Inside the claims against Giovanni Pernice Strictly

What a difference two years can make. In December 2021, Giovanni Pernice, along with actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, were arguably one half of the most popular partnership in Strictly Come Dancing history. The pair claimed the glitterball that year and their silent dance won the Couple’s Choice Bafta. “If social media makes you despair of humanity, and if you think we’ve suddenly turned into a split middle society,” Richard Osman tweeted at the time, “just watch #Gogglebox watching Rose and Giovanni on Strictly .”

That feels like a long time ago now. It’s been a tumultuous week for Pernice and it appears to be a growing crisis for the 33-year-old dancer. It was reported this week that he has resigned Strictly – although neither the dancer nor the BBC confirmed the exit – and law firm Carter-Ruck has contacted the corporation over “numerous serious complaints” about his alleged behavior while filming the show.

Again, the BBC has no comment. Responding to the allegations, Pernice, who is said to have hired the Schillings law firm, made a statement on Instagram: “My dear fans, you will be as shocked 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. Those who followed my journey on Strictly Come Dancing in the last ten years I will know that I am passionate and competitive. No one is more ambitious for my dance partners than me.

“I’ve always looked to help them become the best dancers they can be,” he continued. “This has always come from a place of love and wanting to win – for me and my dance partners.”

Following Pernice’s exit, the coin has been turned, as reports have emerged that professional Strictly dancers are said to be “deeply concerned” about the lack of psychological assessment of the show’s celebrity contestants before they sign up. According to the Daily Mail, Strictly which, unlike the ITV star, does not carry out comprehensive tests for its potential stars Dancing on Ice.

Insiders point out that most other reality shows conduct rigorous evaluations to ensure potential cast members can handle the demanding conditions. Sources close to some of the Strictly Professionals have expressed concern that they may face accusations from their celebrity partners if challenges arise in these tough conditions. Of course, there are similar concerns about whether adequate psychological care is provided to the professional dancers, who are subject to considerable public attention and scrutiny.

The actress Amanda Abbington, Pernice’s latest partner Strictly, missed five weeks into last year’s series, citing personal reasons, and did not appear in the live final. In an Instagram post thanking the Strictly team, in particular she left out any comment on her professional partner. Abbington has reportedly suffered from PTSD ever since she was training with her “military” dance partner. The sun she reported that she was among the contestants who instructed lawyers. Pernice’s former partner, Laura Whitmore, also spoke about her unhappiness during her time on the show.

Strictly pro Luba Mushtuk has performed in Pernice’s stage shows. “I started dancing with him in 2016 when I joined the Strictly family,” she said Dance Times in 2018. “We started choreographing together and some numbers. We felt that it worked very well from a dance point of view and we started the tour. We are great friends. We are like brother and sister: we argue; we have a lot of fun. We just have a very special relationship.”

Outside of it Strictly, 29-year-old Burn the Floor dancer Korina Travis, who has performed with Pernice at private events, said in a response on Instagram: “I’ve known him for years as a contestant and he’s done that. terrible things for me. I won’t talk about my experience with him but I’m so glad he’s actually seeing it. I’ll leave it at that.”

When asked for an interview, one of his former partners responded. “The chapter with Giovanni is something in the past,” she said, “and I want to keep it that way.”

The situation is emerging as extremely divisive. Without being in the room or seeing the BBC film, there is no way of knowing exactly what happened. Perhaps for that reason, the majority of Pernice’s famous ex-partners on Strictly have remained silent on the matter, although Debbie McGee, a former dancer herself, posted on Instagram in January: “The time was Giovanni and I prefer Strictly.”

The show’s other professional dancers also remained largely silent. ex Strictly champion Stacey Dooley was unwilling to be drawn on the subject when asked on BBC Breakfast. “What I would say, more broadly, is that I hope all the women involved are OK,” she said. “I think, really, apart from this – in my personal experience, I think it’s a slippery slope not to believe women when they come forward and say certain things.”

There was plenty of support for the dancer from Pernice’s mostly female fans. With 1.1 million followers on Instagram, roughly the same number as the BBC show itself, Giovanni has a massive following and has maintained a busy schedule outside of Strictly, with annual stage shows, as well as touring as a duo by Anton Du Beke. . The pair has also been seen recently Anton and Giovanni’s adventures in Spainalthough there are rumors that her travel show has been canceled as well.

Miho Charles, a Strictly fan and student of Giovanni, nothing but the praise of their teacher. “Giovanni never criticizes your disability,” she says. “He always suggests options and encourages us… I describe him as very tough, dedicated, funny, honest, [he] keeps promises, [is a] a friendly, loving, thoughtful, passionate, cheerful, diligent and beautiful person. He is one of the greatest teachers.”

However, there is more to teaching a celebrity on Strictly, with its tight time pressures and millions of viewers. And the Sicilian dancer, who joined the show in 2015, makes no secret of being a taskmaster. Shortly into their time together, Pernice praised McGee’s commitment and work ethic. “Everything I taught her, she listened to,” he enthused, “and she would do it again, again, again – that’s what made the dance so good.”

Nor did Pernice pretend to be extremely competitive. “Very competitive, very competitive,” he said Dance Times in 2022, after winning with Ayling-Ellis. “I’ve always wanted to win Strictly because I’ve been so close – I’ve come second so many times without getting the glitter ball.

“I gave it to my mum and dad,” he said. “I promised them that if I ever won the glitter ball I would give it to them, so I did. They live in Sicily, in the living room, so they can see it every day.” On the mantelpiece? “Yes, next to Jesus Christ,” he said.

The dance world is famous. I will never forget interviewing a West End choreographer on a call on Zoom, during the pandemic. When I said how friendly choreographers and dancers are, he told me firmly: “Look, not everyone is nice.” “Dancers are very emotional,” said Domen Krapez, a former professional ballroom world champion. “We are not business people. We have to own the floor – we have to show emotion. And then of course, sometimes emotions come out too much and may not fit the person in front of you. That can be a bit problematic.”

In the last ten years, there has been at least one fight between female dancers on the floor of the British Open Championships at the Blackpool Dance Festival. StrictlyThe head judge, Shirley Ballas, spoke out against bullies in the world of dance, but made news several times on Mel Giedroyc’s show Incomprehensible about kissing a woman, who had a reported affair

Most people inside a ballroom have seen couples fighting or raising their voices – or even the occasional slap or chair being thrown across the room at rehearsals. It’s not the norm, of course, and it shouldn’t be acceptable either, but there is a darker side to the dance and, to some extent, a conspiracy of silence around it. It’s hard to know if that’s what’s going on right now, or if it’s a matter of everyone waiting for the legal investigation to find out what really happened.

The BBC has been contacted for comment