Professional dancer Giovanni Pernice has released an autobiography detailing his side of a bullying dispute with actress Amanda Abbington. While Abbington received a BBC payout following an investigation, Pernice's associates claim he declined to file a counter-complaint due to personal pride.
The 6-month BBC probe and the 'Taking The Lead' memoir
The conflict stems from the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing, where actress Amanda Abbington accused her partner, Giovanni Pernice, of bullying. This triggered a six-month internal investigation by the BBC, during which the 35-year-old Pernice spent significant time in legal consultations via Zoom to protect his professional standing. According to the report, Pernice has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the process.
In his new autobiography, Taking The Lead, Pernice describes the relationship as one based on "friendly banter" that occasionally pushed boundaries. However, the 52-year-old Amanda Abbington, known for her work in Sherlock, has dismissed these claims as a gross mischaracterization designed to serve Pernice's own narrative, stating she has no interest in engaging with his version of events.
A Nazi salute and the 28-minute audio recording
One of the most inflammatory claims in Taking The Lead is Pernice's assertion that Amanda Abbington performed a Nazi salute during a rehearsal. Pernice admits he did not report the incident to Strictly Come Dancing producers at the time, as he viweed it as part of an "edgy rapport" between the two performers.
To support his defense, Pernice provided investigators with a 28-minute audio recording. As the report says, this recording captures Abbington admitting she could be a "nightmare" and joking about throwing Pernice out of a window. These specific pieces of evidence suggest a volatile dynamic that extended beyond the simple bullying narrative initially presented to the public.
Why Pernice rejected a counter-complaint and a potential BBC payout
Friends of Giovanni Pernice now claim that the dancer was repeatedly encouraged to file a formal counter-complaint against Amanda Abbington. This advice reportedly came not only from close associates but also from some BBC staff members. Had he done so, his inner circle believes he might have received a compensation payment and an apology similar to the one granted to Abbington.
Pernice reportedly declined this route because he viewed himself as someone who does not complain and did not want to "stoop to her level." His associates further allege that Abbington frequently used coarse language, including the "C word," during their rehearsals. By prioritizing his pride over a legal settlement, Pernice effectively forfeited a financial and formal vindication from the corporation.
The September 19 launch and the timing of Pernice's revenge
The publication of Taking The Lead is strategically timed just days before the new series of Strictly Come Dancing begins. The program is set to launch on September 19, featuring a new hosting lineup including Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdicombe. those close to the Sicilian dancer view the book's release as a form of "old fashioned revenge" against the BBC, which they believe abandoned him during the crisis.
This timing has created a significant headache for BBC insiders, who acknowledge the release is "deeply inconvenient" as the production prepares for its premiere. the move reflects a broader trend of public figures using memoirs to bypass corporate HR processes and settle scores directly in the court of public opinion.
The unverified claims of 'C-word' usage and coarse language
Despite the detailed claims made by Pernice's friends, several critical points remain unverified . There is no official confirmation from the BBC regarding whether staff actually encouraged Pernice to file a counter-complaint, nor has the corporation commented on the alleged use of the "C word" by Amanda Abbington during rehearsals.
Furthermore, the source only presents the perspective of Pernice and his associates regarding the "revenge" nature of the book. Because Amanda Abbington has refused to engage with the memoir's contents, the public is left with two diametrically opposed accounts of the 2023 rehearsals without a neutral third-party arbitration of the specific verbal abuses alleged by both sides.
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