The BBC have issued a statement amid reports Strictly Come Dancing heartthrob Giovanni Pernice has hung up his dancing shoes and will not be returning for the upcoming series.

The BBC was reportedly “very keen” to keep the 33-year-old Italian dancer, who has been embroiled in controversy over his demanding training style with past celebrity partners, including actress Amanda Abbington.

A leaked internal memo that’s been doing the rounds doesn’t feature Giovanni’s name among this year’s roster of professional dancers, fuelling speculation about his departure. Reports suggest that Giovanni is now eyeing new opportunities on the small screen.

His decision to step back comes on the heels of a strained partnership with Sherlock actress Amanda, 52, during last year’s show. She bowed out in October after a string of heated exchanges with Giovanni, which reportedly left her in tears due to his intense approach to rehearsals.

Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice
Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice were partnered on the last series ( 

Image:

BBC)

“Gio feels the scrutiny on him has become too much, and now is the time to make a fresh start,” an insider spilled about Giovanni’s alleged decision tonight. “He wants to focus on other TV projects, and feels he’s achieved all he can on Strictly, having won the trophy back in 2021 and reaching the final an unprecedented four times.”

An insider told The Sun: “He remains adamant he’s done nothing wrong other than being a hard taskmaster, but knows his style of training isn’t to everyone’s liking – especially in this day and age. He has a lot of other exciting projects in the pipeline right now, and he’s just super-excited to get cracking on them. This, now, is his priority.”

In a statement shared with the Mirror this evening, a BBC spokesperson said: “The Professional Dancers for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 will be announced in due course.” It is claimed the BBC were backing the Italian ‘all the way’ and he after the broadcaster offered him a new contract.

gio
It appears to be the final Strictly dance for the Italian ( 

Image:
BBC/Guy Levy)


He has reportedly quit Strictly Come Dancing despite being in talks for another series ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

The under-fire dancing pro has reportedly ended his eight year stint on the show months after he faced allegations over his tough training methods from previous celebrity partners, including actress Amanda Abbington, who suddenly left midway through the last series.

Amanda later revealed that she had been diagnosed with mild post-traumatic stress disorder after her time on the competition. Allegations from other celebrity partners then surfaced. The dancer and Amanda were thought to have clashed backstage and during rehearsals during the Sherlock star’s time on the show.

Earlier this year, Amanda reportedly requested backstage footage of her training sessions with Giovanni from BBC bosses, potentially in preparation for legal action. Giovanni, who also left the 2023 series after five weeks, is yet to comment on the situation.

Amanda left the dance competition citing “medical reasons”, but rumours have since surfaced that the Sherlock actress is considering legal advice after experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to her time on the show, suggesting that Giovanni was a demanding teacher.