Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now For the latest Weatherfield news and spoilers - sign up here More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show me See Our Privacy Notice See Our Privacy Notice × Group 28 For the latest Weatherfield news and spoilers - sign up here Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice Strictly Come Dancing's Giovanni Pernice has been accused of being too tough on his celebrity dance partners , and now his future on the show is reportedly in doubt . Giovanni joined the
Strictly Come Dancing professional team in 2015 and quickly impressed viewers with his Charleston swivels and Latin moves . He even earned a Guinness World Record for Jive kicks and flicks. The Italian pro quickly made his mark on the competition as he transitioned into a career on TV. Despite receiving some praise as a teacher over the years, the 33 year old has also faced criticism from some of his amateur students. They claim that Giovanni has a 'militant' training style and pushes them until they're at
BREAKING point. Read More Related Articles Michael Palin opens up on 'unreal' heartbreak after wife's death Read More Related Articles Roman Kemp shares heartbreaking reason behind Capital FM exit after 10 years However, the dancer has defended his firm technique, saying it helps to 'get the best from his partners'.
BBC bosses have supported him amid claims of a feud, reports the Mirror . Now, there are new concerns that he might not be paired up in the upcoming 2024 series following his recent difficult partnership with BBC star Amanda Abbington after she left last year's series after just four weeks. There are reportedly discussions with show producers about how to handle the determined professional, amid claims that Amanda has met with some of his former dance partners to discuss his behaviour. Amanda Abbington has said that she's developed PTSD after dancing with Giovanni on Strictly (Image: BBC) A source reportedly told The Sun about potential plans for Giovanni's future on the BBC show. They said: "Giovanni has a meeting with Strictly on Thursday about his return later this year. They have not received any official complaints and are backing him. He is an accomplished pro dancer and it's expected he will be taking his place in the formal line-up when it'' announced later this month." A spokesperson for the show later shared: "The pro dancers for 2024 will be announced in due course." The Mirror contacted Giovanni and Strictly's representatives and has had a look at all Giovanni's partners and what they've said about working with him.... Georgie May Foote - 2015 In 2015, when Giovanni joined the show, his first celeb partner was Corrie star Georgia May Foote. Their powerful dance moves made everyone take notice. At that time, Georgia was going out with her co-star Sean Ward, who played Callum Logan, and he was often spotted cheering for her in the audience. But it seemed things between them got sour in December of that year. Georgia May Foote with dance partner Giovanni Pernice in 2015's Strictly Come Dancing. (Image: PA) Read More Related Articles Giovanni Pernice reacts to BBC Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis' happy baby news Read More Related Articles Prince William's 'complicated' relationship with key royal who he's now 'much closer' to after
cancer shocks Just a few weeks later, Giovanni and Georgia, who were finalists and positioned second to Jay McGuiness from The Wanted and his partner Aliona Vilani, were seen sharing a kiss during a holiday at Disneyland
Paris for New Year. Their love story moved fast, and soon Georgia and Gio were living together. Georgia said it was "the best thing that had ever happened" to her and engagement rumours were sparked when fans saw a ring on her hand, but the couple explained it was just a 'commitment band'. Soon things started to go wrong. Georgia praised Gio's teaching but admitted she felt jealous when the new Strictly season was near. She said: "Of course I'll get jealous. Whoever Giovanni gets is a very lucky girl. He's a great teacher. "I'm excited for whoever he gets and, yeah, he's a great teacher, so I'm happy for him. I think it's fine." But their relationship was in trouble, and soon Giovanni said they had broken up just as he was paired with Laura Whitmore for the new season of Strictly.
