Giovanni Pernice insists 'I’ll be back,' after Strictly accusation

Ex-Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer Giovanni Pernice has stated that he plans to return despite facing accusations regarding his conduct on the show.

In a recent interview with the Sun on Sunday, Amanda Abbington, who used to dance with him, said that his actions on Strictly were unwarranted, aggressive, harmful, and unkind.

There were many reports about Abbington, known for her role in Sherlock, having problems with her dance partner Pernice while working on the show in 2023.

Strictly has made it clear that the dancer will not be part of the upcoming series this year. His representative has stated before that he denies the accusations and does not accept any claims of abuse or threats.

While performing in Manchester on Sunday, Pernice made a comment about a certain unpredictable individual without revealing their identity.

The Italian dancer, aged 33, has been a part of the popular dancing show on BBC One since 2015. He clinched the victory in 2021 alongside actress Rose Ayling-Ellis.

Abbington, who quit the series in October last year, told a Sunday newspaper that she was worried about facing criticism if she spoke up and alleged that the BBC had been aware of his actions for a long time.

During the conversation, Abbington expressed her dismay at Giovanni's actions, describing them as unjustified, hurtful, and unkind. She felt compelled to speak out against his behavior to prevent him from harming others.

Pernice performed alongside Strictly judge Anton Du Beke during the last show of the Anton and Giovanni Together Live Tour on Sunday.

At first, the couple didn't pay attention to the overwhelming coverage that Strictly has been receiving from the media in the past few weeks.

It was like stepping into a different world. Instead of reading the news, we were surrounded by laughter, dancers in the background, and a lot of different outfits changing quickly.

At a certain moment, Pernice and Du Beke were debating about which is tastier, spaghetti bolognese or fish and chips. Suddenly, Pernice was engaging with the audience, encouraging everyone to yell "yee-haw" in response to him.

However, during the middle of the show, Pernice brought up the obvious topic.

"I'll definitely return, no need to fret," Pernice reassured the enthusiastic crowd at his show in Manchester's Lowry theatre, before addressing the rumors.

During the break, women were talking in the bathroom about the remarks and saying they thought he was talking about Abbington.

And following the performance, fans - predictably - were showing their backing for Pernice.

"He will return," June mentioned, speaking about what Pernice had said earlier.

Amanda's daughter mentioned that she has been a loyal follower of Strictly since the beginning, and the recent accusations have not altered her feelings. However, she expressed disappointment that as Strictly reaches its 20th anniversary, there is a negative cloud looming over it.

According to a spokesperson for Pernice speaking to BBC News, Giovanni has been informed of the accusations from the investigation and has been fully cooperative. The claims reported by the Sun on Sunday were not part of the inquiry.

Giovanni denies the claims made against him and states that he did not engage in any abusive or threatening actions.

"He has given significant proof to the investigation, and he is still completely confident that he will prove his innocence."

The BBC has previously stated that it has strong procedures in place to ensure the well-being of individuals and that it does not discuss individual cases.

The person speaking on TV mentioned: "Everyone who is part of a complaint has the right to privacy and a fair investigation. When a complaint is brought to the BBC, we look into it and determine the truth, if there is a valid issue, and decide on any necessary actions to address it."

This relates to the BBC's responsibility to take care of everyone involved in a complaint, including both the individuals who raised the complaint and those who are being complained about.