Giovanni Pernice has stated that the 'Strictly family doesn't exist,' opening up about his dispute with former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington, which he claims led to a heart condition.
Pernice departed the BBC show in 2023 following a significant disagreement with Abbington, who accused him of "vile abuse." This led to an inquiry by the BBC.
Giovanni Pernice has since stated that the stress from the allegations left him feeling suicidal. Abbington, who received an apology and a substantial payout, maintains that Pernice is "grossly mischaracterising" the events.
In his new memoir, "Gio: Taking the Lead," Pernice alleged that the stress from the accusations caused him to develop "inflammation of the heart."
In a recent interview, the dancer also commented on the competitive nature among professional dancers on the show, asserting that a "Strictly family" environment is not present.
"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 the perceived rivalry, Pernice indicated he remains in contact with judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood, valuing their "loyalty."
Amanda Abbington released a swift response to claims made in Pernice's autobiography, which was published last month. Pernice believed their relationship was characterized by friendly banter, but Abbington stated his treatment resulted in her being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Abbington commented, “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."
She specifically took issue with Pernice's account in his book where he described her making a Nazi salute during a rehearsal. Pernice wrote that while he could have escalated the matter with Strictly bosses, he chose not to.
"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, during which she acknowledged being a "nightmare" and suggested she would "throw me out of the window" if she were him.
The release of Pernice's book followed Abbington receiving a significant five-figure out-of-court settlement and legal fee contribution from BBC Studios. This settlement is understood to have been an effort to avoid a protracted court battle and allow Abbington to move past the experience.
Following a BBC investigation, Pernice was cleared of the most serious accusations. The BBC issued a formal apology to Abbington.
The investigation report concluded that some of the language Pernice used towards Abbington could be "belittling." It agreed with the actress that his feedback was sometimes "overly negative" and that he had used profanity during rehearsals. The report also noted, after reviewing rehearsal footage, two instances of "inappropriate behaviour of sexual banter in the workplace" that were found to have been "made and received as jokes" between them.