Giovanni Pernice has disclosed that he and Amanda Abbington requested to be partnered on Strictly Come Dancing.
The dancer said that he met Amanda during the show's "speed dating" process, where celebrities have a quick dance and chat with each professional.
The 34-year-old Italian performer stated that he asked the producers to pair him with the actress because he believed she was an excellent dancer. He also claimed that Amanda had requested him as well, leading the showrunners to agree to their pairing for the series.
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However, Giovanni's happiness quickly turned sour during the second week of training when another celebrity contestant reportedly informed him that Amanda had been expressing her dissatisfaction with their training in their WhatsApp group. "I've still got [Amanda's] messages. They say: 'Thank you so much for your patience today, you're an incredible teacher,' so I just thought it was all great," said Giovanni, who hails from Palermo, Italy.
"Then one of the celebrities came to me and said, 'You didn't have a great week, did you?' I was like, 'What are you talking about?' But Amanda had told them she had a horrible week – and that was week one, before the show had even started."
Amanda, famed for her role in Mr Selfridge, left the show on October 23, 2023. Giovanni confessed to Mail Online that he was then worried Amanda might spread what he described as falsehoods about their time in the studios, reports the Mirror.
As a result, he decided to record their sessions – initially without her knowledge.
Giovanni has come forward with his version of events, revealing: "That was the first time I knew that I had to take some action – so I asked for chaperones and cameras in the room. I started to record myself on my phone. Obviously we were dancing and I wanted to see the video back but at the same time, I did it to protect myself. I told the production team I was doing it because I didn't feel comfortable in the room, I didn't feel safe."
He continued by explaining the mixed messages he was getting at the time: "At that point, I didn't think she was going to accuse me of anything – but she was saying one thing to me and something else to others on the WhatsApp group. She was telling two different versions of the story. They told me not to [film rehearsals] anymore but that they were going to do it instead."
Amanda later claimed that it was her idea for the filming, whereas Giovanni admitted to being a tough teacher and originally believed he and Amanda had a shot at reaching the final. He described his disappointment when he learned from the production team in October, during the sixth week of the show, that Amanda had decided to leave, expressing he was "gutted".
According to him, Amanda seemed to be orchestrating a "trial by media" since exiting the contest almost a year ago.
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