Friends said Georgia was shocked because they had been talking about getting married. "It was a huge shock for Georgia. They'd been talking about moving things forward and marriage, so for him to dump her doesn't make sense," a friend told New! magazine at the time. "She's devastated and in shock because it was not something she was expecting. There's a definite feeling among her friends and family that it was very convenient timing for him." But Georgia didn't let the story stay that way. She shared her feelings on
Twitter in late August that year. "It is with great sadness we have decided to split up," she said, after they had been together for a year. "There is nobody else involved. Although it was not an easy decision to make, sometimes you realise that it is better to be friends and this is one of those times. We both have very busy work schedules for the rest of the year so we are both going to focus on our upcoming work projects and we wish each other well for the future." Laura Whitmore - 2016 The next person Giovanni danced with on Strictly was TV and radio star Laura Whitmore. They were thought to be in with a chance of lifting the Glitterball tropphy, but things didn't go smoothly and there were whispers about them not getting along because Giovanni was reported to have been 'rude' during practice. Laura Whitmore and Giovanni Pernice (Image: BBC) Read More Related Articles
Prince Harry and William's 'deep rift' could end as early as next week amid 'game changer' Read More Related Articles Roman Kemp shares heartbreaking reason behind Capital FM exit after 10 years What made it even harder was that Laura was good friends with Georgia and had to keep smiling for the cameras even though she knew about the breakup between her friend and Giovanni. By the time they left the show in Week 7, it was said that they hardly talked at all behind the scenes. "The atmosphere between Laura and Gio was never that great, but it's now turned toxic," a source told the Sun after the pair left the show. "They clashed during rehearsals as Laura got increasingly agitated with Gio's tone. "They pulled it together for the live shows but behind the scenes, it was a different story. "There's certainly no love lost between them and it's doubtful they'll remain in contact when the series is wrapped up later this month." Giovanni was reportedly also frustrated with Laura's lack of enthusiasm for promoting their partnership - vital for those all-important viewer votes - as she disliked filming behind-the-scenes videos with her dance partner. "Gio got frustrated with Laura over-analysing everything and not playing the PR game," another insider told the Sun. The pair went their separate ways and in 2018 Laura broke her silence over their strained relationship, writing in a first-person piece for the Huffington Post that she felt "extremely uncomfortable" being partnered with her friend's ex, and saying she "cried every day" she was in the competition. "I love dancing I topped the leaderboard twice but I was thrown into the middle of a break-up that had nothing to do with me. Once again, I was a 'rumoured love interest'," she wrote. "I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with and in the end I felt broken, I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end." In 2020, she detailed her experience on the show, criticising BBC bosses for making her spend a great deal of time with Giovanni, when all she wanted was to dance. Speaking on the Private Parts podcast, Laura said she and her dance partner were together 12 hours a day and were also expected to attend red carpet events as a duo. "What I didn't like was being removed from everybody and having to spend 12 hours a day with this one person," she said. "It did not become about the dancing. I just wanted to dance. I did not want to play the game of doing red carpets with your dance partner and stuff like that, which a lot of people thought you should be doing. I did not want to do that." Meanwhile, there have been recent rumours that Laura, along with other previous contestants, had a discussion meeting with Amanda Abbington about her personal experience while working with Giovanni. Debbie McGee - 2017 Aged 65, the radio and stage performer participated in the competition in 2017 with Giovanni as her partner. They reached the final alongside Gemma Atkinson and Alexandra Burke, but missed out on first place to Holby City
Actor Joe McFadden and professional dancer Katya Jones. Debbie, who worked closely with Giovanni, shared that 'everyone supported each other'. She recently stated: "All my memories of Strictly behind-the-scenes are happy ones. I adored every single minute and every single person I was working with." Debbie McGee has voiced her support for Giovanni Pernice (Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Read More Related Articles Giovanni Pernice breaks silence after fourth BBC Strictly star 'speaks out' against him Read More Related Articles Inside Anton Du Beke's life: Family stabbing feud, dad at 50 and injury that ended dance career Speaking to Express.co.uk, she added: "I never felt an ounce of competitiveness. Everyone supported each other - Pros and Celebrities." Faye Tozer - 2018 In 2018, Giovanni was paired with Steps
