Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice has rejected ‘any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour’ while working on the show.
He issued the statement amid reports the BBC has launched an investigation and he has left the programme.
Pernice, 33, who won the show with EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis in 2021, claimed his work with dance partners on the series had ‘always come from a place of love and wanting to win’.
It comes amid claims that his former dance partner on the show, actress Amanda Abbington, was left with a bruised foot after being stamped on in training.
According to The Sun on Sunday the 52-year-old would be left in tears and ‘sad and despondent’ as their lessons became ‘toxic’.
Amanda Abbington has reportedly accused Giovanni Pernice of ‘stamping on her foot’ during his ‘militant’ training sessions on Strictly Come Dancing
Off the back of Giovanni’s departure, friends close to Amanda, 52, have spoken about how she found the pro dancer ‘abrasive’ and would have to have ‘crisis talks’ with show bosses
Amanda has led the charge in accusing him of ‘difficult behaviour’ during training and is currently speaking with the BBC to discuss possible workplace misconduct
Three former dance partners, said to include Ms Abbington, are understood to have instructed lawyers to act on their behalf in relation to complaints about his conduct.
The actress is said to have met with Laura Whitmore, 39, and Ranvir Singh, 46, earlier this year for an ’emotional summit’ to ‘compare notes’ about their time working with Pernice.
A legal firm acting on behalf of the complainants has claimed the BBC is ‘evidence gathering’, but the broadcaster last night refused to comment on this.
Sicily-born Pernice, who joined the show in 2015, wrote on Instagram on Saturday: ‘To my dear fans, you will be as surprised as I am that allegations have been made about my dance teaching methods in the media this week.
‘Of course, I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name.’
The Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh also complained about Giovanni to producers back in 2020, during their time on the show
In 2016, former Love Island host Laura Whitmore said she ‘cried every day’ and felt ‘uncomfortable’ while training with him
Pernice, who was spotted on the Portuguese island of Madeira over the weekend, added: ‘Those who have followed my journey on Strictly Come Dancing over the last decade will know that I am passionate and competitive. No one is more ambitious for my dance partners than me.’
Carter-Ruck, the legal firm acting on behalf of the complainants, said the broadcaster is ‘evidence gathering’ in the alleged cases.
It comes after it was reported last week that Pernice has now left the show. Neither the BBC nor Pernice has confirmed his departure.
The BBC declined to comment.