super-excited to get cracking on them. This, now, is his priority."
A BBC spokesperson commented tonight: "The Professional Dancers for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 will be announced in due course."
It seems that Giovanni's final appearance on Strictly was alongside his 2023 celebrity partner Amanda last year. There are whispers of friction between them during rehearsals and off-camera moments while the Sherlock actress was in the competition.
Earlier in the year, reports surfaced that Amanda had requested backstage footage from the BBC of her practice sessions with Giovanni, which some speculate could be in preparation for possible legal proceedings.
Amanda Abbington has stepped back from the dance contest citing "medical reasons", yet there's speculation that the Sherlock star might be consulting legal experts after reportedly experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following her time on the show. Insiders suggest this could be associated with Giovanni's intense training approach.
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The BBC has reportedly rallied behind Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice, with insiders suggesting there's no need for an investigation. "The feeling is he is a tough taskmaster, but hasn't bullied or abused anyone. The BBC see him as a key face of Strictly and will do all they can to support him," a source told the Mirror.
In his first interview since Amanda Abbington's sudden exit from Strictly Come Dancing, Giovanni Pernice reflected on their partnership. He expressed disappointment over her departure, stating: "It's a shame because, in my opinion, she could have gone all the way,".
Amanda Abbington, 52, famed for her role in Sherlock, was partnered with Giovanni in the latest series of the BBC dance competition. However, after just five weeks, she withdrew due to "medical reasons" and later revealed she had been battling PTSD following her time on the show.
Despite the controversy, Giovanni, who received unwavering support from the BBC, insisted that Amanda's health was always his main concern.
Speaking on the Invite Only podcast with his close friend and Strictly judge Anton Du Beke, Giovanni openly admitted his drive for perfection. "I am a perfectionist, 100%, but it comes from a perspective of caring. I think all of the professional dancers are in the same place. In every single part of the world, if you're a professional dancer on one of these shows, you have to get these people looking the best they can on Saturday night."
"And if we have good scores at the end, I do look back and say, 'I've done a great job'. But we all care about our partners and we want that for them every single week to look great on a Saturday. There's no specific way that you are, or have to be with your celebrity. You make the most of their strengths so the only thing that's constant is the fact that you have to do a show on Saturday night."
Anton then added his thoughts: "I thought you and Amanda were marvellous. I thought you were terrific. I remember a few years ago, Kelvin Fletcher came in and danced in week one, and it was amazing."
