Giovanni Pernice will not be on this year's Strictly (Image: WireImage) Strictly Come Dancing 's Shirley Ballas has thrown her support behind the embattled Giovanni Pernice , insisting: "The truth will come out." The esteemed judge defended the professional dancer, affirming she had never seen any inappropriate behaviour from him and expressed that his absence would be felt in the upcoming series of the hit BBC programme. She also disclosed that both she and fellow judge Anton Du Beke would be attending a party with Pernice this weekend.
While at Chorleywood Memorial Hall, Hertfordshire, promoting her latest book 'Murder on the Dancefloor', Ballas commented last night: " I know he is a hard worker. He wants the people to do the very best that they can do. Obviously, in my life, I was bullied a lot.
I don't condone bullying on any path but also I don't believe gossip and what you read in the newspapers because things get escalated and they are blown way out of all proportion and it can turn into a great big snowball." She continued, advocating for patience until the investigation concludes: "So my feeling for Giovanni is, let them do this investigation or whatever it is they are doing and the truth will come out. So we don't judge anybody until I know absolutely 100 per cent.
I won't pass on the gossip unless I know 100 per cent it is true. I have never ever, ever experienced any ill will or bad feeling or bad sportsmanship or rudeness from him. He will be missed.
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