Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice has named the six people he still keeps in touch with from the BBC series.
Giovanni, 34, recently admitted that he would “love to go back” to Strictly Come Dancing but feels the BBC show will not have him return following a probe into his teaching methods when he competed with Amanda Abbington.
Sherlock actress Amanda had claimed she was subjected to a “toxic environment” and “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” behaviour during her time on the 2023 series.
2024 was a tough year for Giovanni Pernice as BBC bosses investigated Amanda Abbington’s complaints (
Image:
BBC)
Speaking in a new interview, Giovanni – who won Ballando Con Le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly, with now-girlfriend Bianca Guaccero last month – revealed who he is still on speaking terms with from the BBC dance competition. “I’m obviously still in touch with my best friend, which is Anton Du Beke,” the Italian dancer shared.
“All of the judges have been super supportive, I’m very close with Kai [Widdrington], we did Celebrity Hunted together. Lauren [Oakley], most of the professionals,” Giovanni continued. “I’m pretty much in touch with all of them. We’ve all spent a lot of time together and we’ve all built a nice friendship. We are a big family.”
Giovanni won the nineteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, with EastEnders actress, Rose Ayling-Ellis, the BBC show’s first deaf contestant. The pair’s close friendship continued after lifting the Glitterball trophy but has seemingly fizzled out over recent months. During his chat with Heat magazine, Giovanni didn’t mention Rose’s name or indicate they are still as close as they once were.
In another interview earlier this month, Giovanni revealed he doesn’t think he will her return to Strictly this year, telling The Mail On Sunday: “I think they have closed the book on that and everyone has moved on. I would love to go back to Strictly because Strictly changed my life.
He added: “It is a massive show, but I don’t think they’re going to have me back. They’re not. I’m upset as well. It’s been a great, great, great 10 years. I achieved everything. But it’s not my choice, it’s not my decision. Everybody has moved on.”
The Italian dancer is still in contact with Kai Widdrington and other Strictly stars (
Image:
Channel 4)
The professional dancer, who joined the BBC dance competition in 2015, suggested he could “maybe” return to the show in a few years. Following the conclusion of the review, Giovanni met with BBC bosses to discuss the findings, which he said was a “great” meeting as he got to speak with people he had worked with for 10 years who could not communicate with him when the investigation was ongoing.
“I think the result of their investigation was right: it proved there was no aggression and nothing criminal,” he said. “We did shout, and we said the same words.” Following his departure from Strictly, Giovanni joined the Italian equivalent called Ballando Con Le Stelle as a professional dancer.
Giovanni and his celebrity partner, Italian actress and singer Bianca Guaccero, 43, were crowned winners of the latest series in December. The show also brought Giovanni success in his personal life as the duo began a romantic relationship whilst working together. “I have won twice. I won a show and I have a girlfriend,” he said. He added that 2024 had been a “difficult year”, but lifting the trophy proved to him he had “got through it”.
Asked if he will adapt his training methods following Amanda’s complaints, he said: “The whole thing made me question everything but I didn’t change for the show in Italy and I won that, so this is what I think is right. Maybe the approach could be different, but then when you end up doing the same show in a different country and win the show? I have found the answer everyone has been searching for.”
