Giovanni Pernice admits he ‘would love’ to return to BBC Strictly in sad confession: ‘They’ve closed the book’
Giovanni Pernice has shared his hopes of returning to BBC Strictly after he was suspended from the show following the abuse scandal that rocked the competition ahead of the latest series last year.
Pernice, 34, left the show during an investigation into “misconduct” claims made by his 2023 celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington. He was absent from the recent 2024 series but has since gone on to win the Italian edition of the show.
After an initial suspension, Pernice, who strongly denied Abbington’s claims, decided to leave the show completely and take part instead in his home country’s version, Ballando con le Stelle.
Months after the scandal caused a media storm, the dancer has now admitted he would like to return, however he believes the BBC has likely “closed the book” on him.
“Everybody has moved on. Maybe I might come back in a few years like Alijaz,” he pondered.
“I think this is the path we take. And don’t forget, I’m the reigning Italian champion.”
He went on to tell Mail on Sunday how his “difficult year” was turned around by winning the Italian show alongside his now-girlfriend, Bianca Guaccero.
“And when I saw that trophy in Rome I knew I had got through it,” he told the publication.
“My parents worried so much. They are so happy now and so relieved it’s over.
“People ask how I kept going. The truth is I had to. It was hard but I have faith. I believe in God. I knew what I did and I just had to wait until the thing finished.”
Discussing his hopes of returning to the BBC staple, he added: “I think they [the BBC] have closed the book on that and everyone has moved on.
“I would love to go back to Strictly because Strictly changed my life. It is a massive show, but I don’t think they’re going to have me back. They’re not.”
Abbington, 52, made complaints of “misconduct” against the 34-year-old after she opted to leave the show early in 2023.
The investigation into the claims only concluded towards the end of last year, with the BBC upholding six of the 17 allegations made against the Italian dancer.
The broadcaster apologised to Abbington following the findings, while a spokesperson for Pernice said at the time he was “pleased” the review “has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour” by him.
The chief content officer at the BBC said a number of complaints under its bullying and harassment policy were upheld, but said she was unable to go into further detail on the allegations made by Abbington about the actress’s time on Strictly Come Dancing.
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Charlotte Moore told the BBC: “There were a number of complaints under our bullying and harassment policy, and a number of those complaints have been upheld. Not all of them, but a number of them have been upheld.
“I’m not able to go into further detail on that, and there are very good reasons for that.“It’s probably worth me just laying out the confidentiality of a complaints process, which I think is absolutely integral to the complaints process, and confidentiality needs to be respected out of fairness to everybody involved.
“But of course, we’re also trying to balance that with the desire to be open and to be transparent about the way our complaints processes work – and obviously in this case, there’s been lots of media speculation and lots of interest.
“So I think it’s really important that we’re as open and transparent as we can be about that process, which is why we’ve issued the statement.”