Bosses at Strictly Come Dancing are reportedly “struggling” to land female celebrities for the upcoming series, as the programme grapples with allegations of “abuse” made against Giovanni Pernice.
Giovanni, 33, has been at the centre of a row surrounding claims of serious misconduct at the workplace. It comes as a handful of the Italian professional’s former partners have come forward with their own stories, which Pernice vehemently denies.
Following demands from Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington to hand over rehearsal tapes, the BBC are now combing over footage from the nine years that Giovanni has been on the show for. Sources have claimed that panicked producers have been looking through Giovanni’s training sessions to pre-empt any potential future cases brought against the dancer.
READ MORE: Giovanni Pernice ‘hires lawyers to fight Strictly Come Dancing abuse allegations’
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Now, while Pernice strongly denies the claims made against him, BBC bosses have reportedly admitted they are finding it hard to bag female famous faces for the show. Speaking to The Mirror, an insider for the programme said that the ongoing scandal has caused many celebs to walk away.
(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
“Strictly bosses have been left reeling by the backlash against Giovanni,” the source claimed. “One problem it has caused is that the booking team are struggling to recruit female celebrities for 2024.”
In previous years, the show had found it hard to find female stars to take part due to the so-called “Strictly curse” that sees contestants fall in love with their professional partners. But now, the added debacle surrounding Pernice is making the booking harder than ever.
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
The source also claimed: “In the past, some women have been reluctant to sign up due to the Strictly curse and others have struggled to commit to the full on schedule, but this has made booking harder than ever. There is a concern amongst some about their treatment, while others are reluctant to be involved with the show while it’s under a shadow.”
An internal inquiry from the BBC on the incidents has been opened, as it is claimed that some former contestants are preparing for potential legal action. Dossiers are also being made before being sent to the BBC from some of Giovanni’s former partners.
(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
Abbington, who decided to quit the show in the middle of last year’s series, also said that she would “leave nothing unsaid” in her case against Pernice. It comes after the BBC were reported to receive information that Giovanni had sent an “offensive” video clip to the star, something that – according to The Sun – he did not make, commission or appear in.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
