Giovanni Pernice #

Introduction #

Giovanni Pernice, the Italian professional dancer who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 with Rose Ayling-Ellis, was left out of the show’s professional line-up in 2024 after his 2023 celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington, complained about his conduct. The BBC confirmed on June 10, 2024, that Pernice would not return for the next series, weeks after he denied reports about his teaching methods. A BBC review later upheld part of her complaints, apologising for verbal bullying and harassment while clearing Pernice of the most serious allegations.

Background Information #

Pernice was born on September 5, 1990, in Palermo, Sicily, and moved to Bologna at the age of 14 to concentrate on dance. Specialising in Latin style, he won the Italian Open Championship in 2012.

He joined Strictly Come Dancing as a professional in 2015, reaching the final with Georgia May Foote in his first series and finishing as joint runner-up. He reached the final again with Debbie McGee in 2017 and Faye Tozer in 2018, and won the nineteenth series in 2021 with Rose Ayling-Ellis, the first deaf contestant to appear on the show. As a Strictly professional, Pernice holds the record for the most tens ever awarded, with 97, and has topped the weekly leaderboard more times than any other pro in the show’s history.

In 2023, Pernice was partnered with actress Amanda Abbington, known for BBC drama Sherlock. On October 20, 2023, the pair were announced to miss that Saturday’s show for medical reasons, and Abbington withdrew three days later citing personal reasons. It was widely reported that she had experienced difficulties with Pernice, though she had not confirmed this to BBC News.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation #

In January 2024, The Sun reported that Abbington had requested footage of her time training with Pernice and was seeking legal advice over his training methods. By March, the paper reported she had met with former Pernice partners Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh to discuss their negative experiences on the show. Legal firm Carter Ruck told BBC News there were “numerous serious complaints” about his alleged behaviour while filming Strictly, and the BBC issued a statement addressing “media reports about a high profile show”, promising to handle complaints with care, fairness and sensitivity.

Pernice denied all accusations of wrongdoing, saying he was surprised by the allegations and rejecting “any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour”. He added: “Those who have followed my journey on Strictly Come Dancing over the last decade will know that I am passionate and competitive.” In May 2024 The Sun reported that he had quit the show, and on June 10, 2024, the BBC confirmed his departure by announcing a 2024 professional line-up that did not include him.

The BBC then conducted a review into Abbington’s complaints, which concluded on September 30, 2024. The corporation apologised to Abbington and upheld “some, but not all” of her complaints. BBC News was told the review examined 17 complaints, six of which were upheld — those relating to verbal bullying and harassment — while claims of physical aggression were not; BBC News said it could not independently verify the figures.

Public Reaction and Consequences #

Abbington, who had accused Pernice of being “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean” during their rehearsals — allegations he strongly denied — called the BBC apology a “vindication” of her complaint. In a statement she said she had been accused of being “a liar, a troublemaker and of being ‘mad and unstable’”, and that she and her family had received “rape and murder threats”, with a bomb threat sent to her place of work. She said she hoped others who had felt unable to speak out would now be more confident that they would be listened to and believed.

Pernice welcomed the review’s conclusion, saying he was relieved that the allegations that he was threatening and abusive “were found not to be true”, and that “the majority of the false allegations have been thrown out by the review”. The BBC said the production team had taken steps to address the issues at the time but acknowledged that “ultimately, these were not enough”, and it announced new measures including chaperones in all rehearsal rooms and two new welfare producers on the show. BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore told BBC News it was “terrible” that Abbington had been subjected to online abuse, and said she had personally apologised to her twice.

Current Status #

Pernice has not returned to Strictly Come Dancing. He joined the Italian equivalent, Ballando con le Stelle, in September 2024, winning its nineteenth series in December 2024 with Bianca Guaccero, with whom he has been in a relationship since 2024; he finished second with Francesca Fialdini in the 2025 series. He continues to tour, including a solo tour called The Last Dance in 2025.

For Abbington, the saga took years to resolve. In October 2024 she said she had not ruled out taking legal action against the BBC, and on August 17, 2026, The Guardian reported that she had reached a five-figure out-of-court settlement with the corporation over the bullying allegations. The sum was paid by BBC Studios, meaning the funds did not come from the licence fee, and the BBC declined to comment on the settlement. Following the review, the BBC also introduced welfare measures on the show, including a chaperone present “at all times” during training room rehearsals.

Impact on Their Career/Life #

The controversy ended Pernice’s nine-year association with one of Britain’s most watched shows, where he had been one of its most decorated professionals. The review’s outcome — verbal bullying and harassment upheld, physical aggression not — left his reputation contested: Abbington described the apology as a vindication for herself and others who contacted her, while Pernice maintained he had always strongly denied any wrongdoing and expressed relief that the more serious accusations were dismissed.

The affair also prompted lasting institutional change at the BBC, which introduced chaperones and welfare producers in response to the review. Pernice has continued to work steadily — winning the Italian version of the show and touring — and the August 2026 settlement brought a formal conclusion to Abbington’s claims, though the BBC’s apology to her stood as the official finding on his conduct. The case became a defining scandal in Strictly Come Dancing’s history, showing how allegations of workplace conduct can end a star’s association with a flagship programme even when the most serious claims are not upheld.