Strictly Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice has expressed his love for The Traitors, suggesting he would be open to taking part in the upcoming celebrity edition of the BBC programme.
Last year, Kalpna Patel-Knight, the BBC’s head of entertainment, hinted at the excitement surrounding the spin-off, saying: “It will once again be fascinating for our audiences to see who’ll outwit, outplay, and outlast. Let the mind games begin!” When asked which shows he would love to appear on, Giovanni told Heat Magazine: “Definitely not MasterChef or Bake Off, I can’t cook.
“I’d like to do Celebrity SAS, and the other show I love is The Traitors, they’re making a celeb version, who knows?” Despite being frequently suggested as a potential contestant for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, the 34-year-old dancer said that it conflicts with his busy work schedule, making taking part unlikely.
Giovanni gained fame on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 but left last year amid “serious workplace misconduct” allegations, which he has consistently denied. His partner from 2023, Amanda Abbington, accused him of “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean” behaviour during rehearsals, an allegation he denied.
A BBC review looked into 17 complaints from the actress about Giovanni, and six were upheld, but the most serious allegations of physical aggression were not upheld. Giovanni’s ex-dance partners also shared their thoughts on working alongside him when Amanda’s claims were made public.
Debbie McGee, who partnered with him in 2017, reminisced on Instagram with a photo and said: “Happy memories, Giovanni and I had the best of times on Strictly,” reports Lancs Live.
His 2019 dance partner, Michelle Visage, shared her experience on This Morning, stating: “He’s probably the toughest pro there is. I wanted that. So it depends, some people can handle that, some people don’t want to handle that.”
Laura Whitmore said in a detailed Instagram statement: “I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong. The aim of this is to show a pattern of behaviour that I believe needs to stop.”
When asked about returning to the show, Giovanni told the publication: “I would love to go back on Strictly, but I don’t think they’re going to have me on again.”
The dancer triumphed on Italy’s version of the dance competition, Ballando con le Stelle, last year alongside presenter and singer Bianca Guaccero, now his girlfriend.