Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice recalls last message to Amanda Abbington in first live interview after scandal

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice recalled his last conversation with Amanda Abbington, revealing how he thought everything was “great”.

Abbington, 50, pulled out of the BBC One show last year and later filed complaints of verbal bullying and harassment against Pernice.

The BBC’s months-long investigation into his conduct acknowledged Abbington’s complaints of verbal bullying and harassment but concluded that the Italian dancer was not physically aggressive to his celebrity partner.

Pernice appeared on ITV’s Lorraine show on Tuesday (22 October) for his first live television interview following the investigation.

The dancer said: “Everything was great, all I had was Giovanni you are an amazing teacher.”

Pernice said his last message to Abbington was telling her he would find her a doctor following a health scare,

In a statement, Abbington’s lawyer said Pernice’s claims that everything in te rehearsal room was “great” is “false and delusional” and it “underlines the toxic culture she endured on Strictly.