On Saturday, Giovanni Pernice was all smiles as he took playful photos with his dance partner, starting rehearsals for the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing.
It was recently announced that the 34-year-old Italian dancer had joined Ballando con le Stelle after leaving the UK version of the show due to bullying claims made by his former partner, Amanda Abbington.
Even though the BBC has not yet finished their investigation into Amanda’s claims, Giovanni has moved on with his career and is now competing on the Italian show with the wife of former Strictly star Graziano Di Prima.
Over the weekend, Giovanni posted fun photos on Instagram with Italian actress and singer Bianca Guaccero, 43, just hours before the UK show’s big launch.
Giovanni kept it casual in a black T-shirt, while Bianca wore a purple vest. They showed their close bond by posing together in the pictures.
In the caption for the post, they wrote: “Sweaty but happy, excited, and ready to give our best and make sure you have fun and dream!
September 28 is coming soon. Are you ready to support us?”
In the comments, many fans said they’ll be supporting Giovanni and Bianca, with some mentioning they’ll miss Giovanni on the UK version of the show.
The 20th anniversary series of Strictly has been overshadowed by scandal this year. The controversy started last October when actress Amanda Abbington left the show and accused Giovanni Pernice of being abusive towards her.
Amanda claimed Giovanni’s teaching methods were “unnecessary, abusive, cruel, and mean,” but he denies all these allegations. Giovanni, 33, has been suspended while the BBC investigates Amanda’s claims along with those from two other former partners. He strongly denies the accusations.
With the report on Giovanni’s conduct expected soon, Amanda Abbington is reportedly very disappointed with the BBC. She fears they might be “protecting” Giovanni during the investigation into the bullying claims.
The BBC has been holding high-level meetings to figure out how to handle the report, worried about possible legal action from either Amanda or Giovanni if they’re unhappy with the outcome.
The show faced more trouble when Graziano Di Prima was fired in July for allegedly kicking his partner, Zara McDermott, from Love Island. Zara didn’t report it initially because she was scared of backlash. Instead, junior production staff reported what they had seen during the ongoing investigation into Giovanni.
Amanda has spoken out, comparing the show to “the trenches” and saying the BBC producers were horrified by clips that showed what she described as “humiliating behavior of a sexual nature.” She told Channel 4 News and Christine Lampard on Lorraine that Giovanni’s behavior was “inappropriate, mean, and bullying” and that she put up with it for weeks.
Amanda also mentioned feeling nauseous after rehearsals with Giovanni, who had been a popular figure on Strictly for eight years before his suspension. Despite the controversy, Giovanni confirmed last week that he will be joining the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing.
A source told The Mail On Sunday that Giovanni is thrilled about joining the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing. He had been hoping for this opportunity and is excited to keep dancing in his home country.
With the BBC’s investigation dragging on and leaving him in limbo, Giovanni is looking forward to this positive change. The people behind Ballando con le Stelle love him and have now signed him up for the show.
Ballando con le Stelle started in 2005, a year after Strictly began in the UK, and is filmed in a beautiful 19th-century theater at the RAI Auditorium in Rome.
