UNDER-fire Strictly pro Giovanni Pernice has told pals he is quitting the dance show — after starting negotiations to do another series.
The BBC was said to be “very keen” to continue working with the Italian, 33 — who has faced allegations over his tough training methods from previous celebrity partners, including actress Amanda Abbington.
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And an internal memo of this year’s professional dancers for the show has been circulated without his name.
And The Sun can reveal that Giovanni had told friends he is now instead seeking a fresh start on other TV shows.
His shock move after The Sun first revealed tensions between the dancer and Sherlock star Amanda, 52, his celeb partner last year.
She quit in October after a series of bust-ups which left her in tears.
Amanda later told The Sun on Sunday she had been diagnosed with mild post-traumatic stress disorder following her stint on the competition.
Claims from other celeb partners then emerged.
Tonight a source told The Sun: “Gio feels the scrutiny on him has become too much, and now is the time to make a fresh start.
“He wants to focus on other TV projects, and feels he’s achieved all he can on Strictly, having won the trophy back in 2021 and reaching the final an unprecedented four times.
“He remains adamant he’s done nothing wrong other than being a hard taskmaster, but knows his style of training isn’t to everyone’s liking — especially in this day and age.
“He has a lot of other exciting projects in the pipeline right now, and he’s just super-excited to get cracking on them. This, now, is his priority.”
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The news comes four weeks after Giovanni began contract talks with the BBC to do another year of the hit contest — marking its 20th anniversary.
The star, who has been relaxing on holiday abroad, told bosses he is currently taking a three-week break to mull over his decision.
However it seems unlikely he will change his mind.
Gio joined the show in 2015 and has become a fan favourite — reaching the final in his first year with actress Georgia May Foote, and triumphing in 2021 with EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Giovanni recently defended his training methods, and said Amanda could have got to the final if she had stayed.
He told a podcast two months ago: “I am a perfectionist, 100 per cent, but it comes from a perspective of caring.
“I think all of the professional dancers are in the same place.
“It’s a shame because, in my opinion, she (Amanda) could have gone all the way.”
Chance to shine solo
NEWS to make a million housewives’ hearts break; but the right news.
After months of fevered speculation concerning his “vigorous” training methods, Giovanni Pernice has cut his losses, and quit the show that made him a household name. (And, as mentioned, a housewives’ favourite).
Frankly, Gio’s position on Strictly had become untenable.
One unhappy celebrity partner is unlucky. Four is unacceptable.
By all accounts, away from the dance floor, Giovanni is nice chap.
Certainly, he was, for many years, a hugely popular figure behind the scenes.
But since Amanda Abbington very publicly quit the show, citing “private medical reasons”- which she later elaborated was PTSD, from the stress of training up to 10 hours a day with Gio – his popularity with fellow pros is understandably on the wane.
No-one wants to be associated with a headline-stealing taskmaster, one who makes his partners cry.
In his defence, Giovanni is a passionate Sicilian, one who grew up in dance schools where crying through exhaustion was the norm. This was his norm.
But in 2024, on a glossy, Saturday night celebrity dance show, this isn’t normal.
He’s an incredibly good-looking, charming and talented performer – he has already been flooded with “exciting TV offers”.
This, then, is Gio’s cha-cha-chance to shine, solo, and win over a whole new legion of fans… not just the housewives.
Amanda reported her pro partner’s alleged behaviour to the BBC around the time she left, and Giovanni was spoken to by a duty-of-care counsellor.
The actress also later demanded to see footage of the pair in rehearsals.
Other claims against Giovanni also emerged.
At least three other celebs were said to have struggled to adapt to his volatile methods — with Laura Whitmore, Ranvir Singh and Richie Anderson all reportedly unhappy.
In March it was claimed that Amanda, ex-Love Island host Laura and GMB star Ranvir met for an “emotional summit” to discuss their shared experiences with him on the show.
They discussed making a formal complaint to the BBC.
Laura previously revealed she was “extremely uncomfortable” at being paired with Giovanni on the 2016 series.
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Speaking in 2018, she said: “I’m still not ready to talk in depth about my experience on the show. In the end I felt broken.
“I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end.”
The negative reports have not gone down well with some of Gio’s fellow pros on the show, which won a TV Bafta on Sunday night.
Some were “not happy” with the BBC’s decision to stand by him, and think he is right to quit.
A source said: “Many of the other dancers, who take their work extremely seriously and try to give the celebs the best experience possible, have been mortified by recent headlines.
“He’s not the easiest guy to work with, because he’s such a sportsman in his desire to succeed, and has fallen out of favour with some of the female professionals especially.
“They’ve all been told he’s quitting, and think it’s the right decision for everyone involved with the production.”
Giovanni has been holidaying in Dubai with girlfriend Molly Brown, and the pair have now flown to a European resort.
No announcement has yet been made by the BBC, with the full list of pros released later this year.
Earlier this year it screened Giovanni and Anton’s Adventures in Spain, a travel series featuring him and Strictly judge Anton Du Beke.
Another series was understood to have been commissioned.
Last night a BBC spokesman said: “The professional dancers for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 will be announced in due course.”
A spokesman for Giovanni declined to comment.
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How the drama’s unfolded
By ELLIE HENMAN
2015: Giovanni joins Strictly and reaches the final with Georgia May Foote.
2016: Partnered with Laura Whitmore, who later says her experience with Gio left her in tears every day.
2018: Makes the final again, this time with Faye Tozer.
2021: Wins with EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis.
SEPTEMBER 2023: Paired with actress Amanda Abbington, who threatens to quit in early weeks following rows.
OCTOBER 2023: She pulls out of live show for “medical reasons” and then quits altogether.
JANUARY 6, 2024: Amanda demands the BBC hands over rehearsals footage after seeking legal advice following claims she was left with PTSD.
JANUARY 7: The BBC refuses to launch probe into Giovanni despite a string of concerns, including from another former dancer partner, Ranvir Singh.
JANUARY 9: The Sun reveals the BBC is standing by Gio.
JANUARY 13: Amanda reveals she has received death threats over the row.
MARCH 16: Amanda, Ranvir and Laura meet to compare notes on how Gio treated them.
MARCH 23: BBC in a bind as bosses are “undecided” on if Gio should get a celeb partner.
MARCH 31: Giovanni to hold a crunch meeting with BBC as it is revealed he clashed with a fourth partner, Faye Tozer.