STRICTLY Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice flashed a thumbs-up to fans as he stepped out in London amid former show partner Amanda Abbington’s bombshell claims.

The Italian professional, 33, who quit the BBC show earlier this year, greeted fans outside his weekly dance class in Fulham, in the south-west of the capital.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice gave a thumbs up to fans as he stepped out in London on SundayCredit: Doug Seeburg/News Group Newspapers Ltd

The BBC star donned a white top and matching logo trousers for his dance classCredit: Doug Seeburg/News Group Newspapers Ltd

The Sun then exclusively revealed how tapes of the pair’s rehearsals had been releasedCredit: BBC
Giovanni arrived at the venue sporting a crisp white top and matching blue joggers.

He finished off with a dark rucksack slung over his shoulders and a pair of sunglasses.

The BBC star fist-bumped one fan before giving a thumbs up to another, then entered the huge wooden doors.

He is continuing with normal life despite being under investigation by the BBC over misconduct after complaints were filed by several of his former celebrity dance partners – claims he strongly denies.

This includes his 2023 show partner Amanda, who this week told the Lorraine show she believed he “hated” her.

She also insisted she flagged concerns about his alleged attitude three days in to the series in one of a series of bombshell claims.

During a hard-hitting Channel 4 interview on Wednesday night with former co-star and news anchor Krishnan-Guru Murthy, she broke down in tears over the alleged behaviour which she says caused her to suffer PTSD.

During the telly discussion, she also told how some of her alleged abuse was “sexual” in nature.

Krishnan said: “I heard, not from you, from somebody else, about an instance of, I suppose you’d call it humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature, is that right?”

An emotional Amanda replied: “Yeah. I mean, you know, one of the many things.”

Talking about the nature of the ‘abuse’, she added: “It was unnecessary and when stuff was getting thrown at me I’d shut down because I’ve been in abusive situations before in the past so I recognised the red flags, so I’d shut down and wouldn’t be able to do it because I felt attacked, not literally attacked.”

Hitting back at trolls who, she says, branded her a “snowflake” and sent her and her family death threats, Amanda then insisted: “I go into anything wanting to work hard. I have a strong work ethic, the fact that people think I’m lazy and ‘she didn’t know what she was letting herself in for’.

“Yes, I did, of course I did, I know what I was letting myself in, but I didn’t know I was letting myself in for that.”

This weekend, The Sun exclusively reported how new details of a Strictly recording had been revealed.

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“At the same time if someone thinks there was something wrong or they want to talk about their experience then of course we want them to raise that with us. Be in no doubt we will take it seriously, listen and deal with it as appropriate.”

The audio documented six and a half minutes of tense exchange during which Amanda told him “you probably want to throw me out of a window.”

Giovanni’s people have since touted the recording as “bombshell evidence” that will clear his name.

But the Sun can reveal that a source close to Amanda said: “This tape has been billed as bombshell evidence, however it’s the type of everyday discussions that go on between partners and pros that go on in rehearsals, which can, obviously, be very fraught.

“The idea that this is some kind of ‘smoking gun’ that will exonerate Giovanni from his alleged behaviour is absurd.”

The same investigation has also seen fellow Italian professional Graziano Di Prima axed after allegations of “physical incidents” towards show partner Zara McDermott, 27.

Giovanni left the show earlier this year and is still the subject of a BBC probeCredit: Doug Seeburg/News Group Newspapers Ltd

Amanda told the Lorraine show this week she believed the Italian ‘hated’ herCredit: PA

She also suggested her alleged abuse was sexual in natureCredit: Channel 4