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

Amanda Abbington, who used to dance with Giovanni Pernice on Strictly Come Dancing, has spoken out against his actions on the show.

Ex-Strictly Come Dancing dancer Giovanni Pernice has stated confidently, "I will return" following accusations about his conduct on the show.

His previous dance partner Amanda Abbington accused him of being unnecessary, abusive, cruel, and mean during their time on Strictly, as reported in an interview with the Sun on Sunday.

Many sources have shared that Abbington, known for her role on Sherlock, faced challenges while collaborating with her dancing companion Pernice during their time on the television program in 2023.

Strictly has announced that the dancer will not be coming back for this year's series, and his representative has previously stated that he denied the allegations and rejected any claims of abusive or threatening actions.

While performing in Manchester on Sunday, Pernice made a comment about an unidentified woman in the audience, saying, "I wonder what she'll say next." He did not mention any specific names.

The Italian dancer, who is 33 years old, has been competing on the popular dancing show on BBC One since 2015. He emerged as the winner in 2021 alongside actress Rose Ayling-Ellis.

Abbington, who dropped out of last year's show in October, has revealed to the newspaper on Sunday that she was scared of 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 mentioned that she felt Giovanni's actions were unwarranted, aggressive, harsh, and unkind. She couldn't just stand by and watch him mistreat others.

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

At first, the couple did not respond to the intense attention from the media about Strictly in the past few weeks.

It was like stepping into a different world. Instead of the serious news stories we see in the newspapers, here we had comedy, dancers in the background, and a lot of different outfits that changed rapidly.

At a certain time, Pernice and Du Beke were arguing about whether spaghetti bolognese or fish and chips is superior. Suddenly, Pernice was engaging with the audience, encouraging them to all shout "yee-haw" in response.

But during the middle of the performance, Pernice brought up the obvious issue that no one wanted to talk about.

"I promise I'll return, no need to fret," Pernice reassured the enthusiastic crowd at the Lowry in Manchester, before addressing the rumors.

In June, June and her daughter Amanda went to Manchester for the performance.

During the break, as the ladies were in the restroom, they were chatting about the remarks and mentioning that they thought he was talking about Abbington.

After the performance, fans were showing their support for Pernice, which was not unexpected.

"He will return," June stated, mentioning Pernice's remarks.

Her daughter Amanda mentioned that she has been a fan of Strictly since the beginning, and the accusations have not altered her feelings. However, she expressed disappointment that Strictly was entering its 20th anniversary year with a shadow of doubt looming over it.

The representative for Pernice told BBC News that he has been informed about the accusations made in the inquiry and has been cooperating fully. None of the accusations mentioned in the Sun on Sunday have been included in any way.

"Giovanni denies the accusations against him of being abusive or threatening, and strongly refutes them."

"He has given solid proof to the investigation, and he is still completely sure that he will be able to prove his innocence."

The BBC has stated that it has strong protocols in place to ensure the well-being of its employees and that it refrains from discussing individual cases.

The person speaking on the show stated that anyone who is part of a complaint should be kept private and treated fairly. If a complaint is brought to the BBC, they will review it and take necessary actions to find out the truth, determine if there is a valid reason for the complaint, and decide on appropriate steps to address the issue.

This is all part of the BBC's responsibility to take care of everyone involved in a complaint - this includes those who made the complaint and those who are being accused.