Giovanni Pernice admitted he lost all his friends in 2023 (Image: ITV)
Former star has admitted that he lost all his friends amid the fallout of misconduct allegations.
Speaking on the first night of his new tour on Monday night (January 20) in the heart of High Wycombe, the professional ballroom dancer lifted the lid on what life was like when he left the dance competition in 2023, according to .
He told the captive audience: “I felt like the world collapsed… I didn’t have anybody around me. All the people that were supposed to be my friends disappeared”.
The Italian dancer, 34, explained how he felt “so alone” during that dark period of his life, adding: “Nobody wanted to see me, they were like, ‘Oh, you can’t be with him’.”
Giovanni had been accused of being a bully by his former dance partner. Months after she pulled out of the show, the Sherlock star filed 17 complaints against the star with executives who launched an internal investigation.
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The BBC conducted an internal investigation following Amanda Abbington’s complaints (Image: BBC)
The flagship company later upheld six of the 17 complaints against him but none of which included physical aggression. Before the allegations, Gio told the audience that he felt “like I was on the top of my game.”
He added: “I was untouchable, was a superhero… but fate did have different plans for me.” But he added that he managed to get through the horrific ordeal by remaining positive.
Giovanni went on: “I always had a voice in my head saying, ‘Don’t worry… we know that all of this is going to finish. One day you’ll be back on top and you will feel again’.”
The ballroom expert admitted that he took great solace in his musical “idol” Freddie Mercury, who was known for his favourite mantra ‘The show must go on’.
At the end of last year, he added: “Bully is a big word and there’s a difference between being a bully and caring about what you do. I’ glad 11 allegations have been thrown out.
“At the beginning there were very serious allegations, for instance threatening her or abusing her, and all of this has been taken out.
“I’m a strict teacher. I said it myself, I care about my job. I’m very competitive.” Amanda has since opened up about what life has been like for her one year on after issuing the complaints.
The actress revealed she has been accused of “being a liar, a troublemaker and of being ‘mad and unstable’.” She added: “I’ve also received rape and murder threats. My family and children have been subjected to threats and intimidation.
“Despite this vile abuse, I’ve never regretted coming forward, and today’s apology from the is a vindication of my complaint. It’s also a vindication for the others who have contracted me to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly.”