She had hoped to light up the Strictly ballroom in Italy after quitting the BBC dance show amid complaints from fellow contestant Amanda Abbington.
But The Mail on Sunday can reveal bosses at the Italian show have told Giovanni Pernice they cannot hire him for this year’s series because he has still not been cleared by investigators four months after they launched their inquiry.
Mr Pernice, 33, had been in talks with bosses at Ballando con le Stelle for several months and they were delighted at the prospect of him joining as one of their professional dancers.
But they are devastated to have to withdraw the offer – worth around £100,000 to the Italian dancer – because the BBC has yet to clear him following the internal investigation into Abbington’s allegations that he bullied her during rehearsals.
It can be revealed that Pernice is now unlikely to appear on ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity in a deal which could have seen her earn around £250,000.
Giovanni Pernice was hoping to light up the Strictly ballroom in Italy after quitting the BBC dance show amid complaints from fellow contestant Amanda Abbington (pictured March)
The Mail on Sunday can reveal bosses at the Italian show have told the dancer they cannot sign him up for this year’s series because he has not yet been cleared by investigators.
The channel hoped to make the most of its popularity among BBC viewers.
Mr Pernice is likely to take legal action against the Corporation, claiming it failed in its duty of care because it does not carry out psychological tests on contestants. He is “absolutely furious” that the BBC has made him wait so long.
A source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Gio was so excited to continue dancing and what made it that much more charming was that it would have been in his home country.
‘But the deadline was approaching and Ballando’s bosses could no longer wait for the BBC to announce its verdict. They are as devastated as Gio.
“It’s absolutely horrible for Gio. He’s been stuck in limbo and hasn’t been able to move on with his life.
“He has a lot of offers on the table but without the BBC clearing his name he can’t go ahead. No one can understand why this is taking so long.”
“He is losing money like crazy. Amanda’s claims were filed weeks ago and there was nothing to prove he was a stalker, as he has insisted all along.
“He has a clear case against the BBC. They put him in a room with a woman without doing the most basic checks, ultimately putting him in a position where his career could be ruined and his source of income cut off.”
But they are devastated to have to withdraw the offer because the BBC has yet to clear him following the internal investigation into Ms Abbington’s claims that he bullied her during rehearsals (Giovanni and Amanda Abington pictured in October 2023)
They added: ‘Gio had to leave Strictly because of Amanda’s claims and has now ruined his chance of moving on.’
Ballando con le Stelle was launched in 2005, a year after Strictly began in the UK, and was filmed in a magnificent 19th-century theatre at the RAI Auditorium in Rome’s Foro Italico.
Mr Pernice hired law firm Schillings in April after Ms Abbington made a formal complaint to the BBC.
One source said: “He certainly has the infrastructure to sue if he decides to go down that route, which is a strong possibility right now.”