Exactly this time last year, Strictly bosses pulled off one of their greatest coups — signing the original high-kicking, splits-performing ballroom queen Angela Rippon.
There were high-fives, not to mention high hopes, that it was one of their best signings to date, one that would delight the viewers.
What a difference 12 months makes. This week, there were no champagne corks popping at BBC headquarters. Rather, there was yet another crisis meeting to discuss the ongoing scandal that has embroiled one of Strictly’s most loved, and longest-serving, professional dancers, Giovanni Pernice.
Following a complaint from his former partner Amanda Abbington, who claimed that he had bullied her in training, and accusing him of stamping on her foot during their practice sessions, the BBC launched an investigation.
Much to the dismay of his fans, Giovanni quit, while Amanda appeared to do her very best to damage his reputation, say his friends.
Giovanni Pernice and former partner Amanda Abbington on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing
One of Strictly’s most loved, and longest-serving, professional dancers, Giovanni has been embroiled in scandal
Now, as the show approaches its 20th anniversary, the Mail can reveal that bosses are worried about the future of the show as a whole, after a new complaint, unrelated to Giovanni, came to light.
Sources tell me that so damaging is this complaint, that Strictly is in ‘total chaos’, as the launch of the next series looms.
Today, it can be revealed that this latest meltdown came after another complaint was made relating to someone directly involved with Strictly.
The exact nature of the complaint is shrouded in secrecy, only known in full by the upper echelons of BBC management, but I’m told, ominously, that ‘it’s not pretty’.
So much so that the entire culture of Strictly is now under scrutiny, and behind the scenes there are fears for its long-term future.
‘This is now about so much more than Giovanni, the reputation of the whole show is at stake,’ one insider tells me. ‘What was an investigation about Giovanni and Amanda’s bruised toe [after the stamping accusation] is now a much wider inquiry.
‘The standing of the whole show and its wonderful history could be affected by this. It’s now about Strictly, not Gio.
‘Something has been recently reported and there is a suggestion that it minimises the claims against Giovanni quite significantly.
Amanda claimed that Giovanni had bullied her in training and accused him of stamping on her foot during their practice sessions, resulting in the BBC launching an investigation
One Strictly insider said: ‘Giovanni has lost his Strictly career because of Amanda’
‘If this all plays out as the BBC fears, then Giovanni could be more collateral damage to a much wider situation.
‘It is a nightmare for the BBC, but it is absolutely adamant it will deal with this properly and that every side of every story will be heard.’
This, then, is the reason why Giovanni, who quit the show in May despite being handed a new contract, has been made to wait so long for the outcome of the BBC’s investigation into him.
It is, say friends of the Italian dancer, something he’s finding ‘extremely frustrating’.
A hint of all this turmoil was made public on Monday when there was a surprise announcement that former fan favourite, square-jawed Slovenian Aljaz Skorjanec, who won with Abbey Clancy in 2013, would be returning after a two-year absence.
While his many adoring fans were absolutely thrilled, they were baffled by the timing.
After all, it comes a month after the full line-up of professional dancers for the next series was announced by the Corporation – and this initial line-up had already been delayed due to Giovanni’s resignation.
Some within the show also questioned why Aljaz was not unveiled alongside the other professionals.
Insiders noted that the Press were not given a heads-up of his return; rather, the announcement was made on the BBC’s own magazine programme, The One Show, on Monday evening.
Nor was there an explanation as to the reason for his return – which only prompted further questions, because the line-up of professionals already featured a large enough number to pair with celebrities, as well as some extras to cover the group dances.
‘Is he back to replace Giovanni or for another reason?’ one BBC employee mused.
‘It was all a rather convenient way to do it, sling him on The One Show where the questions are controlled by the BBC and nothing inconvenient would be asked.’
What a terrible mess, then, for a show which has been going strong since 2004.
This time last year, Strictly bosses pulled off one of their greatest coups – signing the original high-kicking, splits-performing ballroom queen Angela Rippon
Of course, it hasn’t been without its controversies – the ‘Strictly curse’ has been held responsible for the break-up of many marriages and relationships – but, to date, the BBC has always managed to get it through any crisis.
But the latest complaint is ‘something else entirely’, says a source at the broadcaster.
Even without this new twist, the BBC was fearful that the way Giovanni, 33, has been hauled through an arduous complaints process may affect how fans receive the forthcoming series, which is due to begin in September.
Internally, it has discussed how many of its viewers, thanks to their older age group, take the view Amanda, 50, is merely complaining that Giovanni made her work hard and that Strictly has now ‘gone soft’.
Bosses are highly aware of how the scandal has become divisive, with most taking Giovanni’s side over Amanda’s.
In short, BBC chiefs are painfully conscious that there is a lot of sympathy for Giovanni. While he expects to be exonerated, those close to him say the past eight months have been ‘torrid.’
‘He has had to see Amanda sling accusations at him and while he is strong and utterly believes he is innocent, there is only so much someone can take. Giovanni wants this finished so he can have his say.’
And his say will have huge implications for Strictly’s future, too.
There is a feeling among bosses that Giovanni could himself accuse the BBC of failing in their duty of care to him by pairing him with Amanda without carrying out appropriate testing on her — or, indeed, on any of their celebrity contestants to date.
While other reality television programmes have strict procedures in place to make sure everybody who takes part is capable — including Strictly’s ITV opposition, Dancing On Ice — the BBC has never done this.
One Strictly insider said: ‘Giovanni has a clear case against the BBC here too, and there are bosses who are very worried about it.
‘Giovanni has lost his Strictly career because of Amanda, and the fact [is] that she wasn’t tested in any way to see if she was up to doing [the show].
‘For 20 years they haven’t done this. Therefore they have potentially put people at risk.
‘In Gio’s case, he was paired with a woman who, frankly, should not have been allowed to take part and look what has happened to him. It’s unbelievable really. Things are going to have to change.’
As for the Class of 2024, bosses are said to ‘still be on the hunt’ to complete what they hope will be a stellar line-up of contestants.
They were ‘bereft’ at the tragic death of Mail columnist and health guru Dr Michael Mosley, whom they had hoped would star in the show this year. To add to their woes, there are now said to be ‘struggles’ to get the big names they want.
While many celebrities have long turned down invitations to appear on the show, due to the ‘Strictly curse’ connotation, there are now fears that Amanda’s claims and slurs against the show will put off any top talent being linked to Strictly while it remains under the microscope.
‘They were further down the line than this last year, when it came to knowing who was taking part,’ says one who works on the programme.
Meanwhile, the BBC remains publicly silent on the issue.
A state of affairs that surely cannot last for much longer – for the sake of the future of the much- loved glitterball.
