Giovanni Pernice facts for kids

Giovanni Pernice (born 5 September 1990) is an Italian professional dancer based in the United Kingdom, best known for his appearances on the British television show Strictly Come Dancing. He is also an Italian Open Latin Dance Champion (2012), and the Guinness World Record holder for Jive kicks and flicks, as well as Charleston swivels.

On 10 June 2024, following "numerous serious complaints" about his behaviour while coaching his dance partners in Strictly, his departure from the show was confirmed by the BBC.

Early life

Pernice was born on 5 September 1990 in Sicily, and at the age of 14 he moved to Bologna to concentrate on dance. He chose to become a dancer after watching the British ballroom dance television show Come Dancing. Specialising in Latin style, Pernice has won a number of competitions, most notably, the Italian Open Championship in 2012.

Pernice is a member of the Federazione Italiana Danza Sportiva, part of the World DanceSport Federation, and he competed at Youth and Adult levels between 2007 and 2014. Other notable results include coming second place in the International Open Latin in Slovenia in 2014, and wins in other Open competitions in Pieve di Cento, Italy (2011); Ancona, Italy (2011); San Marino (2011) and Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain (2011). His competition dance partners include Erika Attisano (2011–2014) and Alexandra Koldan (2014–2015).

Career

Strictly Come Dancing

In 2015 Pernice appeared as a professional dancer on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing for the first time in its thirteenth series. He was partnered with former Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote. They reached the final of the competition but finished as joint runners-up alongside Kellie Bright and her professional partner, Kevin Clifton.

In 2016 Pernice returned to Strictly Come Dancing for its fourteenth series. He was partnered with television presenter Laura Whitmore. They were eliminated in Week 7 in a dance-off with Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton, the eventual Series 14 champions, and finished in 9th place.

In 2017 Pernice returned to Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer for its fifteenth series. His celebrity partner was Debbie McGee, a television and radio presenter and former ballet dancer. They reached the final of the competition, finishing as joint runners-up alongside Alexandra Burke and her professional partner Gorka Márquez, and Gemma Atkinson and her professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec.

In 2018 Pernice competed in the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Steps singer Faye Tozer. For the third time in four years, Pernice reached the final, finishing as joint runners-up alongside Joe Sugg and his professional partner Dianne Buswell, and Ashley Roberts and her professional partner Pasha Kovalev.

In 2019 Pernice was partnered with television and radio personality Michelle Visage for the show's seventeenth series. They reached week 9 of the competition, before being eliminated in a dance-off with Saffron Barker and AJ Pritchard.

In 2020 Pernice reached the semi-final of the eighteenth series with his partner Ranvir Singh, before being eliminated in a dance off with Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer.

In 2021 Pernice won the nineteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, with EastEnders actress, Rose Ayling-Ellis. Ayling-Ellis was the first deaf contestant to appear on the show. In the series’ Halloween special, Ayling-Ellis and Pernice received the earliest 40 throughout Strictly history with their Tango. The pair also received an 'Unmissables' Award from Heat for the silent moment in their Couple's Choice routine.

In 2022 Pernice was partnered with television and radio presenter Richie Anderson. They were eliminated in week 3, making it the earliest week Pernice has ever been eliminated in.

In 2023 Pernice was partnered with actress Amanda Abbington. On 20 October 2023, it was announced that for medical reasons, Abbington and Pernice would have to miss that Saturday's appearance on the show. She withdrew from the competition three days later.

As a Strictly professional dancer, Pernice holds the record for most tens ever awarded, with a total of 97. He has topped the weekly Strictly leaderboard more times than any other pro in the history of the show. He is also informally known as 'The King of Halloween', as he has topped the leaderboard during Halloween Week for every series he has competed in and still been in the competition during the Halloween Special.

Pernice has also appeared on a number of episodes of BBC Two's Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two. Pernice is the current Guinness World Record holder for Jive kicks and flicks, performing 55 in 30 seconds in a challenge held in December 2016. The next year, in December 2017, he broke the world record for the most Charleston swivel steps in 30 seconds, correctly completing 24. Both records were achieved on It Takes Two with supervision by Guinness World Records.

