Who is Giovanni Pernice's ex-wife? Italian dancer's personal life explored amid Amanda Abbington's PTSD from Strictly Come Dancing claims

Elena Samodanova, the ex-wife of Giovanni Pernice (Image via Instagram/@giovannipernice)
Elena Samodanova, the ex-wife of Giovanni Pernice (Image via Instagram/@giovannipernice)

Giovanni Pernice, the talented dancer known for his charismatic presence on Strictly Come Dancing, found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after his personal life details came to light, particularly about his past marriage and its alleged substantial impact on co-star Amanda Abbington.

His personal life was explored amid Amanda Abbington's PSTD claim about her experience with Strictly Come Dancing. She quit the series in mid and reportedly cited due to "personal issues" while paired with Giovanni Pernice.

On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, Amanda was seen for the first time since she claimed the show left her with PSTD. She allegedly claimed that the training methods were so tense, which caused her grief.

However, the BBC has supported Strictly Come Dancing dancer Giovanni Pernice amid bullying accusations and arranged a call with management to ensure his well-being on January 9, 2024.

Giovanni, who has been a prominent figure in the world of ballroom, peculiarly kept his personal life out of the spotlight. Nevertheless, his marriage with Elena Samodanova has sparked public interest lately.


Who is Giovanni Pernice's ex-wife?

The Italian dancer and choreographer Giovanni Pernice is one of the most prominent faces of the industry and has a reputation for deliberately keeping his personal life out of the public eye.

Giovanni married Elena Samodanova in 2012 in an intimate ceremony. Elena is a Russian dancer and choreographer. She has worked on several television shows, including Dancing with the Stars Russia.

The couple has a daughter named Matilda, who was born in 2019. Just one year after their daughter was born, the couple announced their separation in 2020.

It has now been reported that both the stars have moved on. Elena has been seen with new partners, whereas sources like Fresherslive reported news of Giovanni allegedly linking up with several women, including his Strictly Come Dancing partner, Amanda Abbington.

Opening about his experience with relationships, Giovanni Pernice reportedly told Anton Du Beke,

"My mum always asks me, 'so what is the situation?. You know, because obviously, every time I date a girl, I always tell her and ask, 'What do you think about this? Bless her, she saw so many passing by, asked, 'Is she the one?' and said, 'You know I want a baby before I pass away.' Of course, I want to have a family one day, you know; I just have to find the right person first."

Amanda Abbington paired with Giovanni Pernice for a show but quit and claimed "PSTD" from the experience:

Amanda is a renowned British actor best known for her role in the BBC series Sherlock. She was paired with Giovanni Pernice on Strictly Come Dancing. However, she quit the show and claimed it left her with grief and PSTD.

She left the show during the fifth week in October and failed to return for the finale, where all eliminated contestants showed up and performed a group dance.

During the show, the judges praised her performance, but it was reported that Amanda was allegedly struggling behind the scenes. She has also been reported to have stated that she found Giovanni quite challenging for her.

Despite allegations of clashes with previous partners, the BBC views Pernice as a prominent face of Strictly Come Dancing and defended him by stating, "he's a tough taskmaster but hasn't bullied anyone."

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