Giovanni Pernice looks ‘blissfully happy’ as he returns to the stage alongside supportive pal Anton Du Beke – but fails to mention Strictly following shock exit amid workplace ‘misconduct’ probe
It was an evening that Giovanni Pernice had been looking forward to for weeks.
The embattled star, who saw his Strictly career wiped away from him following Amanda Abbington’s claims he was aggressive towards her, was back on the dance floor.
And in a manner that will please his millions of fans, Giovanni smiled before telling the sold-out audience at the Beck Theater in Hayes, “It’s nice to be back,” as he stood next to his co-star, Strictly Judge . Anton du Beke.
Despite currently being at the center of a BBC investigation into his behavior after Amanda and two other women hired a lawyer to represent them, he insisted: ‘This is the best thing you know, I’m fine. I am OK.’ However, he didn’t mention Strictly once.
Audience members watching Anton and Giovanni’s first night: Together said Giovanni looked ‘blissfully happy’ as he performed on stage in front of fans who cheered with joy.
Giovanni Pernice looked ‘blissfully happy’ as he returned to the stage alongside his supportive pal Anton Du Beke – but he failed to mention that he was strictly following his shock exit amid an investigation into workplace ‘misconduct’
The embattled star, who saw his Strictly career wiped away from him following Amanda Abbington’s claims he was aggressive towards her, was back on the dance floor
Three women, including actress Amanda Abbington (pictured) have hired £700-an-hour lawyers from leading London law firm Carter Ruck to pursue claims against Giovanni and the BBC
And he got a boost. Strictly professional dancer Lauren Oakley, who stayed on the series for eight weeks last year with Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
Joining Giovanni and Anton, she told the audience how the star under fire is ‘cheeky’ and makes her ‘laugh a lot’. She added, “I’m having so much fun.”
At one point the Sicilian hunk sent the crowd into hysterics as he poked fun at the England football team and the 1996 song Three Lions by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and rock band The Lightning Seeds – before singing it himself.
He said: ‘Since I moved to Britain one of the things I’ve noticed is that you guys get very attached and very obsessed with things.
‘For example, there is also something that you become obsessed with, such as the song it’s coming home when there is a World Cup.
“Unfortunately it never made it home.”
He then started ridiculing Britain’s performances at the Eurovision Song Contest.
“I don’t know if you remember that England didn’t do so well this year, how do you say zero point in French,” Giovanni giggled.
In a manner that will please his millions of fans, Giovanni smiled before telling the sold-out audience at the Beck Theater in Hayes, “It’s nice to be back,” as he stood next to his co-star, Strictly judge Anton . du Beke
Giovanni and Anton’s tour is still going ahead after an investigation was launched into claims surrounding his behavior on Strictly Come Dancing
‘Zero point – No point. I should have said something like that, but I can’t remember and actually I remember being told that the last time Britain won Eurovision was in 1997, which makes me seven years old. This show is getting weirder, everything is weird. Even stranger.’
At the end of the show, Giovanni had the stage manager take a photo of the audience.
One fan said: ‘Giovanni looked so happy, he couldn’t stop smiling but you couldn’t help but think he was a bit subdued.
‘Usually he would refer to Strictly, he loved the show so I guess that would be normal but this time it was like it didn’t exist.’
As the curtains closed, the crowd gave 33-year-old Giovanni a standing ovation, leaving no doubt that his fans were behind him.
It was previously reported that the rehearsal tapes between Amanda and Giovanni will not be released to the actress after she demanded they prove her bullying claims.
Earlier this week, a male celebrity reportedly joined the group of women who raised complaints about Giovanni’s behavior (pictured by previous dance partner Ranvir Singh)
It will have given Giovanni a huge boost as he awaits the outcome of the BBC investigation.
He has now been in contact with the Corporation and, according to friends, has ‘told the truth’, which they say is ‘supported by evidence’.
Sources close to the investigation say the verdict will not be handed down for ‘weeks’ after Amanda hires a lawyer from London-based law firm Carter-Ruck.
In response, Giovanni Schillings instructed, representing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and JK Rowling, among others.
Afterwards, Hale Alla, 48, said: ‘I don’t think he did anything wrong. Maybe he was a little strict in his method.
After all, it’s a competition, right? He is very competitive so I don’t think he has done anything wrong,” while her husband Luan Alla, 50, added: “He should be prime minister, he is better than what we have now.”
The Sicilian dancer is accused of ‘threatening and insulting behaviour’ while working with celebrity contestants on the show (pictured with Laura Whitmore in 2016)
Despite the fuss, head judge Shirley Ballas has backed the under-fire professional and will join him in teaching a number of dance classes in London next month alongside Anton Du Beke.
Meanwhile, amateur ballroom dancer Sheila Park said of Amanda, 52: ‘We didn’t like her.’
Her husband Martin Park – also a dancer – added of Giovanni: ‘I think he is dedicated and passionate and if you are, if you are like that, then people don’t have the same point of view, you don’t understand why they do . I don’t have your passion and dedication, it’s hard work and if you’ve ever had to do it like we did when we first did it, we couldn’t really dance for a year.
“It took us a year of practice and lessons before we could even move on the dance floor.”
When asked if he thought Strictly (BBC) was wrong to get rid of Giovanni, he replied:
“Yeah, he’s not a bully.”