Giovanni Pernice 'quits' Strictly Come Dancing after 'feuds' with celeb partners
16 May 2024, 22:59 | Updated: 17 May 2024, 00:23
Strictly Come Dancing pro Giovanni Pernice is understood to have quit the dance show after alleged clashes with his celebrity partners.
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Pernice is said to have told friends he is looking for a fresh start on other TV shows, following his nine-year stint on Strictly.
It comes after he allegedly clashed with his celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington, during last year's show.
She left the competition in October, telling the Sun that she had been diagnosed with mild PTSD.
A source told the paper: "Gio feels the scrutiny on him has become too much, and now is the time to make a fresh start.
"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.
"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."
TV bosses were said to have been “very keen” to continue working with the 33-year-old.
But an internal memo of this year’s dance pros on the show is understood to have been circulated without his name listed.
Pernice joined Strictly in 2015, reaching the final in his first year with actress Georgia May Foote and taking home the glitterball in 2021 with EastEnders' Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Defending his training methods on a podcast earlier in the year, he said: "I am a perfectionist, 100 per cent, but it comes from a perspective of caring.
"I think all of the professional dancers are in the same place.
"It’s a shame because, in my opinion, [Amanda] could have gone all the way."
A spokesperson for the BBC said: "The Professional Dancers for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 will be announced in due course."
