Giovanni Pernice clashes with Craig Doyle on This Morning live

DIRECT ANSWER: Giovanni Pernice clashed with This Morning presenter Craig Doyle during a live ITV interview on Tuesday while promoting his memoir Gio: Taking The Lead. Doyle pressed the former Strictly pro over upheld BBC findings of verbal bullying against Amanda Abbington, prompting Pernice to declare he was "not here to justify myself" as co-host Christine Lampard read Abbington's rebuttal.

Key Takeaways

• Pernice told Craig Doyle he was "not here to justify myself" during a tense live This Morning interview on Tuesday.
• A BBC investigation upheld six of 17 allegations against Pernice, including verbal bullying and harassment; physical aggression claims were not upheld.
• Abbington's representatives accused Pernice of "trying to reframe" the probe and called his claim he had not told his side "ludicrous."
• Pernice said winning Strictly Come Dancing in Italy after leaving the BBC show was his "small revenge."
• He is promoting memoir Gio: Taking The Lead, which he says tells the story of his life rather than focusing solely on the investigation.

The exchange landed during a promotional slot for a book that doubles as Pernice's most public attempt to reset his narrative after one of Strictly Come Dancing's most scrutinised off-screen sagas. For readers who follow celebrity finance and side-income stories, memoir launches like this are a reminder of how public figures monetise reputation rebuilds — a pattern we track in our Wealth Hacks & Passive Income hub.

What happened during Giovanni Pernice's This Morning interview?

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice, 35, appeared on This Morning on Tuesday alongside presenters Craig Doyle and Christine Lampard. He spent a decade on the BBC ballroom series before departing in 2024, the same year a BBC investigation was launched into his conduct following complaints from Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, his 2023 dance partner.

Pernice was on the sofa to discuss Gio: Taking The Lead, his new memoir. He told Doyle and Lampard he had waited until the BBC probe concluded before sharing what he described as his "side of the story." What began as a standard book plug quickly turned into a live confrontation as Doyle challenged Pernice on the findings that were upheld.

According to reporting from the London Evening Standard, the Italian dancer grew visibly frustrated as questioning turned back to Abbington and the investigation outcomes. Lampard later said the programme would seek a "right of reply" from Abbington and read a statement from her representatives on air.

What did the BBC investigation find against Giovanni Pernice?

Abbington alleged bullying, abuse and physical violence during her time on Strictly. The BBC investigation examined 17 complaints in total. Six were upheld, though none of the most serious claims — including allegations of physical violence — were substantiated.

Upheld complaints included verbal bullying and harassment. Metro reported that investigators described Pernice's language as "belittling, dismissive, and insulting." Pernice was cleared of claims of physical aggression. Abbington was paid a five-figure sum by the BBC as part of an out-of-court settlement last month, with a reported contribution toward her legal fees.

On the programme, Pernice insisted he was speaking "factual" about what the investigation upheld and what it did not. When Doyle referenced Abbington's payout and her view that Pernice was "underplaying things," the dancer replied bluntly: "Everybody sees it differently, isn't it?"

Why did Craig Doyle push back on Pernice's account?

Craig Doyle's questioning centred on whether Pernice accepted any responsibility for the upheld complaints. After Pernice said he could not repeat on morning television one specific word he had used — calling it a word "every day, all of us we use" — Doyle did not let the exchange drop.

"The complaints that were upheld, do you see what you did wrong there? Is there a reflection there from you where you could have done things differently?" Doyle asked. Pernice reiterated that apart from "one specific word," he stood by his conduct. "But other than that, I'm not here to justify myself," he said.

Doyle also acknowledged the toll on both parties. "I appreciate it was a difficult time for you personally. It was also a difficult time for Amanda," he said. Pernice agreed. Doyle added that Abbington "wouldn't have gone through the whole process had she not felt there was something in it."

Pernice discussed his own mental health during the waiting period, having written in his book that he considered suicide while awaiting the investigation's outcome. He said the memoir was dedicated to supporters who stood by him through that period.

What did Amanda Abbington's team say in response?

Christine Lampard told Pernice the show would go to Abbington for a right of reply. She then read a statement from Abbington's representatives accusing Pernice of "trying to reframe" the investigation. The statement also rejected any suggestion he had not previously told his side of the story, calling that claim "ludicrous."

Separately, Abbington has spoken publicly about her experience. Metro noted she told BBC Newsnight she endured "a litany of verbal abuse" for "seven hours a day, for seven weeks," including a reported 35-minute rant. She has said she was diagnosed with PTSD after Strictly and that she never set out to ruin anyone's career or take down the show.

When Lampard asked whether Pernice was approaching dancing differently now, he gave the same answer he said he had given in a prior interview: "If you want to succeed, there's only one way to succeed. Commitment, resilience, get the trophy, go home."

Where does Giovanni Pernice go from here?

Pernice told Doyle and Lampard his life had "moved on" and that he was happy. After leaving Strictly, he returned to Italy and won the local version of the show in 2024 with now-girlfriend Bianca Guaccero — a victory he described on air as his "small revenges in life."

He pushed back on the idea that Gio: Taking The Lead was solely about the Abbington scandal, telling Doyle: "This is the story of my life" rather than a book dedicated to the investigation. Doyle replied that he understood Pernice wanted to "air your view."

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV. The Tuesday segment is likely to keep the Strictly fallout in headlines as Pernice's book tour continues and Abbington's camp maintains its public counter-narrative.