Giovanni Pernice teams up with Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse

Giovanni Pernice is teaching more Ballando classes. (Getty)
More Strictly stars have shown their support for Giovanni Pernice away from the BBC dance floor.
The Italian dancer is not returning to Strictly 2024 after his last celebrity partner Amanda Abbington quit the 2023 series early and later claimed his teaching methods were “militant”. Abbington said she was diagnosed with “mild PTSD” after the show. As BBC investigate, Pernice has denied any suggestion of “any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour” and exited the show after nine years.

Strictly’s pros have spoken out on the Pernice drama and now more stars have made their views clear. Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse have extended their support to Pernice by joining him to teach his Ballando dance classes on 29 September – around the time Strictly returns to our screens for the 20th series.

Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse will teach Ballando classes with Giovanni Pernice. (Getty)
Ballando’s Instagram post read: “Well… it wouldn’t be fair to only have 2 of the judges would it. So excited to announce that none other than @craigrevel and @motsimabuse will be joining us for an afternoon of dance fun on the 29th September!”

It added: “Full details (inc venue and dance styles) will be announced in the coming week when booking will also open. What dances do you think they’ll be doing?”

Social media was awash with fans sharing their delight at Revel Horwood and Mabuse supporting Pernice. Leading the comments, one fan wrote: “Great to see the support.”

“So happy Giovanni is getting the support from all the Judges,” one fan wrote beneath the post.

Another wrote: “Brilliant news. Fabulous to see their support. I think Craig should teach the Charleston…!”

Someone else said: “This is fabulous to see the other two judges supporting Gio.”

In January, Revel Horwood shared his support for Pernice as he said the pro dancers are the “backbone of the show” following the fallout with Abbington. He told The Sun: “The pros not only have to be creative and be able to be good choreographers, they also have to be psychiatrists, doctors, they have to be nurses, they have to be welfare guidance people. It’s not just teaching dance.”

It comes after Strictly friends Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke taught Ballando classes with Pernice. Strictly’s head judge had thanked Pernice for having her teach the jive to the public in a sweet Instagram post.

Shirley Ballas has been supporting Giovanni Pernice. (Getty)
She wrote: “Thank you @ballando_dance @giovannipernice for having me on Sunday to teach a little jive. I had a fabulous time and throughly enjoyed teaching you all. Thank you to all who came to jive with me… Remember slip step slip point and hit your bottom! Hope you all enjoyed and learned something … now you have a little insight into what I look for on the show @bbcstrictly.”

Ballas remains one of the most vocal supporters of Pernice as she said: “The truth will come out.” Recently, she told The Mirror: “I have got so many beautiful pictures, of the times that he spent, particularly when my mum was poorly, and he reached out. So he has always been to me, and I will make that clear, to me… a perfect gentleman.”

She added: “So my feeling for Giovanni is, let them do this investigation or whatever it is they are doing and the truth will come out… He will be missed.”

Anton & Giovanni’s Adventures In Spain. (BBC)
Du Beke and Pernice are close too as they continue their live tour Anton & Giovanni – Together around the UK. Outside of Strictly, the friends filmed BBC travel series Anton & Giovanni’s Adventures In Spain together. There remains a question mark over whether there will be a second series as the show has been shelved for now.