Giovanni Pernice’s ‘threatening comments’ to Amanda Abbington have been revealed.

The dancer, 34, was cleared of the most serious claims made by the actress, 50, after the BBC’s investigation. However, six of Amanda’s complaints were upheld, including a comment from Giovanni in which he reportedly said: “You have such talent and you’re not using it.”

Investigators found that the Sicilian star had used belittling language towards Amanda, who accused Giovanni of “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” during her short stint on the show last year. On another occasion, he said: “I’m tired of it, if you want to look s***, I don’t care.”

The BBC has apologised to Amanda Abbington and upheld some of her complaints against her 2023 Strictly dance partner Giovanni Pernice ( 
Image:
CH4/UNPIXS)
Amanda’s complaint that Giovanni would get frustrated with her while teaching her to dance was also reportedly upheld by the panel. However, the Mail revealed that the dancer told the Sherlock star: “You have such talent and you’re not using it.”

Another time Giovanni is reported as saying: “I don’t know how to ask you anymore,” while a further comment saw him tell the mum-of-two: “It has been four days now and I don’t know what to do.” Meanwhile, the allegation the Italian had also given negative feedback was upheld, one example of which was him throwing his arms in the air and saying: “F**k.”

After a nine-month investigation, Giovanni was cleared of the most serious claims made against him by Amanda, who accused the dancer of bullying and inappropriate behaviour before she quit the show with PTSD.

Taking to Instagram, saying “all the threatening, abusive, harassment behaviour allegations have not been upheld,” Giovanni told fans he was “glad it’s over”.

However, complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were acknowledged. The review said “he [Giovanni] was swearing and using what could be described as belittling language.” This amounted to bullying ­behaviour, it added. Another complaint upheld was that the dancer was using “too much negative feedback”.

One told how he grabbed his crotch and uttered a lewd remark, and also told his dance partner that he “wanted to f*** her”. But a source close to Giovanni claimed: “This was all done in jest and perceived in this way by Amanda. They were intended as jokes and compliments of her dancing style. Her language could be just as coarse back.”

Both Amanda and Giovanni have claimed victory after the BBC’s investigation. After the broadcaster issued an apology to Amanda, she said: “As the BBC has indicated today in its statement, my decision to come forward and complain about Giovanni Pernice’s conduct towards me was not an easy thing to do. In the days, weeks and months since I contacted the BBC, I’ve been accused of being a liar, a troublemaker and of being “mad and unstable”. I’ve also received rape and murder threats and a bomb threat was sent to my place of work. My family and children have also been subjected to threats and intimidation.

“Despite this vile abuse, I’ve never regretted coming forward, and today’s apology from the BBC is a vindication of my complaint. It’s not just a vindication for me, it’s a vindication for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly Come Dancing. I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed. The BBC has invited me to meet with senior management and this is something I will now be considering.

“This apology means a great deal to me. So too does the fact that the BBC have acknowledged the steps that were put in place to support and protect me and past contestants were ‘not enough’. What matters most now is that lessons have been learned and that the BBC makes the changes they’ve promised, to ensure others don’t experience the same ordeal that I and others like me did.”

Meanwhile, Giovanni thanked his fans for standing by him, as he took to Instagram, saying: “It’s over, it’s finished. Six months, seven months of all of this… reading everyday things in the newspaper and not be able to respond because I wanted to keep the confidentiality and privacy of the review, was a difficult time.

“Today I’m happy because at the beginning there were very very serious allegations thrown out at me but as of today, none of the serious allegations have been upheld. All the threatening, abusive, harassment behaviour allegations have not been upheld.”

He continued: “Today is a day when we can all reflect because, you see, I appreciate that dancing is a very difficult thing to do. It’s a sport, it’s something that is difficult in every possible way and sometimes you get frustrated, you know, as a teacher, as a dancer, as a performer, but the only reason why you get frustrated is because you care about what you do.

“As a professional, as a teacher, I care about, I want to get the best out of my partner, and sometimes I do get frustrated. I think everybody around the world does the same thing, it’s called being professional and I love doing that. Even now with Bianca, I get frustrated, I think it’s a normal thing but then you get out the best and the results come forward. But I’m happy because none of this serious allegation has been upheld.”