Giovanni Pernice has emerged from the Strictly Come Dancing bullying scandal, confirming on Monday evening that he feels exonerated after being entangled in the issue for several months.
Having departed from the BBC hit show after almost ten years, Pernice ended his silence following his clearance from accusations levelled against him during his time on Strictly. Through an online post with video on Instagram, the 34-year-old dancer reflected on the recent challenging period when he chose not to comment “because I wanted to keep the confidentiality and privacy of the review”.
Addressing his social media followers, Giovanni shared: “It was difficult because, you know, reading stuff that were untrue, wasn’t the nicest time of my life lets be honest. But today I’m happy because, you know, at the beginning there were very very serious allegations thrown out at me but as in today, none of the serious allegations have been upheld. All the threatening, abusive, harassment behaviour allegations have not been upheld.”
He touched upon the nature of dancing, recognising its challenges: “I appreciate that dancing is a very difficult thing to do,” he continued. “It’s a, it’s erm, it’s a sport, it’s something that is difficult in every possible way and sometimes you get frustrated, you know, as a teacher, as a dancer, as a performer. But the only reason why you get frustrated is because you care about what you do.”
In a detailed statement, he emphasised his dedication to bringing out the “best in my partner,” while acknowledging that he can become “frustrated” at times. He defended his approach by describing it as “being professional” and expressed his passion for his work, saying, “You know even now with Bianca, I get frustrated.
“I think it’s a normal thing but then you get out the best and the results come forward. But I’m happy because none of this serious allegation has been upheld.”
Following a six-month inquiry concerning allegations by Amanda Abbington, executives determined that Giovanni Pernice did not engage in physical abuse. Nevertheless, Abbington’s allegations pertaining to verbal bullying and harassment were substantiated, reports the Mirror.
Out of the total 16 complaints lodged against Pernice, six were confirmed to be true. Among these were incidents involving Giovanni using profane language.
The investigation concluded that Giovanni’s choice of words could have a ‘belittling’ impact on his dance partner. In light of the investigative findings, the BBC issued an apology to former contestant Amanda Abbington, acknowledging that it upheld “some, but not all, of the complaints made”.
Engaging in a deep dive, we examine the most staggering revelations from the report….
Explosive and ‘belittling’ swearing
The verified complaints included instances of “isolated incidents where Giovanni swore or threw his hands in the air”.
The overview elaborated on how “he was swearing and using what could be described as belittling language”.
Such conduct was identified as bullying behaviour, according to the report. Another validated complaint highlighted that Giovanni, aged 34, was providing “too much negative feedback”.
Crotch-grabbing and crude comments
One individual recounted an incident where he made a crude gesture and comment, and told his dance partner that he “wanted to f*** her”. However, a source close to Giovanni insisted: “This was all done in jest and perceived in this way by Amanda.
“They were intended as jokes and compliments of her dancing style. Her language could be just as coarse in return.”
Absolved of physical misconduct
Despite the allegations, Giovanni was cleared of threatening, abusive and physical behaviour. A source close to Amanda commented: “Any findings of workplace misconduct by an internal investigation is pretty extraordinary.
“It really says something, and was deemed serious enough to apologise. It also highlights his teaching methods which he has so publicly claimed were beyond criticism. Giovanni certainly hasn’t been cleared as he would like to portray.”
Amanda backed by Strictly stars
The source added that Amanda’s account was supported by others, stating: “This is corroborated by a number of different people, ex-contestants, dancers, choreographers.
“It is not an insignificant number of people who have stood by her. She is relieved as many thought it would be a massive cover-up. Many believed it shouldn’t have been an internal investigation at all but handed over to an external body to consider.”
Amanda branded a ‘liar’
Amanda revealed that since lodging her complaints a year ago, she has been labelled “a liar, a troublemaker and ‘mad and unstable'”. She continued: “I’ve also received rape and murder threats. My family and children have been subjected to threats and intimidation.
“Despite this vile abuse, I’ve never regretted coming forward, and today’s apology from the BBC is a vindication of my complaint. It’s also a vindication for the others who have contacted me to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly.
“I hope those who have felt unable to speak out will now be more confident that they will be believed. The BBC has invited me to meet with senior management and this is something I will now be considering.
“This apology means a great deal to me. So too does the fact that the BBC have acknowledged the steps that were put in place to support and protect me and past contestants were “not enough”.
“What matters most is that lessons have been learned and the BBC makes the promised changes, to ensure others don’t experience the same ordeal.”
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