Banter? | Strictly Come Dancing star accused of using slur against epileptic colleague

A Strictly Come Dancing star’s team has hit back over claims he used a slur against a colleague with epilepsy.

Giovanni Pernice has been accused of calling a co-worker a ‘sp****c’ while working on his live tour, Made In Italy, last year.

The complainant reported the incident to the BBC after reports emerged earlier this year of misconduct and bullying behaviour from some of Strictly Come Dancing’s professional dancers, towards celebrity contestants.

One former contestant to come forward with claims of a toxic environment was actress Amanda Abbington, who was partnered with Pernice on the 2023 series. Abbington recently made further claims, including that Pernice called her a “vegetable” days after meeting her fiancé, who uses a wheelchair.