Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice investigation result released by BBC
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The findings from the BBC's inquiry into Giovanni Pernice's conduct on Strictly Come Dancing have come to light, prompting an apology to Amanda Abbington.
Certain grievances raised by the Sherlock star regarding her Italian partner from last year's series have been validated, but he has been exonerated from the more serious accusations directed at him.
Following a nine-month investigation, BBC News has reported that Abbington's claims of verbal bullying and harassment have been recognized. However, the investigation concluded that Pernice did not display any physical aggression towards his celebrity partner.
On Monday, September 30, the BBC shared the findings of the investigation, stating, “We have reviewed the complaints and have upheld some, but not all of them. Strictly Come Dancing is intended for family viewing, and we hold it to very high standards. Although competition can be intense and challenging, our goal is for the show to be a happy and life-changing experience. It's truly unfortunate if that hasn’t been the case for everyone involved.”
"We would like to express our heartfelt apologies to Amanda Abbington and extend our gratitude for her bravery in stepping forward and participating. We understand that this was likely a challenging decision for her."
The company explained that it took a while to share the results because Abbington's complaints were quite complicated. They also mentioned that a thorough and careful evaluation was conducted.
A representative for Pernice expressed satisfaction that the report did not uncover any signs of threatening or abusive conduct from him. They also mentioned that Giovanni feels relieved that most of the claims brought to the BBC have not been substantiated.
In the meantime, Abbington mentioned that the BBC's apology was very significant to her. She stated, "As the BBC noted in its announcement today, deciding to speak out and report Giovanni Pernice's behavior towards me was a tough choice."
Since reaching out to the BBC, I’ve faced accusations of being dishonest, a disruptor, and labeled as ‘crazy and unstable.’ I’ve endured threats of violence, including rape and murder, and someone even sent a bomb threat to my workplace. My family and children have also experienced intimidation and threats directed at them.
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She added, “Even though I've faced terrible mistreatment, I've never wished I had stayed quiet. The apology from the BBC today confirms that my complaint was justified. It's not just a win for me; it’s also a win for others who have reached out to me since I filed my complaint, sharing their concerns about their own experiences on Strictly Come Dancing. I hope that those who have felt hesitant to speak up will now feel more assured that they will be heard and believed.”
Abbington abruptly left Strictly just five episodes into the 2023 season, mentioning health issues as the reason. Her claims against Pernice, whom she has called “nasty,” emerged in January 2024, and she has consistently accused him of inappropriate behavior during rehearsals.
In August 2024, it was reported that Abbington was "interrogated once more" regarding her allegations against Pernice, claiming that the dancer made inappropriate sexual remarks during rehearsals.
In an interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy for Channel 4 News last month, Abbington stated that the show's producers placed cameras in her rehearsal space after she expressed worries about Pernice.
"Every Friday for about five weeks, the producer would tell me, 'We just reviewed the footage, and we’re really shocked and horrified. We’re truly sorry about this.' This would happen in person on Fridays when we went in for the camera rehearsal," she explained.
"The proof exists. There are indications of what took place in that room, and I'm not the one preventing access to it. I've stated that anyone can view it, but Giovanni seems to prefer that no one does, which is interesting if he truly has nothing to conceal."
When Mr. Guru-Murthy inquired if she was referring to bullying, she answered: “Absolutely, it’s a form of bullying and involves aggressive conduct. There were also other troubling experiences that you deal with in the moment, particularly as a woman. You have to handle these situations, because if you don’t, then what options do you have?”
Before the results came out, Pernice consistently denied any misconduct. In a statement addressing the Channel 4 interview, a representative for the dancer stated: "We are fully cooperating with the BBC's review process. Everyone involved has been asked to honor this process and refrain from speaking to the media until it is finished. We remain committed to upholding the integrity of the investigation and believe this is the appropriate setting for all evidence to be examined."
