Ant McPartlin’s ex Lisa Armstrong sends support to Strictly's Giovanni Pernice as he breaks his silence
Ant McPartlin's ex-wife Lisa Armstrong has sent a public gesture of support to Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice after he broke his silence on allegations made against him.
The Italian professional dancer is being investigated by the BBC after it was reported that at least three of his former celebrity partners made complaints about his behaviour on the show.
After he released his first public statement about the ordeal and denied any 'abusive or threatening behaviour,' Ant's ex Lisa showed her support by liking the post.
The makeup artist, who has worked alongside Giovanni on the show as their head of hair and makeup, was one of the hundreds of thousands who liked the statement.
Giovanni, who is rumoured to be leaving the show before the next series, said: "I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name."
He wrote: "To my dear fans, You will be as surprised as I am that allegations have been made about my dance teaching methods in the media this week.
"Of course, I reject any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour, and I look forward to clearing my name. Thank you all once again for your continued love and support!" He then signed off the post: "Giovanni."
Strictly Come Dancing broadcaster the BBC launched an internal investigation after three former contestants instructed lawyers. News of the formal complaints - which were logged separately but by the same legal firm - came after it was claimed Giovanni had quit.
During an earlier appearance on The One Show, Giovanni defended the methods he uses to train his celebrity dance partners. He said: "I'm definitely a perfectionist. Like everybody else, I like to win."
Ant and his ex Lisa first met in 1994. At the time, Ant and Dec had found fame as music stars PJ & Duncan following their stint on children's TV show Byker Grove. Lisa was also in a band called Deuce at the time.
They crossed paths during the 1994 Smash Hits tour in Newcastle, where Lisa’s band performed alongside the Geordie duo. The pair were together for over ten years before Ant proposed to Lisa while on holiday in Dubai in 2005, and they tied the knot in 2006.
During their relationship, Lisa became a make-up artist and worked her way up to becoming the head of makeup and hair on Strictly Come Dancing, for which he is widely acclaimed. On January 14, 2018, the couple announced that they were headed for divorce after an 11-year marriage.
Later on in 2018, Ant began dating Anne-Marie Corbett, who once worked as his personal assistant, and the pair recently welcomed their first baby together.
