'Heartbroken' Debbie McGee supports Giovanni Pernice after brutal Strictly axing

Giovanni Pernice, the star of Strictly Come Dancing, has received an unexpected show of support from one of his former celebrity dance partners. Debbie McGee expressed her heartbreak over Giovanni's exclusion from the new Strictly line-up amidst allegations concerning his teaching methods.

The television personality and widow of magician Paul Daniels was paired with Gio during her stint on the show in 2017, a year after her husband's death in 2016. Despite making it to the final round, Holby City actor Joe McFadden and his partner Katya Jones were crowned show champions.

Posting a picture of them together on the show, the 65-year-old shared on Instagram: "I am heartbroken for @giovannipernice My experience on Strictly will always be happy and life changing."

She added, "Gio nurtured me through my grief and gave me confidence I could do things I thought was beyond me."

Debbie is the first among Gio's celebrity partners to publicly defend him. The 33-year-old Italian dancer has been part of the BBC One celebrity dancing show since 2015, when he made it to the grand finale with Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote.

However, following allegations of misconduct, which he vehemently denies, the BBC did not include him in its professional line-up for 2024. The professional dancer previously stated that he looks "forward to clearing my name".

Taking to X, Debbie reacted to a social media user, who shared her disappointment about the pro dancer being dropped from this year's line-up.

The person in question wrote: "I wasn’t a big fan of Gio until I saw his face watching flamenco with Anton on their tv programme. His love of dance is part of his dna and I don’t know what this whole debacle with Strictly is doing to him. I hope he rises above this and thrives."

Debbie replied: "Yes it really is. Well said."

The line-up of returning dancers includes Amy Dowden, who had to sit out last year's Strictly competition due to a stage three breast cancer diagnosis, and 2023 champion Vito Coppola.

Former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff, who graced the show from 2008 to 2015, expressed her disappointment over Gio's absence from the line-up on ITV's This Morning. She said: "He produced some really memorable dances, I think the show will lose a wonderful dancer and choreographer."

She went on to say: "I think all of us on the show are quite strong perfectionists. Coming from a competitive background, we want to be the best, not just for ourselves but for our celebrities too. I think we all can be very strict, maybe even brutal sometimes, because we want to deliver a good dance."

Kristina added: "There's absolutely no way that we need to be, as it was reportedly said, abusive or anything of that nature."

"But we do have a job and it's a lot of stress, a lot of pressure on us to deliver a great dance. Because if it's a bad dance, and not-so-good choreography, we're also in the wrong, we're also going to be dragged through the public comments, saying we don't do good choreography."

"But if we push a little bit and we say something, then you're also in the wrong. So it's a very difficult territory to be in, and I'm not here to defend or offend anyone, I'm just here to say what I know of Giovanni and my time with him on the show."

She added: "Giovanni has said it himself, he is a perfectionist, he is driven to deliver."

"If there was something said in the wrong way, I suppose we are yet to find out. What ... is not very nice to see is months and months and months of stories, and we still don't know the facts."

"When he worked on the show with me, and we danced in some group numbers, he was always a very nice, easy-going guy, who's there just to do his job."

Sicily-born Giovanni, who clinched victory in 2021 with EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, was most recently partnered with Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, who exited the contest in 2023 citing "personal reasons".

With an eye on the upcoming series, which marks Strictly's 20th anniversary, Rihanoff remarked: "I think the show will always go on and do great things because they have a great pool of dancers."

"I think it is sad that Giovanni is not going to be there. I personally always look forward to his choreography because that's what I appreciate because this is the job I love and used to do."

"And I think he produced some beautiful dances and it's always exciting to watch what he would choreograph, so to me, personally, I think the whole situation is very, very sad."

Fellow professional Ola Jordan, who competed in the show from 2006 to 2015, said: "On the 20th anniversary they've got this cloud hanging over them."

In May, Pernice wrote that "you will be as surprised as I am that allegations have been made about my dance teaching methods in the media this week" and the public has seen him "passionate and competitive" on Strictly.

"Of course, I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name," he said.

He added: "No-one is more ambitious for my dance partners than me. I have always striven to help them be the very best dancers they can be.

"This has always come from a place of love and wanting to win for me and my dance partners."

A statement from law firm Carter-Ruck said: "There have been numerous serious complaints made to the BBC who are now in the process of evidence-gathering."

"As it is still an ongoing matter no further comment can be made at this stage."