Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice has broken his silence over allegations made against him by Amanda Abbington and said he did not feel safe dancing with her.
The 34-year-old actor was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior and bullying by his dance partner during 2023 Strictly rehearsals.
Speaking about the allegations for the first time since he was cleared by the BBC investigation, Pernice said he was so afraid Abbington was lying about their time in the studio that he began secretly filming the sessions.
“I started recording myself on my phone,” he told the Daily Mail. “Obviously we were dancing and I wanted to see the video again, but I also did it to protect myself.
“I told the production team that I did this because I didn’t feel comfortable in the room, I didn’t feel safe.
“I didn’t think he was going to accuse me of anything at that point, but he was telling me one thing and telling others in the WhatsApp group something else. “He was telling two different versions of the story.”
The actor claimed Pernice’s behavior in the rehearsal room was “inappropriate, rude, disgusting and bullying”, and the BBC upheld six of Pernice’s 17 complaints after a six-month investigation.
He was cleared of intimidating or aggressive behavior but was found to have used “condescending” language and given negative feedback.
Pernice claimed that Abbington began telling conflicting stories about the training sessions during the first week of the show. She said another celebrity contestant told her she had sent messages to others telling them she was happy and thanking Pernice for being an “incredible teacher.”
“I still have it [Amanda’s] “They said, ‘Thank you so much for your patience today, you are an incredible teacher,’ and I thought everything was great.
“Then one of the celebrities came up to me and said ‘you haven’t had a great week, have you?’ he said. ‘What are you talking about?’ I asked. But Amanda had told them she’d had a terrible week, and that was before the show even started.”
He also said the couple was taken to see the show’s producers early, who were shocked by the suggestive language their dance partners used towards each other.
According to Pernice, Abbington insisted everything was fine between them and told bosses he “started this.”
He said: “Amanda was making us laugh, we were making each other laugh. He would say very bad things like the letter C. “He would use that.”
“He’s the one to start the joke. He would tell a dark joke. “That was the joke we were making all along, it was a very crude joke,” he added.
Speaking of the request for “chaperones and cameras” in the rehearsal room early in the process, Pernice said the BBC “sent a camera and someone with people to watch”.
Producers later informed Abbington that they would film the duo’s training.
He told the Daily Mail: “I knew I had to take some action… I didn’t know when. [she] “It would stop.”
Abbington claimed she was bullied so badly by Pernice that she suffered “post-traumatic stress disorder” after leaving the show on medical grounds.
But he maintained his innocence throughout and previously said: “I look forward to the investigation being concluded and finally clearing my name and uncovering the truth.”
He admitted that he sometimes got “frustrated” while training with her, but said this was because he cared about his craft.
Following the publication of the BBC’s report, the dancer revealed that she frequently burst into tears during the saga, which left her depressed.
“I called my family crying,” he said. “They are the people closest to me. He was asked if his sons were bullies.
“Everyone was upset, which made me sad. There were a lot of tears of disappointment and sadness.
“From day one, I decided to respect the process. Even my own family asked: ‘How did you do that?'”
The months-long ordeal certainly threatened her nine-year career as a professional dancer and meant she was unable to take part in this year’s 20th anniversary series.
However, he praised the show’s judges and presenters for their continued support.
“Anton [Du Beke] He became a best friend to me,” said Pernice. “As you can imagine, during this period of my life you learn who your real friends are.
“But all the judges and presenters stuck with me. All.”
He added: “Of course I was worried it might ruin my career. The people who came to my shows were children and women. I was portrayed as someone I wasn’t. The sole aim seemed to be to destroy me.”
Pernice revealed that one of the worst moments was watching Abbington interview Channel 4’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who was also part of the show’s famous cast last year.
He said he “felt like punching the television” when the interview aired, adding: “I didn’t watch it, I couldn’t watch the interview because I was thinking, ‘Why are you talking live on air when we’re both present? Were you asked not to talk about this?’
“My Sicilian blood would rise and I would think ‘this isn’t real’, but I had to stay quiet.”
The professional dancer stated that she was now ready to address this troubling situation with the BBC, explaining that she “wanted to hear what they had to say to me.”
“I’m glad they got the result they did, but there are a few things I’d like to talk to them about,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pernice continues to star in the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing – Ballando con le Stelle – alongside her actress and TV presenter partner Bianca Guaccero.
He refused to rule out appearing in next year’s UK series but said: “It’s a long shot. I’m just focused on Bianca right now.”