Professional dancer Giovanni Pernice has reportedly quit the BBC dance competition after eight years, following a series of complaints from former celebrity contestants
The 33-year-old Italian has reportedly quit the BBC dance competition after facing allegations over his tough training methods from previous celebrity partners, including actress Amanda Abbington. The professional dancer joined the show back in 2015 and has since hit the headlines as much for his life off-screen as his moves on the dance floor.
He told good pal Anton on their show: "Of course, I want to have a family one day you know, I just have to find the right person first. I'm just very focused on my career as you were at my age." But he said: "I do get lonely sometimes, there's no one to share it with. It's a tricky thing, a fine line. Sometimes you want to be free to be able to focus on your career.
And as he pursued a career in the ballroom, he had to come to terms with criticism of his masculinity. "There's a kind of attitude that if you're a dancer you're not a proper man," he previously said. He became accustomed to being alone, missing family Christmasses and birthdays at home, but it meant he had no distractions tempting him away from his goals.
Commenting on his achievements, Pernice senior said: "You have given us moments of great joy, and when you won Strictly Come Dancing it was exceptional." The star was taken aback by his father's comments, as he revealed his dad "is not a person that gives away his feelings."
Strictly Come Dancing Maura Higgins
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