Singer Faye Tozer, after reaching the final with Debbie McGee the previous year. Throughout the 16th series, he and Faye maintained a professional relationship, although there were rumours towards the end that they were "ranting behind each other's back". Steps star Faye Tozer was reportedly left in tears by the Italian (Image: Brett D. Cove / SplashNews.com) Read More Related Articles Rarely seen royal leaves fans baffled as he steps out for Easter service with King Charles Read More Related Articles BBC The Apprentice star left in tears as Maura Rath and Raj Chohan exit show in double firing An insider told the Sun: "Faye and Giovanni have been struggling with the pressure and have both been ranting behind each other's back," but this was dismissed by a BBC representative. The source suggested Faye was "feeling quite emotional" after "relentless training", and Faye tweeted that December, asking for fans' advice on dealing with tiredness. She wrote: "Wow... this week is super, proper, crazy, hard," she wrote. "I am exhausted! Any top tips for fatigue and focus? ? ? I am all ears! ! ! xxx @bbcstrictly #semifinalsweek." Despite the challenges, the pair made it to the final, narrowly missing out on the trophy to Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton. After the show ended, it came out that Gio had secretly been dating another Strictly star: singer Ashley Roberts from the Pussycat Dolls. This put an end to rumours about him and married contestant Faye becoming more than just pals. When his relationship with Ashley became public, Faye joked: "Ashley is a hot chick, she is a sexy mama and Giovanni is a young, single, fabulous guy, so yeah. They would make a great couple." 2019 - Michelle Visage In 2019, Giovanni was matched up with Drag Race
UK judge Michelle Visage. There were reports that their tough practice sessions were tense since they were always butting heads from the start. "Michelle has become quite unhappy at times. She has a fiery relationship with Giovanni," a source had spilled to the Sun by November. Michelle and Giovanni were partnered together back in 2019 (Image: BBC/Guy Levy) Read More Related Articles Giovanni Pernice 'to have crunch talks with BBC' as fourth Strictly star 'in tears' over training Read More Related Articles Prince Harry 'permanently in state of paranoia' about being 'betrayed' by
Royal Family "Both are very strong characters and they've both had a lot to say. He's probably not used to a partner being quite so in control and calling the shots." Michelle herself responded to these rumours, confessing that they would often have heated discussions because of their shared culture and zodiac sign. "We're both Italian. We're both intense. We're both Virgos. So there's a perfectionist level that's really ridiculous between us," she explained. "He wants it quicker than I'm able to provide it. So Mondays and Tuesdays is a lot of us at each other's throats. By the end of the week, we're totally in love with each other again and it's fine. "I've never walked out. We just like to fight. We like to fight it out, but it's just that's all in love. Our relationship is very fiery. It is weird, but it's perfect." But the speculation carried on, prompting Michelle to make things clear. "The articles about my partner and I have been upsetting," she shared via
Instagram before their Blackpool performance, after which they were voted off. "If anyone knows us, you would know how close Giovanni and I are. Gio is my best friend in this competition, he is my rock and I trust him with everything. We have the most fun and laughs together and to suggest otherwise is just sad." Ranvir Singh - 2020 Good Morning
Britain newsreader Ranvir was paired with Giovanni for the 2020 series, which faced unique challenges as it was during the height of the
Coronavirus pandemic. This meant celebrities and professional dancers had to live together in bubbles to reduce the spread of the virus and one member of each couple had to live alone away from their family. Despite challenges such as having to socially distance during rehearsals and a reduced show length of nine weeks instead of the usual 12, the 2020 Strictly series heated up with romance rumours between Ranvir and Gio, fuelled by their sizzling chemistry on the dance floor. Giovanni publicly said there was 'no way' he would ever date Ranvir (Image: BBC) Read More Related Articles ITV Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon brutally mum-shamed after sharing sweet snap of son Read More Related Articles Louis Walsh was 'scared' to join Celebrity Big Brother - but then he saw his pay cheque Giovanni had to clear up rumours about his relationships, explaining to Entertainment Daily: "Every year there's always a romance rumour with a different partner. I mean, even if you don't have a partner there's a rumour. The thing is you get very close when you dance with another person, but dancing is equal to acting. You have to deliver a performance. Each dance is a different story." He added: "No, no, no no no. I'm single, absolutely there's no way [he would date Ranvir]. We are very very good friends. Every time you get close in a Rumba or Argentine tango with your partner they try to make out a story. So if they think that there is a romance, it means we are doing it absolutely right." However, fans were confused when Ranvir stopped following him on
Social Media after their series ended, although she did start following him again later. People also wondered why she didn't show any support for his 2021 dance with EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis. Rose Ayling-Ellis - 2021 In 2021, Giovanni won the Glitterball trophy with EastEnders
Actress Rose Ayling-Ellis. She was the first deaf person to be on the show and she struck up a firm friendship with her pro partner. Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice (Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) Read More Related Articles E4 Married at First Sight Australia fans fume as commitment ceremony leaves question Read More Related Articles Ekin-Su admits 'I lost myself' as she breaks silence on CBB drama His friendship with Rose is still going strong, and he even started learning