Strictly Come Dancing Complaint

In January 2024, The Sun reported that Amanda Abbington had requested footage of her time training with Pernice and was seeking legal advice over his training methods; that month, Debbie McGee shared a post in support of Pernice on X (formerly Twitter). In March 2024, The Sun said that Abbington, Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh had met to discuss their negative experiences with Pernice on the show. Legal firm Carter Ruck told BBC News there were "numerous serious complaints" about his behaviour while filming Strictly. On 16 May, it was reported by The Sun that Pernice had quit the show. Pernice denied all accusations of wrongdoing. His departure was confirmed by the BBC on 10 June.

It was reported in September 2024 that the BBC had issued an apology to Amanda Abbington and upheld her complaints of verbal bullying and harassment against Pernice, but rejected allegations of physical aggression. Abbington, known for her role in Sherlock, described the apology as a "vindication" and expressed hope that it would encourage others to speak out.

Pernice, however, maintained that he had always strongly denied any wrongdoing and expressed relief that the more serious accusations were dismissed. The BBC acknowledged that while the production team had taken steps to address the issues, these measures were ultimately deemed inadequate, prompting a review of their internal protocols.

Ballando con le Stelle

In September 2024 he was confirmed as a professional partner for Series 19 of Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly.

Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance

Strictly Come Dancing Performances

Series 13: with Georgia May Foote

The couple were runners-up.

Series 14; with Laura Whitmore

Due to an ankle injury, Whitmore was unable to dance in week 5 and the couple were given a bye to progress to the next week. The couple were eliminated in week 7.

Series 15; with Debbie McGee

The couple were runners-up.

Series 16; with Faye Tozer

The couple were runners-up.

• Green number indicates Faye & Giovanni were at the top of the leaderboard.

Series 17; with Michelle Visage

The couple were eliminated in week 9, at Blackpool.

• Green number indicates Michelle & Giovanni were at the top of the leaderboard
• Red number indicates Michelle & Giovanni were at the bottom of the leaderboard

Series 18; with Ranvir Singh

The couple were eliminated in week 8.

¹ Score from guest judge Anton du Beke

Series 19; with Rose Ayling-Ellis

The Couple's Choice dance with Rose Ayling-Ellis, in week 8, featured a period of silence, included as a tribute to the deaf community. Judge Anton Du Beke described it as "the greatest thing I've ever seen on the show". it earned them the 2021 Heat Unmissables Award for TV Moment of the Year. On 18 December 2021 the couple were the series winners; it was the first win for Pernice.

• Green number indicates Rose & Giovanni were at the top of the leaderboard.

Series 20; with Richie Anderson

The couple were eliminated in week 3.

Series 21; with Amanda Abbington

Due to medical reasons, Abbington was unable to dance in week 5 and the couple were given a bye to progress to the next week. On 23 October 2023, Abbington withdrew from the competition.

Dance tours and professional dance engagements

Pernice took part in the national Strictly Come Dancing Live! tour in 2016 with his partner Georgia May Foote, and again in 2017 as part of the professional dance troupe for group numbers and professional dances. He partnered Debbie McGee in the 2018 live tour, Faye Tozer for the 2019 live tour and Rose Ayling-Ellis for the 2022 live tour.

In 2016, Pernice announced his first dance tour Dance is Life, translated from the Italian expression 'Il Ballo è Vita'. The tour comprised 32 dates in England, Scotland and Wales between April and July 2017, performing to positive reviews. The opening night was 26 April 2017 at the Albany Theatre, Coventry. The last performance took place on 23 July 2017 at the Marina Theatre, Lowestoft. In 2018, Pernice announced that his Dance is Life tour would be returning in 2019.

In September 2020, Pernice and Anton Du Beke announced a 2021 UK Tour called HIM & ME.

In September 2024, Pernice announced he was to appear at Donaheys 2025 "Dancing With The Stars Weekends".

Pernice also has his solo tour called The Last Dance in 2025.

Personal life

In July 2021, Pernice confirmed that he was dating social media influencer and TV personality Maura Higgins. The pair split up four months later.

See also

In Spanish: Giovanni Pernice para niños