Giovanni Pernice Claims 'Strictly Family' Doesn't Exist Amidst Abbington Fallout

Giovanni Pernice has stated that the "Strictly family" is a misnomer, asserting that a sense of genuine familial connection does not exist among the professional dancers on the show. His comments come as he details the fallout from his 2023 partnership with Amanda Abbington, an experience he claims led to a heart condition.

Pernice departed the BBC show following a significant disagreement with Abbington, who accused him of "vile abuse." This led to an inquiry by the BBC. Pernice has since claimed the dispute left him with suicidal thoughts, an assertion Abbington has contested, stating he is "grossly mischaracterising" their interactions. Abbington reportedly received an apology and a substantial financial settlement from the BBC.

In his new memoir, "Gio: Taking the Lead," Pernice wrote that the stress from the allegations caused him to develop an "inflammation of the heart." In a recent interview, he elaborated on the competitive nature of the professional dancers, suggesting rivalry is inherent.

"I don't find that the 'Strictly family' exists because we're all there for the same reason - it's a competition and everybody wants to win," Pernice told Heat magazine. "The other pros all want to be successful. We all want to be the best and we all want to win the Glitterball. When somebody becomes more successful than someone else, it's normal that they get on their nerves, it's a rivalry. You will have good moments and bad moments, even though they like to say it's a family, that's not true."

Despite his views on the professional dancers, Pernice indicated he remains in contact with judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood, valuing their "loyalty."

Abbington released a swift rebuttal to claims made in Pernice's autobiography, released last month. While Pernice believed their relationship was based on "friendly banter," Abbington stated his treatment resulted in her being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"He is grossly mischaracterising what happened to suit his own narrative but I have no interest in engaging with that. My focus is on moving forward... He took part in the BBC investigation that made findings against him, following which the channel paid me compensation," Abbington said.

She specifically took issue with Pernice's account of her making a Nazi salute during a rehearsal, which he mentioned in his book, suggesting he chose not to escalate the matter. "If somebody calls me rude names and makes rude gestures, including a Nazi salute (which Amanda did), it means our banter is at that level," Pernice wrote.

Pernice also reportedly presented investigators with a 28-minute audio recording of a conversation with Abbington, in which she acknowledged being a "nightmare" and stated she would "throw me out of the window" if she were him.

The release of Pernice's book follows Abbington's receipt of a significant five-figure out-of-court settlement and a contribution to her legal fees from BBC Studios. This settlement is understood to have been an effort to avoid a protracted legal battle and allow Abbington to move past the experience.

Following a BBC investigation, Pernice was cleared of the most severe accusations. The BBC acknowledged that some of Pernice's language towards Abbington could be "belittling," and that his feedback was sometimes "overly negative," including the use of profanity during rehearsals. The investigation, which reviewed hours of rehearsal footage, also noted two instances of "inappropriate behaviour of sexual banter in the workplace," which were deemed to have been "made and received as jokes" between the pair.