For two decades, Strictly Come Dancing has been known as the happiest, sparkliest show on TV. But that has changed in recent months, following the allegations of bad behaviour on the set of the BBC series. The main two allegations both come from last year’s series of the competition and relate to celebrity contestants Amanda Abbington and Zara McDermott. Neither of their partners, Giovanni Pernice or Graziano Di Prima, will be returning for the 2024 series.
Sherlock star Amanda, 52, dropped out of the competition after just five weeks, but denied reports at the time that this was because she was ‘feuding’ with her Italian partner. In January, however, rumours began to swirl as it was reported that Amanda had requested rehearsal footage from her time on the show. In May, a legal firm said it had contacted the BBC about ‘numerous serious complaints’ about Giovanni’s behaviour on the show.
On Instagram, Giovanni, 33, denied all claims of ‘abusive or threatening behaviour’. It was soon reported that he was at the centre of an investigation at the BBC, with the BBC releasing a statement ‘urging’ people not to speculate. ‘Whilst we know our shows have been positive experiences for many of those who have taken part, we will always look at any issues raised with care, fairness and sensitivity to everyone concerned,’ they said.
On Wednesday 25 July, Amanda sat down for an interview with her fellow 2023 contestant Krishnan Guru-Murthy for Channel 4 News. There, she reiterated that she’s known Strictly was going to be hard work, but that it ‘wasn’t what I expected it to be’. Amanda claimed that she had been the subject of ‘verbal attacks’ by Giovanni that made her feel like she’d ‘continually let him down’.
While, due to the ongoing investigation into her complaint, Amanda said that she couldn’t go into many details, she claimed that when BBC producers watched footage from her rehearsals back at the time, they told her they were ‘shocked and horrified’. She was diagnosed with mild PTSD, and said that she has suffered due to a ‘loss of earnings’ in addition to ‘emotional trauma’. ‘I’d been triggered in that room by past experiences, and it still has a lasting effect on me,’ she said.
Amanda also spoke in depth about the ‘brutal and relentless and unforgiving’ public reaction to her claims about former Strictly champion. In the aftermath, she said that she was receiving ‘dozens’ of death and rape threats, some aimed at her children, a day. ‘I wasn’t going to [complain] as I was terrified of not being believed and, as it turns out, most people don’t believe me,’ she said. ‘What I experienced in that room happened. I know it happened, because it happened to me. I’m not hysterical, I don’t make things out to be bigger than they are.’
Giovanni has continued to deny any claims of wrongdoing. Speaking in response to the Channel 4 interview, his spokesperson said, 'We are cooperating fully with the BBC’s review process. All parties have been asked to respect this process and to not speak to the media before it concludes. We will continue to respect the integrity of the investigation and believe it is the right forum for all the evidence to be reviewed. As part of the evidence-led review, the BBC has shared the allegations they have been able to substantiate with us. They do not resemble Amanda’s latest allegations, given to Channel 4, in any shape or form. Giovanni refutes any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour, and having provided the BBC with his evidence, is confident that the review will prove this.' The BBC has also said that it takes its duty of care ‘extremely seriously’.
Below, you can find the most shocking allegations from Amanda Abbington’s bombshell Channel 4 interview.
Other contestants knew Amanda was having a ‘hard time’
Having been there with Amanda on Strictly 2023, Krishnan said that he ‘saw [her] having a hard time’, while Amanda echoed that she’d been offered support by other people on the show in their group chats. When the subject of Strictly introducing rehearsal-room chaperones was discussed, Amanda said that she wasn’t sure how effective they would be at preventing similar things from happening, as there had been people in the room with her and Giovanni, ‘and they weren’t allowed to say anything’.
Amanda says she was immediately warned about Giovanni
Amanda said she was ‘thrilled’ to be partnered with Giovanni, and immediately texted Krishnan saying she was ‘so happy’. When their partnership was publicly announced, however, Amanda ‘got several messages saying, “I’m so sorry”’ and ‘“it’s going to be quite tough”’.
She says she complained to BBC after one week
Amanda said that she raised concerns about Giovanni’s behaviour early in the competition, having realised that she wasn’t seeing similar behaviour in the other couples’ training rooms. Speaking on Lorraine on Thursday 25 July, she said that she’d first made any mention on day three of rehearsals. ‘I've got texts to the producer on day three going, “This is awful, he hates me, I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm trying my best, I promise you,”’ she said.
As a result, Amanda says, cameras were brought in to film the rehearsals; she denies Giovanni’s claims that he was the one to request the filming. However, she says that his behaviour did not change in front of the camera, and that every week, the producers would watch the footage and tell her, ‘“We are shocked and horrified, we are so sorry.”’
‘Disturbing’ allegations including sexual humiliation
One of the most shocking allegations wasn’t raised by Amanda, but Krishnan. He said that he had heard from another person on the show about an ‘instance of humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature’ involving Giovanni and Amanda. While no further details were given about the alleged incident, Amanda said that it was ‘one of many things’ including, bullying and ‘aggressive behaviour’.
Amanda says she wasn’t asked back for the final
When Amanda didn’t return for the Strictly final, reports in the press at the time said that she had ‘snubbed’ the show. However, Amanda claims that this wasn’t the case. ‘I was never asked back to the final,’ she said. ‘I didn’t snub the final. Nobody ever contacted me again to be back in that show.’
She says Giovanni is blocking her from seeing footage
As part of the investigation, the BBC have access to the rehearsal footage captured after cameras were introduced. However, Amanda claims that Giovanni’s legal team is ‘blocking’ hers from accessing 50 hours of footage. ‘50 hours is a lot of footage and a lot of time spent in a toom that was toxic,’ she said. Her lawyer has tried to challenge this so that they can see the footage and ‘make an assessment’, but according to Amanda, ‘he doesn’t want anyone to see it’.
Other celebrities have been named on the complaint
While Amanda is the main name on the complaint she put in to the BBC, she says that other former partners of Giovanni’s have also contributed to the investigation. She confirmed reports that she met with two other celebrities he’d previously been coupled up with – although did not name them – and said that there are three other names in addition to hers supporting her complaint. She also claims that others may potentially come forward.
Amanda says she hasn’t heard from BBC
Amanda said that she visited the counsellor on the show a couple of times, and received ‘several messages from producers’ from exit. But she said that there was no aftercare, and claimed that she ‘didn’t really hear from anybody again’ following the fallout. ‘I haven't spoken to anyone from the BBC since Strictly,’ she said.
She doesn’t want Strictly to end
Many of Amanda’s critics have branded her a ‘hysterical’ woman hell-bent on ‘destroying’ Strictly. Amanda denies this. ‘I don’t want it to die, I want it to have a life… it’s a British institution,’ she said. Many of her fellow contestants, including Krishnan, had positive experiences on the show. ‘I know it’s not endemic of Strictly, but there are pockets of things that shouldn’t be happening,’ she said.