October 11th 2024.
Giovanni Pernice, a professional dancer on the popular show Strictly Come Dancing, has recently been at the center of controversy and allegations surrounding his training methods. The BBC, which produces the show, has promised to address these issues head-on and take action against any abusive behavior after multiple complaints were filed against professional dancers on the show.
The show, which has been on the air for 20 seasons, was thrown into turmoil earlier this year when actress Amanda Abbington, who was partnered with Giovanni, made serious allegations against him. A thorough investigation was launched and Giovanni, along with fellow dancer Graziano Di Prima, was removed from the show following accusations of physical aggression towards Love Island's Zara McDermott during training.
Both Giovanni and Graziano have denied these claims, and after a lengthy internal investigation, it was concluded that while several complaints against Giovanni were valid, the most serious allegations of physical aggression were unfounded. In the wake of these findings, the BBC has launched an inquiry into the overall workplace culture of the show.
This comes after other celebrities, such as Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh, have also spoken out about Giovanni's training methods. The BBC was also previously embroiled in scandal when former newsreader Huw Edwards was found to possess indecent images of children.
Amanda Abbington had accused Giovanni of bullying her during their time on the show. Meanwhile, Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to offenses involving child abuse images. In response, BBC Chair Samir Shah has made it clear that the organization is fully committed to addressing any inappropriate or abusive behavior in the workplace.
He emphasized that it should be a joy for everyone to work for the BBC and that no one should ever feel fear or worry while working there. The goal of the inquiry is to ensure that the consequences of inappropriate behavior and abuse of power are understood by all. The findings of the inquiry are expected to be published next spring.
After months of investigation and reviewing hundreds of hours of training footage, the BBC found that six out of 17 complaints against Giovanni were valid. These included instances of swearing and using belittling language towards Amanda. The report also revealed two instances of inappropriate sexual banter in the workplace. However, Giovanni was cleared of sending Amanda an inappropriate video via WhatsApp.
It was also concluded that Giovanni was not threatening, intimidating, or abusive towards Amanda, who has been vocal about the lasting impact her experience on Strictly has had on her. She has stated that she now suffers from PTSD and has received death and rape threats directed at her and her family online. After the findings were released, Amanda expressed relief and revealed that a cancer scare was the catalyst for her to leave the show.
Graziano Di Prima, who was also accused of physical abuse towards Zara McDermott, has denied these claims. In the midst of all this, Giovanni has now joined the judging panel on the Italian version of Strictly, where he has been receiving high scores and winning over the judges. He has also stated that it has been a difficult time for him.
After receiving a formal apology from the BBC, Giovanni, who won the glitterball trophy in 2021 with partner Rose Ayling-Ellis, expressed his happiness in being able to continue doing what he loves and was born to do - entertain. He has received support from many of his former co-stars and longtime Strictly friends, including judge Anton Du Beke, with whom he has announced a tour in 2025.
Strictly Come Dancing will continue to air tomorrow on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, you can contact the entertainment team at The Agency by email, phone, or by visiting their Submit Stuff page. They would love to hear from you.
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