Strictly Come Dancing stars Ellie Leach and Ellie Simmonds are just two who appear to have snubbed Giovanni Pernice on social media as the Italian dancer faces accusations of "abuse" and "bullying" during training and rehearsals.
Launching an investigation into the claims made by Amanda Abbington and others, the BBC is reportedly said to be looking back at nine years of footage from his rehearsals after the Sherlock star and others came together to launch legal action against his conduct.
Since the drama kicked off, many of the Strictly stars have refused to get involved and stayed silent, but now, Leach and Simmonds seem to have distanced themselves from the Latin and Ballroom champion.
Leach won the show last year with partner Vito Coppola and it seems both have chosen to unfollow Pernice on Instagram, soon after he vehemently denied any allegations of "threatening and abusive" behaviour.
Olympian Simmonds, who was on Strictly in 2022 and paired with Nikita Kuzmin, also hit the unfollow button as the heat surrounding Pernice continues to grow.
Pernice's 2021 partner Rose Ayling-Ellis has added some distance as a source close to her told The Sun: "Rose is finding the whole situation really tough.
Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola were crowned the 2023 winners
BBC
"She had a really great experience with Gio so is really shocked by it all. She, of course, believes what others are saying but she is just trying to not get involved. She won’t be speaking about it publicly."
2018 winner Stacey Dooley recently spoke about her thoughts on the situation and said: "What I would say is, I don’t have a friendship with Giovanni. I didn’t even have a working relationship with Giovanni, and I haven’t been involved with that show for years.
"So it would be probably irresponsible for me to comment on that. What I would say, more broadly, is I hope all of the women involved are okay.
"I think, actually, separate from this – in my personal experience, I think it’s a slippery slope not to believe women when they come forward and say certain things.
Stacey Dooley spoke on the ongoing accusations against Giovanni
BBC
"I just hope they’re ok. He’s [Kevin Clifton] pals with a lot of the pros. But I don’t know enough about that incident to comment," she told BBC Breakfast.
Whilst Pernice continues to lose followers and the backing of his former co-stars, both Abbington and Pernice still follow one another on the picture-sharing app.
Pernice recently vowed to "clear name" and "fully co-operate" with the BBC's investigation, leaving his family to speak out and show their support for the star.
His sister, Angela Pernice, recently told the MailOnline: "The whole family is behind him, mum, dad, me and everyone else, whatever he says is the truth and we support him with all our strength.
"We are 100 percent behind him and nothing will change that."
Pernice's father, Piero Pernice added: "We are surprised by the fact she left the show because everything was going okay - we thought they could have won."
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Ellie Leach is another star to have unfollowed Giovanni
BBC
"My son is a really nice, polite and respectful boy. He always had good results with different partners and he has never had problems with them."
GB News has contacted Leach's representatives for a comment.
