Tess Daly's 'upset' over Giovanni controversy as she fears for future of Strictly

The furore surrounding Italian dancer Giovanni Pernice has intensified rather than died down in recent weeks - as it has been alleged that more former partners may be coming out of the woodwork to ‘question’ their Strictly experiences with him.

Amid rumours that he was leaving the BBC show, the Sicilian released a statement on his Instagram to his ‘dear fans’, writing that he "reject[s] any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour," adding: "I look forward to clearing my name."

Now, according to a source, someone else behind-the-scenes who is ‘upset’ about the controversy surrounding the Strictly star is one of the show’s mainstays - Tess Daly. They claim that the glamorous 55 year old, who co-hosts the hit show with her friend, the hilarious Claudia Winkleman, has been left ‘really upset’ about the whole controversy.

“She always really liked and got on with Giovanni, but she also knows these women must’ve gone through a lot to make these complaints," they claimed. “She feels it’s probably for the best that he is leaving - but she knows he has a lot of fans - and she’s worried about the impact it will all have on the show long-term.”

Strictly, you could say, is Tess’s baby. The former teen model took on co-hosting duties on the dazzling dance show when it first started, back in 2004 - while the late Bruce Forsyth was still at the helm.

And it’s a key time for the show right now - one she’ll surely not want to be detracted from in any way. Strictly celebrates an impressive 20 years this year, a milestone Tess marked in an emotional post earlier this month.

Alongside a snap of the star posing with Bruce Forsyth and Claudia Winkleman on Instagram she wrote: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY @bbcstrictly. It’s 20 years ago today since the first episode aired in 2004 with the legend Sir Bruce Forsyth (and I was pregnant then with Phoebe my eldest!)

"We had no idea at that time it would go on for another two decades (and counting) and become a global hit in so many overseas territories (where the show is known as Dancing with The Stars). Forever grateful to be a part of a show that feels so joyful and magical and to share that with the absolute GIFT that is @claudiawinkle #keepdancing."

But according to our source, Tess is feeling the strain - as she’s concerned that the current controversy surrounding the show and Giovanni could take away from what should be a time of glorious celebration.

“It’s the 20th anniversary this year and there are lots of celebrations lined up to mark it - but Tess feels this has tarnished it and may also put celebrities off signing up because of how they might get treated," they said. “Combined with the Strictly curse, Tess does have her fears about how long the show will go on for.”

Giovanni, 33, most recently competed on Strictly with Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, who quit mid-series for "personal reasons".

While Amanda has since spoken about having difficulty on Strictly, Giovanni has declined to comment - other than with a statement released after Amanda quit. "Amanda... I am so sad we can’t continue but I am proud of what we achieved and I am sending you so much love," he wrote on social media.

Three of his former celebrity partners are said to have come forward to make formal complaints about the Italian dancer, alleging they were left “traumatised” by the experience of working with him.

Whatever way you look at it, it’s not exactly the kind of publicity a family-friendly, fun entertainment show will be wanting to attract.

That said, Tess has seen more than a few line-up changes over the years, as well as witnessed her fair share of controversies - so no doubt, she’ll be hoping that the glitzy jewel in the BBC's crown - which has been such a huge part of her life for so long - will be back on top again when it returns to our screens this September.