Kate Garraway has weighed in on the rumours that Giovanni Pernice has quit Strictly Come Dancing after nine years.
Good Morning Britain presenter Kate, 57, admitted that if professional dancer Giovanni is truly leaving the BBC competition, he will be sadly missed by not only his co-stars, but also the general public who have watched him strut his stuff on the show for nearly a decade.
Sharing her thoughts on the possibility of Giovanni turning his back on Strictly, the Good Morning Britain star said: "If it is true, he will be deeply, deeply missed, because he was great on the show and people love him." The BBC was reportedly "very keen" to keep the 33-year-old Italian dancer, who has been embroiled in controversy over his demanding training style with past celebrity partners, including actress Amanda Abbington.
A leaked internal memo that's been doing the rounds doesn't feature Giovanni's name among this year's roster of professional dancers, fuelling speculation about his departure. Reports suggest that Giovanni is now eyeing new opportunities on the small screen.
Kate said that Giovanni would be 'deeply missed' (ITV)Giovanni's decision to step back comes on the heels of a strained partnership with Sherlock actress Amanda, 52, during last year's show. She bowed out in October and Giovanni reportedly left her in tears due to his intense approach to rehearsals.
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"Gio feels the scrutiny on him has become too much, and now is the time to make a fresh start," an insider spilled about Giovanni's alleged decision. "He wants to focus on other TV projects, and feels he's achieved all he can on Strictly, having won the trophy back in 2021 and reaching the final an unprecedented four times."
An insider told The Sun: "He remains adamant he's done nothing wrong other than being a hard taskmaster, but knows his style of training isn't to everyone's liking - especially in this day and age. He has a lot of other exciting projects in the pipeline right now, and he's just super-excited to get cracking on them. This, now, is his priority."
In a statement shared with the Mirror, a BBC spokesperson said: "The Professional Dancers for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 will be announced in due course." It is claimed the BBC were backing the Italian 'all the way' and he after the broadcaster offered him a new contract.
The under-fire dancing pro has reportedly ended his eight-year stint on the show months after he faced allegations over his tough training methods from previous celebrity partners, including actress Amanda Abbington, who suddenly left midway through the last series. Amanda later revealed that she had been diagnosed with mild post-traumatic stress disorder after her time on the competition.
Earlier this year, Amanda reportedly requested backstage footage of her training sessions with Giovanni from BBC bosses, potentially in preparation for legal action. Giovanni, who also left the 2023 series after five weeks, is yet to comment on the situation.
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