It was a night that Giovanni Pernice had been looking forward to for some weeks.
The embattled star, who has seen his Strictly career swiped from him following Amanda Abbington‘s claims he was abrasive with her, was back on the dancefloor.
And in a move which will please his millions of fans, Giovanni cracked a huge smile before telling the sell-out crowd at the Beck theatre in Hayes: ‘It’s nice to be back,’ as he stood alongside his co-star, Strictly judge Anton du Beke.
Despite currently being at the centre of a BBC investigation into his conduct following Amanda and two other women hiring a lawyer to represent them, he insisted: ‘This is the most beautiful thing you know I am alright. I am alright.’ However, he didn’t mention Strictly once.
Audience members watching the first night of Anton and Giovanni: Together said that Giovanni looked ‘blissfully happy’ as he performed on stage to fans who were whooping with joy.
Giovanni Pernice looked ‘blissfully happy’ as he returned to the stage alongside his supportive pal Anton Du Beke – but he failed to mention Strictly following his shock exit amid workplace ‘misconduct’ probe
The embattled star, who has seen his Strictly career swiped from him following Amanda Abbington ‘s claims he was abrasive with her, was back on the dancefloor
Three women, including actress Amanda Abbington (pictured) have hired £700-an-hour lawyers at leading London law firm Carter Ruck to pursue claims against Giovanni and the BBC
And he was given a boost Strictly professional dancer Lauren Oakley, who stayed on last year’s series for eight weeks with Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
She joined Giovanni and Anton and told the audience how the under fire star is ‘cheeky’ and makes her ‘laugh lots.’ She added: ‘I have so much fun.’
At one point the Sicilian hunk had the audience in hysterics as he poked fun at the England football team and the 1996 song Three Lions by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and the rock band the Lightning Seeds – before singing it himself.
He said: ‘Since I moved to the UK one of the things I’ve noticed is the fact you guys get very attached and very obsessed about things.
‘For instance, there’s also the thing that you obsess about like for instance the song it’s coming home when there’s a World Cup.
‘Unfortunately it never came home.’
Then he moved onto ridicule the Britain’s Eurovision’s performances.
‘I don’t know if you remember England this year didn’t do that well, how do you say in French, zero point,’ giggled Giovanni.
In a move which will please his millions of fans, Giovanni cracked a huge smile before telling the sell-out crowd at the Beck theatre in Hayes: ‘It’s nice to be back,’ as he stood alongside his co-star, Strictly judge Anton du Beke
Giovanni and Anton’s tour will still go ahead, after an investigation was launched into claims surrounding his behaviour on Strictly Come Dancing
‘Nil point -No point. Something like that I was supposed to say but I don’t remember the thing and actually I remember I’ve been told as well that the last time Uk won Eurovision with 1997 which makes me seven years old by then. This show is getting weirder, everything it’s weird. Weirder.’
At the end of the show Giovanni got the stage manager to take a picture of the audience.
One fan said: ‘Giovanni looked so happy, he didn’t stop smiling but you couldn’t help but think he was a little bit subdued.
‘Usually he would reference Strictly, he loved the show so I suppose that would be normal but this time it was like it didn’t exist.’
As the curtains closed, the audience gave Giovanni, 33, a standing ovation, leaving him in no doubt that his fans are behind him.
It was previously reported that the rehearsal tapes between Amanda and Giovanni will not be released to the actress after she demanded them to prove her claims of bullying
Earlier this week a male celebrity reportedly joined the group of women making complaints about Giovanni ‘s behaviour (pictured previous dance partner Ranvir Singh)
It will have given Giovanni a huge boost as he waits for the outcome of the BBC investigation.
He has now engaged with the Corporation and has, according to friends, ‘told the truth’ which they say is ‘backed up with evidence.
Sources close to the inquiry say that the verdict won’t be given for ‘weeks’ after Amanda hired a lawyer from London-based legal firm Carter-Ruck.
In response, Giovanni instructed Schillings – who have represented the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and JK Rowling.
Speaking afterwards, Hale Alla, 48, said: ‘I don’t think he’s done anything wrong. Maybe he was a bit strict with his method.
It’s a competition, end of the day, isn’t it? He’s very competitive so I don’t think he’s done anything wrong,’ while her husband Luan Alla, 50, added: ‘He should be prime minister he’s better than what we’ve got now.’
The Sicilian dancer is accused of ‘threatening and abusive behaviour’ while working with celebrity contestants on the show (pictured with Laura Whitmore in 2016)
Despite the furore, head judge Shirley Ballas has stood by the under-fire pro and will join him in hosting a number of dance classes in London next month alongside Anton Du Beke
Meanwhile, amateur ballroom dancer Sheila Park said of Amanda, 52: ‘We didn’t like her.’
Her husband Martin Park – also a dancer – added of Giovanni: ‘I think he’s dedicated and passionate and if you are, if you are that way ,then people don’t take the same view you do you don’t understand why they haven’t got your passion and dedication it’s hard work and if you’ve ever had to do it like we did when we first did we couldn’t really dance for up to a year.
‘It took us a year of doing practising and going for lessons before we could even got to move around the dance floor.’
Asked if he thought Strictly (BBC) was wrong to get rid of Giovanni, he replied saying:
‘Yes, he isn’t a bully.’