Nicola Roberts has shed light on what is was really like to work with Giovanni Pernice on Strictly Come Dancing – after they were coupled up in the 2022 Christmas Special.

The professional dancer, 33, has been embroiled in a row with Amanda Abbington, 51, after she claimed the BBC show has caused her much grief.

The actress was paired with the Strictly star but quit the BBC One series mid-series last year citing ‘personal issues’.

Since her departure, Amanda has reportedly demanded to see rehearsal footage to highlight his ‘tense’ and ‘full-on’ training methods, which allegedly caused her PTSD.

And giving the dancer her support, Nicola, 38, described Giovanni as a ‘great teacher’, but at times she ‘might have wanted to strangle him’.

Nicola Roberts, 38, is the sixth star to shed light on what is was really like to work with Giovanni Pernice, 33, on Strictly – after they were coupled up in the 2022 Christmas Special

The professional dancer has been embroiled in a row with Amanda Abbington , 51, (pictured) after she claimed the BBC show has caused her much grief

Speaking on The One Show in December 2022, the Girls Aloud singer said: ‘Gio is a great teacher – he’s a perfectionist – as am I. The waltz is so technical and it’s so different to anything I’ve done before.

‘I don’t necessarily like the learning process because I lose concentration and Gio is very “again, again, again”, but I was grateful because when I finally got to do the waltz I was prepared.

‘And as much as during the rehearsal process I might have wanted to strangle him, I was glad that when I left the ballroom I thought I had done a good job of the waltz.’

His Strictly co-stars are said to be rallying around him, with a source telling the Mirror: ‘There is a general feeling that the criticism is grossly unfair.’

His former partner Debbie McGee, who he was partnered with on the show in 2017, came out in defence of him on Monday.

The magician’s assistant, 65, shared a throwback snap of the pair on Instagram, insisting they got on well while working together.

Debbie captioned the post: ‘Happy memories, Giovanni and I had the best of times on Strictly.’

Twinkle-toed star Giovanni took to the comments section of the post to express his gratitude, writing: ‘Love you … thank you’.

The actress was paired with the Strictly star but quit the BBC One series mid-series last year citing ‘personal issues’

And giving the dancer her support, Nicola described Giovanni as a ‘great teacher’, but at times she ‘might have wanted to strangle him’

Speaking on The One Show in December 2022, the Girls Aloud singer said: ‘Gio is a great teacher – he’s a perfectionist – as am I. The waltz is so technical and it’s so different to anything I’ve done before’

She added: ‘And as much as during the rehearsal process I might have wanted to strangle him, I was glad that when I left the ballroom I thought I had done a good job of the waltz’

Giovanni has appeared on Strictly for eight consecutive years and made the final on three occasions, but Amanda is not the first celebrity to criticise his gruelling training style.

In 2016, TV presenter Laura Whitmore said: ‘I’m still not ready to talk in-depth about my experience on the show.

‘I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with and in the end, I felt broken, I cried every day. And I was really broken, both mentally and physically, by the end.’

Then in 2020, Giovanni fell out with Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh as she admitted to having a ‘total meltdown’ in rehearsals with him.

The ITV presenter told her co-star Kate Garraway she and the dancer had a ’20-minute divorce’ as things became tense in training.

The year before he was partnered with Amanda, Giovanni was once again plagued by rumours of a feud between him and his partner.

The 2022 series saw him partnered with Richie Anderson, but it was said that the pair ‘hadn’t clicked’ and tensions were rising off camera.

Sources told The Sun at the time that Giovanni was becoming frustrated with Richie not listening to him in rehearsals.

His former partner Debbie McGee, who he was partnered with on the show in 2017, came out in defence of him on Monday (pictured together in 2018)

The magician’s assistant, 65, shared a throwback snap of the pair on Instagram, insisting they got on well while working together, while Giovanni commented thanking her

Giovanni has appeared on Strictly for eight consecutive years and made the final on three occasions, but Amanda is not the first celebrity to criticise his gruelling training style (pictured after 2021 win with Rose Ayling-Ellis)

In 2016, TV presenter Laura Whitmore said: ‘I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with and in the end, I felt broken, I cried every day’ (pictured on show)

Then in 2020, Giovanni fell out with Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh as she admitted to having a ‘total meltdown’ in rehearsals with him (pictured on It Takes Two)

The 2022 series saw him partnered with Richie Anderson, but it was said that the pair ‘hadn’t clicked’ and tensions were rising off camera as Giovanni was becoming frustrated with Richie not listening to him in rehearsals (pictured on It Takes Two)

According to The Sun , on Sunday night the BBC Radio 2 star unfollowed Giovanni on Instagram, a day after Amanda’s claims became public, while Giovanni still follows Richie

Richie later hit back at the reports and insisted there was ‘no problem’ between them during a joint appearance on spin-off show It Takes Two.

However, according to The Sun, on Sunday night the BBC Radio 2 star unfollowed Giovanni on Instagram, a day after Amanda’s claims became public.

Sources at the BBC are ready to fight the Sherlock star over her claims the show had traumatised her, saying that – at the time – she told them she was quitting due to a different medical reason.

A source told the Mail: ‘Amanda’s reason for quitting Strictly was an entirely different one to her PTSD.

‘She told production of a totally different medical condition and they [were] hugely supportive of her and did all they could to help.

‘Nobody seems to quite understand what is going on here.’

It is understood that first BBC chiefs knew about her PTSD was late last year when they received a request for the tapes.

There is added confusion because Amanda quickly shot down suggestions – made before the show aired in September – that she and Giovanni had fallen out.

During broadcasts, she and the Italian dancer – who has worked on the show since 2015 – were seen hugging and appearing to be friends

BBC bosses are sticking behind Giovanni in the wake of the feud

Despite the BBC standing behind Giovanni, it has thrown the show into crisis as bosses fear contestants will refuse to pair up with the dancer in the wake of the rumours

Amanda Abbington receives standing ovation from Shirley and Motsi

On Instagram, she dismissed the claims as ‘bulls****’ and told people to, ‘Shut up, it’s b******s.’

During broadcasts, she and the Italian dancer – who has worked on the show since 2015 – were seen hugging and appearing to be friends.

One Strictly source said: ‘All you’d see at the studio were the pair of them hugging and kissing.’

However, according to reports, BBC bosses are sticking behind Giovanni in the wake of the feud.

According to The Sun, bosses arranged a call between Giovanni’s management and Strictly executives where they offered him their full support and checked in on his mental health.

Giovanni is understood to have been assured that his place on the show is secure.

A source said: ‘It’s no secret Gio and Amanda had a tricksy relationship — but there are two sides to every story.

‘Bosses arranged a call between his management and show execs to discuss recent coverage and make sure he was OK as obviously he’s faced a hell of a lot of stick over the past couple of months.

‘The feeling is he is a tough taskmaster, but hasn’t bullied or abused anyone. The BBC see him as a key face of Strictly and will do all they can to support him.’