Giovanni Pernice has said he thought his career would end when the BBC launched an investigation into his teaching methods on Strictly Come Dancing.
The professional dancer was axed from the show after his 2023 celebrity dance partner, Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, had claimed she was subjected to a “toxic environment” and “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” behaviour during her time on the show.
Pernice denied the allegations of abusive or threatening behaviour while the BBC upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made, and issued an apology to Abbington.
The review had no findings relating to physical aggression but upheld accusations of swearing and giving negative feedback.
In a new interview with the Sunday Mirror, Pernice reflected on “dark moments” from during the probe, such as him thinking his career would be over.
“I’m not going to lie, there were dark moments in terms of (me thinking) this is finished, this is the end of my career. That was one of my down moments,” he told the publication.
He added: “Sorry for my language but 2024 can f*** off. I’ve been looking forward to seeing the back of it.”
Speaking about the investigation and claims against him, he said: “I know what I did – that kept me calm, because I knew the truth from the beginning. I was expecting and waiting that all of this would finish and come back with the results that I wanted it to be.”
“I know what the truth is, I know who I am, so you just wait and move on with life.”
The Italian dancer said he now takes “life day by day because you never know what is going to happen… things can change in a moment”.
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Pernice and his Strictly pro partner Rose Ayling-Ellis – the show’s first deaf contestant – lifted the glitterball trophy in 2021.
At the time of Pernice’s axing, another long-standing professional, Graziano Di Prima, was also axed from the series over allegations regarding his treatment of his celebrity partner Zara McDermott. Di Prima said he “deeply regrets” the events that led to his Strictly departure.
Pernice’s career as a dancer and TV personality has continued in the months following the BBC probe. Instead of competing in the 2024 Strictly series, Pernice joined the Italian equivalent Ballando Con Le Stelle, which he won with actor and singer Bianca Guaccero, who he developed a romantic relationship with while on the show.
The pair revealed on 24 December that they had commissioned matching tattoos to commemorate their time on the show together, while publicly sharing their relationship.
When his win was announced on the Italian programme in December, Strictly judges Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood showed their support for Pernice, with Ballas writing: “A huge congratulations. Wow what a trophy. Well deserved. See you soon x.”
Revel Horwood simply added: “Congratulations.”
The dancer is currently on Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted, which sees celebrities go on the run while an elite team of hunters tries to track them down, with fellow Strictly professional Kai Widdrington.
Pernice will also embark on his tour across the UK with Strictly judge Anton Du Beke this summer.
At the time of Pernice’s axing from Strictly, another long-standing professional, Graziano Di Prima, was also axed from the series over allegations regarding his treatment of his celebrity partner Zara McDermott.
Di Prima said he “deeply regrets” the events that led to his Strictly departure.
The BBC has since introduced a set of duty-of-care measures in response to the complaints. Chaperones are now present in rehearsal rooms, while two welfare specialists have joined the production team, with the rest of the crew receiving extra training.
Abbington said in September: “What matters most now is that lessons have been learned and that the BBC makes the changes they’ve promised, to ensure others don’t experience the same ordeal that I and others like me did.”
With additional reporting from agencies.