Strictly professional tour ‘axed’ amid misconduct investigation as it is revealed ‘BBC staff had to hand over phones’ in bullying probe

Strictly’s The Professionals tour has reportedly been cancelled amid the investigation into Giovanni Pernice’s misconduct.

The results of the £250,000 study will be released a few days before the start of the 20th anniversary series.

And now a source who worked on the live stage productions has revealed that The Sun that the tour was cancelled following allegations, including workplace bullying.

They told the magazine: ‘Strictly is trying to rebuild itself as a brand and the Professionals tour had a reputation as a hotbed of drinking and fun.

‘The professional dancers work hard and play hard, but with everything that has happened lately, it seems like cutting them out eliminates the chance of further problems.

‘The people who normally work on The Professionals tour have been told that the tour has been cancelled.’

MailOnline has contacted representatives of the BBC for comment.

The Professionals show took place in the spring and summer, following the Strictly Live! tour earlier this year, which featured both the professionals and their celebrity partners.

The tour is being run by BBC Studios and is choreographed by Strictly Creative Director Jason Gilkison and features professionals from the show including Nadiya Bychkova, Vitto Coppola, Katya Jones, Neil Jones and Luba Mushtuck.

Giovanni previously took part in the tour but was suspended while the BBC conducted an investigation into allegations of behind-the-scenes misconduct by his partner Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other former celebrity dance partners.

Giovanni has strongly denied the allegations.

The investigation is expected to be published in the coming days. It is understood that the emails, text messages and WhatsApp messages of BBC staff have been examined as part of the investigation into bullying.

Crew members’ phones were searched for references to Giovanni or Amanda, in an attempt to gather evidence.

The Mirror has revealed that the data access request was submitted by Amanda’s team to the BBC, asking for personal details or information that could shed light on her relationship with Giovanni.

A source told the publication: ‘People joined in hoping it would debunk any claims of a cover-up.’

Amanda had previously said she would ‘cry and throw up’ when she got home from rehearsals with Giovanni.

Abbington told The Times she has since received death threats from fans of the Italian dancer, whose long-term future on Strictly is uncertain.

She said: ‘I’ve had the worst experience. The show was tough and horrible but the aftermath I didn’t expect. It was really brutal and it just hasn’t stopped.

“It’s horrible, just relentless. Death threats and rape threats because I stood up for something I thought was wrong.”

The actress also admitted she felt sick after rehearsals with Pernice, a fan favourite who starred on Strictly for eight years before being axed.

Amanda’s husband Jonathan Goodwin, a former escape doctor who was left paralyzed in 2021 after a TV stunt went horribly wrong, also corroborated her claim that she was physically ill.

She added: ‘He said, ‘Yeah, you came home and you were throwing up, you were crying and you thought you weren’t good enough. You were a shadow, a shell.”

The investigation that began with the allegations against Giovanni has since expanded following more complaints surrounding the hit series.

It has caused further unrest for Strictly, seen as the broadcaster’s crown jewel and still watched by more than ten million people.

Sources have told the Mail that the allegations have prompted bosses to widen the investigation to look into other matters and people involved in the dance series as the organisation prepares to mark its 20th anniversary.

That means Giovanni, who has previously expressed his frustrations with the investigation, will have to wait even longer for the outcome, after three former dance partners, including Amanda, instructed their lawyers to file “serious complaints” about his conduct.

It also threatens to damage Strictly, the BBC’s biggest Saturday night success story since The Generation Game.

A TV source previously told the Mail: “This investigation is no longer just about Giovanni, but about other, wider issues. The show has been on for 20 years and the whole façade of Strictly is so sparkly and beautiful, of course there will always be people who feel aggrieved.

‘Amanda’s complaints have set something big in motion. It has opened the door for others to come forward with things they are not happy with.

‘It is a huge headache for the BBC, which will soon celebrate a major milestone with its 20th anniversary.

‘Giovanni’s complaint was already a big problem, but now it seems that more research and investigation is needed.’

Sources close to Giovanni say he is confident he will be acquitted.

Insiders also say the extensive investigation may now paint the Sicilian star as a ‘small fish’ in Strictly’s potential demise.

He quit the show after Sherlock and Mr Selfridge star Amanda claimed he had bullied her during training, but he denies the claims.

In May it was revealed that she had hired London law firm Carter Ruck to represent her against the BBC.

A source told the publication: ‘The BBC is under huge pressure to complete this investigation by September 14, when the new series starts.’

Fellow dancer Graziano Di Prima has since been fired from the show following similar allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards TV personality Zara McDermott, whom he dated in 2023.

Graziano confirmed his departure on Instagram, writing: “I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win may have affected my training regime.

‘While I respect the BBC HR process, I recognise that it is only right for the good of the show that I step back. I regret that I was not able to offer a quote for the online news stories and I take the sensitivity of the situation to heart.

“There is more to this story that I cannot discuss at this time, but I am determined to be strong for my family and friends. I wish the Strictly family nothing but success in the future.”