Giovanni Pernice on Italian TV with his 2024 partner Bianca Guaccero (Image: RAI )
, who turned 34 this month, has headed home to take part in Ballando con le Stelle (the Italian version of Dancing With The Stars).
He could be seen over the weekend begging for British fans to vote for him via three social media platforms – , Facebook and X – but his pleas paid off as he and dance partner Bianca Guaccero achieved phenomenal success. The pair danced the samba together and quickly sailed to the top spot on the scoreboard.
Each episode has a winning couple, plus a couple to be eliminated from the show – but there was no chance of Giovanni sliding into the second category, as his performance was an instant hit. Public votes were counted and those, combined with both the judges’ verdicts, would have put them in second place.
However, when a bonus score of an extra 30 points from a character called The Regular Guest, who appears on each show, was added on, the pair earned themselves the top spot. Giovanni could be seen emotionally hugging Bianca as the results were revealed.
Meanwhile, towards 2023 partner . It was ruled that 11 out of 17 complaints made by Amanda were dismissed, while the other six – including two cases of “inappropriate sexual banter” – were upheld.
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Giovanni Pernice and Bianca Guaccero celebrating their results (Image: INSTAGRAM)
Claims of the Sicilian pro being “abusive” and “threatening” were among those dismissed, although the decided that he had been guilty of the lesser charge of language towards her which could have been interpreted as “belittling” and “negative”.
Meanwhile, Ballando con le Stelle’s host, Milly Carlucci, made it clear that she was not concerned about the allegations.
Talking during a press conference ahead of Saturday night’s launch show, she insisted: “We were in very close contact with the to understand the extent of these accusations. It should tell you something that nine months later they still haven’t given an answer.”
According to the Telegraph, she added: “‘If there had been proof, as it were, the perpetrator of the Agatha Christie-style crime would have come out by now. It hasn’t come out.
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Giovanni Pernice during his Ballando con le Stelle debut (Image: RAI)
“We have been monitoring the matter with the and they have given us a complete green light in having Giovanni with us and that should also tell us something because the seems to me to be a very serious company.”
Giovanni’s spokesperson made an announcement today after , stating: “We are pleased that this six-month review has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour by Giovanni. Giovanni is relieved… and looks forward to continuing his work on Dancing With The Stars in Italy this season.”
However, the apologised to Amanda for her negative experience, which she has stated was a “vindication of her complaint”.
She added: “It’s not just a vindication for me, it’s a vindication for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences on . I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed.”