Amanda Abbington's claims over Giovanni Pernice - from 'sexual gestures' to 35min rant
Actress Amanda Abbington, who received an apology from the BBC earlier this week following the corporation's probe into her treatment during the filming of Strictly Come Dancing, has spoken out about the conclusion of the investigation. Amanda, who appeared on the 2023 series of the dancing show, was interviewed on Newsnight on Wednesday, October 2, and spoke about her feelings following her accusations towards professional dancer Giovanni Pernice.
Speaking to presenter and journalist Victoria Derbyshire, Amanda said she was still looking at the BBC's 30-page report with her lawyer and was grateful for her apology from the BBC following its release. "It’s been one of the worst years of my life. I’ve been through a lot, women go through a lot but it has been a very unpleasant, turbulent, relentless time in my life.," she said.
"I’ve had to deal with myriad horrible things that have continued to happen, just for really complaining, not even really complaining, for alerting people to what I deemed and people before me deemed as bad behaviour."
Amanda went into detail about the abuse she claims she experienced during rehearsals for the show, saying: “It was an ongoing litany of being verbally abused, sexual innuendo, sexual gestures. There was a 35-minute rant at me… with him throwing his hands up in the air, calling me names and telling me all sorts of things that I was doing wrong."
"This went on for seven hours a day for seven days a week," she said. "There were pockets of time when it was OK and we got on, which was wrong footing for me because when you’re in that room you never really knew where you were from one minute to the next, so you felt very on the front foot all the time and not knowing what was going to happen next which can make you shut down. And I shut down in that room. I was called mad and unstable."
Amanda also spoke about how she felt about the backlash she received after she complained about Giovanni's behaviour. "I’m open to criticism. I don’t make problems or trouble when there isn’t any. I’ve worked 32 years as an actress in a job that started the Me Too movement and I’ve never had to leave a job or had to experience anything like I did in that rehearsal room.
"I don’t ever make accusations lightly and this was one of the hardest thing I’ve had to do. I not only did it for myself, I did it for the contestants who were partnered with him previously. I’d spoken to them, I’d spoken to many people who said the behaviour wasn’t pleasant or appropriate in any way. I wasn’t the only person that complained."
Last night, host Victoria Derbyshire read out a previous statement made by Giovanni, in which he said: "We are unable to comment any further and the BBC has asked both parties to respect confidentially." Giovanni has consistently denied all allegations made by Amanda.
Following the BBC's findings, a spokeswoman for Giovanni welcomed the review and said they were “pleased that this six-month review has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour by Giovanni."
"Giovanni is relieved that the overwhelming majority of allegations out to the BBC have not been upheld and looks forward to continuing his work on Dancing With The Stars in Italy this season.”
He also released a lengthy Instagram statement saying he was "relieved" it was concluded. "Hello everyone, it's me. It's over. It's finished. Six months, seven months of all of this," he wrote on Monday. "Seven months of reading everyday things in the newspaper and not be able to respond because I wanted to keep the confidentiality and privacy of the review, was a difficult time. It was difficult because, you know, reading stuff that were untrue, wasn't the nicest time of my life, let's be honest.
"But today I'm happy because, you know, at the beginning there were very very serious allegations thrown out at me but as in today, none of the serious allegations have been upheld. All the threatening, abusive, harassment behaviour allegations have not been upheld.
"And today is a day, you know when we can all reflect because, you see, I appreciate that dancing is a very difficult thing to do. It’s a, it’s erm, it’s a sport, it’s something that is difficult in every possible way and sometimes you get frustrated, you know, as a teacher, as a dancer, as a performer, but the only reason why you get frustrated is because you care about what you do.
"You know, as a professional, as a teacher, I care about... I want to get the best out of my partner and sometimes I do get frustrated. I think everybody around the world does the same thing. It’s called being professional. And I love, I love doing that. