Amanda Abbington is speaking out about her strange exit from Strictly Come Dancing last year. In a tell-all interview, the Sherlock actress made some serious claims against both the BBC and her dance partner, Giovanni Pernice.
Abbington told Channel 4 News that the BBC didn’t do enough when she raised concerns about Pernice’s behavior during practice. Producers even watched tape of their sessions and said “We’re shocked! We had no idea – so sorry!” But when Amanda asked to see the 50 hours of footage herself, the BBC said no way.
She called the whole training experience “toxic” and “unsafe.” Amanda said Giovanni would bully her with mean words and even embarrass her in, well, grown-up ways. But Giovanni and the BBC say that’s not true at all.
Leaving the show was tough on Amanda. She got threats online from jerks saying they’d hurt her daughter or kill her son! “I didn’t expect things to get so scary after I left,” Amanda said.
Now Amanda has a lawyer and wants money from the BBC for losing work and being so stressed. She also hinted that three other women faced difficulties during Strictly practices too.
In response, the BBC is adding chaperones for the new Strictly season. Bosses say they take dancers’ safety very seriously. And the head of the BBC even apologized to past contestants who didn’t enjoy their time. An investigation is still underway about Amanda’s complaints.
Both sides are asking people not to gossip while they get to the bottom of things. But this controversy is just heating up!