British Sign Language (BSL) because of her. Giovanni said: "I'm learning some BSL (British Sign Language), a journey I started last year after being partnered with Rose, who is now a close friend." Rose praised Giovanni when they won together. She said: "He came into my world and brought the best out of me. I cannot thank him enough for all the work and effort to make me become the dancer that I am today. Winning the Glitterball is the best gift I could ever give to Giovanni because he really deserves it." Even though they stopped dancing together a few years ago, they still keep in touch and have seen each other since. In 2022, they got together to raise awareness about mental health and last year, Rose visited him in Sicily, where she met his sister Angela on his BBC One show with Strictly judge Anton Du Beke. Talking to OK! Magazine in 2022, Rose said: "After what we went through, how could we not stay in touch?". Richie Anderson - 2022 In 2022, Giovanni Pernice danced with his first male partner, radio presenter Richie Anderson. But there were whispers about them not getting along because they "hadn't clicked". They tried to halt the rumours when Richie posted a video of their dance on Instagram and wrote: "A moment I'll never forget and so grateful I got to share it with Giovanni. Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice (Image: BBC) Read More Related Articles BBC Strictly's Giovanni Pernice and Rose Ayling Ellis show united front amid 'intense' claims Read More Related Articles ITV This Morning prank leaves Alison Hammond upset as 'it's not funny' "Thank you Gio for being the most amazing teacher over the past fortnight. Last night was a dream come true moment." There were reports Giovanni was upset because Richie talked too much during practice. One insider said at the time: "The pair haven't clicked. Richie is so swept up by the whole experience that he is talking 100 words a minute, and it can be hard for Giovanni. "He has told pals that Richie talks instead of listening during training, and it is frustrating." But a Strictly source denied this and said Giovanni and Richie were having fun and were happy with how their performances. Amanda Abbington - 2023 Giovanni's latest dance partner was actress Amanda Abbington. Their time together on Strictly ended suddenly when it was announced on the show Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday, October 24, that Amanda wouldn't be coming back after missing the weekend's show. Giovanni and Amanda Abbington are said to have clashed during their time on Strictly together (Image: Ray Burniston/BBC/PA Wire) Read More Related Articles The Wanted's Max George shares emotional tribute to Tom Parker in their last sleepover Read More Related Articles BBC EastEnders Cheryl Fergison rushed to hospital and put on drip after 'agonising' 24 hours Giovanni and Sherlock star Amanda had been dancing together for the 2023 series, but soon there were rumours of trouble between them. A source revealed that Amanda, 52, was upset by Giovanni's "militant and aggressive" training style and had considered leaving the competition before the first live show. "Giovanni is a hard taskmaster and takes the competition very, very seriously," they shared. "Amanda was really excited to dance with him, but has found his tough training style and attitude quite hard to deal with. He is very strict in his training approach. She's been left quite upset, and has spoken with her team about quitting." Top showbiz news David Potts' remarkable weight loss Bargain Hunt star's life on Scots island Bradley Walsh battled 'silent killer' Inside SuBo's life now The duo made it through the first four weeks, but Amanda withdrew from the fifth week due to "medical issues". Less than two days later, Fleur East announced she had dramatically left the series, and Amanda later broke her silence to reveal it was due to "personal reasons" - and later shared she had been diagnosed with PTSD. "It is with deepest regret that I had to leave Strictly. I did not come to this decision easily or lightly but for personal reasons I am unable to continue," she posted on Instagram. "It was an absolute joy working with my fellow contestants, they are a beautiful, hardworking and talented group of people who I love and who I will miss seeing every Friday and Saturday and competing alongside. "I want to thank the incredible Production team and everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring. It's a wonderful bunch of people and I'll miss all of them," she said. "I'm so sad that I am unable to go any further. Thank you to everyone who voted and who sent wonderful messages and inspiring support. You are all amazing. Truly. Thank you. xxx." Join the Daily Record's
WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Giovanni also shared his thoughts on Instagram, posting a photo with Amanda and writing: "Amanda .. I am so sad we can't continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love @amanda_abbington74 @bbcstrictly." It was reported Amanda wanted to see what happened off-camera during her time on the show and even got a top lawyer involved. It's also been reported she's been talking to some of Giovanni's past dance partners like Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore about their time with him. There are also whispers that Faye Tozer from Steps also found it tough working with Giovanni. Earlier this month, Giovanni Pernice and Anton Du Beke opened up about the departure of Amanda from the show during an interview on the Mirror's Invite Only podcast, Giovanni admitted that he was indeed a perfectionist. He stated: "I am a perfectionist, 100%, but it comes from a perspective of caring. I think all of the professional dancers are in the same place. In every single part of the world, if you're a professional dancer on one of these shows, you have to get these people looking the best they can on Saturday night." He then reflected on his good scores, saying "And if we have good scores at the end, I do look back and say, 'I've done a great job'. But we all care about our partners and we want that for them every single week to look great on a Saturday. There's no specific way that you are, or have to be with your celebrity. You make the most of their strengths so the only thing that's constant is the fact that you have to do a show on Saturday night." Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here . Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Daily Record
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