One of Giovanni Pernice's former dance partners has spoken out in defence of the snubbed professional dancer.
On Tuesday, ex Strictly Come Dancing contestant Debbie McGee took to Instagram to share a post, in which she detailed how "heartbroken" she was to hear of Giovanni's decision to not be in the next series.
© Getty"I am heartbroken for @giovannipernice," she wrote. "My experience on Strictly will always be happy and life changing. Gio nurtured me through my grief and gave me confidence I could do things I thought was beyond me. [heart emoji]."
Just hours before, it was confirmed that her former pro dance partner Giovanni had been cut from the upcoming 2024 series. His exit from the show comes amid several reports of unacceptable behaviour on set.
Despite the swirling reports, Giovanni, 33, previously denied any wrongdoing following Amanda Abbington's previous claims that his behind-the-scenes behaviour was unacceptable.
In a statement, he told his followers: "To my dear fans, You will be as surprised as I am that allegations have been made about my dance teaching methods in the media this week. Of course, I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name.
"Those who have followed my journey on Strictly Come Dancing over the last decade will know that I am passionate and competitive… No one is more ambitious for my dance partners than me."
© BBC/Ray BurnistonHe finished by adding: "I have always striven to help them be the very best dancers they can be. This has always come from a place of love and wanting to win - for me and my dance partners. Thank you all once again for your continued love and support!"
Who has Giovanni danced with?
Giovanni made his Strictly debut back in 2015 when he was paired with Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote. In 2016, Giovanni was paired with former Love Island host Laura Whitmore before starring alongside Debbie a year later.
He has also danced with Faye Tozer, Michelle Visage, Ranvir Singh and Richie Anderson.
In 2021, Giovanni formed a close bond with EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis during the 2021 series, which saw the actress become the first deaf contestant to lift the iconic glitterball trophy.
His most recent partnership was with Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington. From the very beginning of their pairing, the duo sparked speculation about a rumoured feud, which Amanda denied ahead of their week one performance.
Who will star in the 2024 series?
While Giovanni didn't make the cut, the show has confirmed that the dancing pros who will be returning are Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola.
