Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has suggested Giovanni Pernice might return to the BBC show.
Italian dancer Pernice, 34, was subject to scrutiny after Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, 51, accused him of being abusive to her during rehearsals in 2023. Abbington quit the show early and revealed she had endured PTSD as a result of the experience.
After an internal nine-month investigation, Pernice was cleared of the more serious allegations levied against him, but Abbington’s complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld. The corporation issued an apology to the actor following the outcome.
In January 2025, Pernice, reflecting on whether he would return to the show, said he “would love to go back” to Strictly as it “changed” his life.
He suggested, however, that the BBC, with whom he “cleared the air” during a meeting late last year, might not want him back.
“I think they have closed the book on that and everyone has moved on. It is a massive show, but I don’t think they’re going to have me back. They’re not,” he said.
Ballas, 64, has now waded in on the subject, suggesting that the decision might be down to Pernice after all.
Acknowledging the fact that many viewers of the dancing competition would love to see him return, she told The Times: “I’m sure they know. People write letters but he’s got to decide whether he wants to go back.”
The judge said she is “hopefully going to see Giovanni soon”, adding that he is “doing well in everything”.
Pernice previously said that returning to the show was out of his hands, but expressed the hope that he might be able to “come back in a few years” like fellow professional dancer Aljaz Škorjanec, who returned for the 2024 run after stepping away in 2022.
“I think this is the path we take,” Pernice told MailOnline.
In December 2024, the professional dancer won the Italian version of Strictly, called Ballando con le Stelle, alongside his celebrity partner, the actor Bianca Guaccero. He is now in a relationship with Guaccero.
Ballas originally said of the allegations against Pernice: “I don’t believe gossip because things are blown way out of all proportion and it can turn into a great big snowball.
“So my feeling for Giovanni is, let them do this investigation and the truth will come out. So we don’t judge anybody until I know absolutely, 100 percent.”
Meanwhile, Abbington maintains that she “wasn’t treated fairly” in the rehearsal room.
The star has also claimed she was unfairly vilified for expressing valid concerns, saying her intention in voicing them was to establish “a safe space”.
Abbington told The Times: “The fallout from it wasn’t something I was anticipating, but I’m glad I did it. I am. I’m glad that I stood up for myself because it’s the first time I’ve ever really done that.’”
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