Amanda Abbington's C-word rant at Giovanni Pernice: As she hits back after dancer shared his side of the story in new book, friends reveal her 'outrageous behaviour' to KATIE HIND - and how they begged him to report her

The year was his true ‘annus horribilis’, said Giovanni Pernice. One minute he was Strictly Come Dancing’s most popular – not to mention longest serving – professional dancer. The next he was embroiled in daily Zoom calls with his lawyers after his dance partner for the 2023 series, Amanda Abbington, accused him of bullying her. His career in tatters, he found himself the subject of a six-month-long BBC investigation into his conduct.But it all could have been very different, say friends – if only Giovanni had been less proud.‘There was a lot he could have said which might have nipped things in the bud, but Gio takes great pride in not being a complaining type of guy,’ my source tells me.Giovanni, 35, has always protested his innocence, including in his new autobiography, Taking The Lead, which was serialised in The Mail on Sunday last weekend, just weeks before the launch of the new-look show.He’s adamant that he believed he had a good relationship with Amanda, sharing friendly – if near the knuckle – banter.Amanda’s response to the book has been as swift as it was expected. ‘He is grossly mischaracterising what happened to suit his own narrative but I have no interest in engaging with that. My focus is on moving forward,’ she said.The 52-year-old Sherlock and Mr Selfridge actress, who received an apology and a small compensation payment from the BBC, remains resolute. ‘He took part in the BBC investigation that made findings against him, following which the channel paid me compensation,’ she says. Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice on Strictly. Giovanni has always denied the actress's accusations of bullyingOne of Amanda’s gripes was that Giovanni revealed in his book how she had made a deeply offensive Nazi salute during a rehearsal. He said that, while he could have taken it further and complained to Strictly bosses, he didn’t.‘If somebody calls me rude names and makes rude gestures, including a Nazi salute (which Amanda did), it means our banter is at that level,’ he said.Giovanni had also presented investigators with a 28-minute audio tape of a conversation with Amanda in which she told him how she knew she was a ‘nightmare’ and that she’d ‘throw me out of the window’ if she were him.Now friends of the Sicilian dancer have revealed that they repeatedly begged Giovanni to make a counter complaint against Amanda to the BBC.They also claim that even corporation staff urged him to complain. Pride stopped him.‘Amanda bleated on that Gio did this, that and the other to her but in fact she started the gross language,’ says one outraged friend.‘She started with the C-word. We would say to Gio that, if he had made a complaint to the BBC about her, then he would have got a payout and apology, too.‘She had a potty mouth a lot of the time and it wasn’t particularly pleasant. We begged him to tell the BBC about the Nazi salute but he didn’t want to stoop to her level. Giovanni claimed that during rehearsals, Amanda made a Nazi salute, which he decided was just banter and didn't raise it with BBC bosses Amanda said she first raised concerns about Giovanni’s behaviour with Strictly producers on her third day of rehearsals and had many more discussions with programme bosses‘There were even people within the BBC who were telling him not just to defend himself but also to complain about her outrageous behaviour, but he wouldn’t. She briefed against him to the Press too, though she must have forgotten to tell journalists that she used the Nazi salute.‘It could have ended so differently and Amanda wouldn’t have been able to gloat.’Indeed, the friend added that Giovanni simply wanted to insist he was innocent rather than trade accusations. Does he regret it?‘Maybe, a little,’ says the pal. ‘What is so galling is that Amanda didn’t want to hear the other side of the story. Any time Gio’s side was put in the media, she would get her lawyer to fire off letters.‘Gio can now see that if he had done the same thing it might not have escalated as it did. It’s a huge shame. All he’ll say is that he’s not a grass.’Giovanni may have the last laugh at the corporation’s expense, however, which might explain the timing of his book.‘Gio feels very strongly that the BBC hung him out to dry,’ says the friend. ‘This is good old-fashioned revenge.’There is no doubt that the book’s release last Thursday threatens to overshadow the revamped Strictly – something which BBC insiders tell me is a nightmare for the broadcaster’s bosses. The cast and professionals are currently in rehearsals ready for the launch show on September 19 when new hosts, TV presenter Emma Willis, professional dancer Johannes Radebe and comedian Josh Widdicombe, take over from Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly. ‘You have to laugh at the timing,’ says Giovanni’s friend. ‘It’s brilliant to have the Strictly wave to sell his book. But it couldn’t be more irritating for the BBC.‘Just as they are trying to launch their transformed Strictly, along comes Gio like a dark cloud.‘Gio might be too classy to say this but those around him think it’s what they deserve.’Giovanni’s ‘nightmare’ (his description of the saga) began just three weeks into the 2023 series. It surprised Giovanni as he had been excited to be paired with Amanda after seeing her dance at Strictly’s ‘speed dancing’ event, where pros and celebrities have short dances together.Giovanni believed that she was a talented ballroom star who also seemed like she wanted to win – an attribute the proudly ambitious Giovanni shares.However, Amanda said she first raised concerns about Giovanni’s behaviour with Strictly producers on her third day of rehearsals and had many more discussions with programme bosses.She eventually dropped out of the show in week six, citing a health issue, which Giovanni claims he was ‘extremely supportive and helpful’ with.After initially expressing her ‘deepest regret’ at having to leave for ‘medical’ and ‘personal reasons,’ she later lodged a formal complaint. Giovanni was forced to stand down from the following series while a review took place.Amanda accused Giovanni of verbal bullying, harassment and inappropriate sexual behaviour during rehearsals, which he denies to this day. She also says that he stamped on her foot, causing bruising.‘I found Giovanni’s behaviour unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean. I couldn’t sit back and let him do that to other people,’ she said in 2024.Following an investigation, some complaints were upheld, including some relating to verbal bullying and harassment, but the ‘most serious allegations’, including physical aggression, were not.The BBC has since added more welfare staff to the show and introduced chaperones into every rehearsal room.In his book, Giovanni told how he found mother-of-two Amanda’s claims of his behaviour ‘confusing’, saying she was positive with him in texts and in person, but told her co-stars in a WhatsApp group that she couldn’t work with him.He also revealed that being ousted by Strictly left him in a deep depression and even contemplating suicide.For Giovanni, friends say the book has been therapeutic. ‘He lived through so much awfulness and didn’t have a voice until the end of the investigation so it has helped him move on,’ said one.They added that Giovanni feels the corporation let him down by pairing him with Amanda without fully vetting her.Friends say Giovanni strongly believes he was a good ambassador for the show and takes great pride in his popularity among fans.As such, he was devastated when BBC executives told him that he couldn’t return to Strictly, both before and after the investigation. Although they continue to be at loggerheads nearly three years later, life for both Giovanni and Amanda has moved on personally and professionally.Giovanni joined the cast of Ballando con le Stelle – the Italian version of Strictly – in 2024. He won and is now dating his celebrity partner, actress Bianca Guaccero, 45.Life, too, is on the up for Amanda. In May, her fiancé, former stuntman and escapologist Jonathan Goodwin, settled his legal action against the makers of America’s Got Talent.The 46-year-old was left paralysed and nearly died after a horrifying accident in 2021, when he was crushed between two burning cars during rehearsals for America’s Got Talent: Extreme.Meanwhile Amanda has secured her highest profile television role since the Strictly saga began, with a starring part in the second series of Apple TV thriller Down Cemetery Road, alongside Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson.But will this be the end of the Giovanni and Amanda show? Sadly not as it would seem this feud promises to run and run.