Giovanni Pernice Reportedly Quits Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice has reportedly quit the programme. It has been claimed after reports of clashes with celebrity dance partners, the 33-year-old Italian dancer will not be returning to the show and is said to be ‘starting negotiations’ for another series.
Speculations and Rumors
While Giovanni’s departure has not been officially confirmed at the time of writing, a spokesperson for the BBC refused to deny the claims. Instead, when approached by Metro.co.uk, they said: ‘The professional dancers for 2024 will be announced in due course.’
It comes after an internal memo of this year’s Strictly professional dancers line-up has been circulated without his name, according to The Sun. The publication also claims Giovanni has told friends he is ‘seeking a fresh start’.
Reasons Behind the Decision
A source said: ‘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.’
The insider added: ‘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.’
Allegations and Controversies
The report comes after months of speculation, with Giovanni have faced allegations against his teaching style, after reports of a feud emerged with former partner Amanda Abbington.
Claims of a feud emerged after Sherlock actress Amanda, 52, quit Strictly after five weeks, and was later said to be seeking legal advice, while other Strictly stars jumped in to defend Giovanni, including his former dance partners.
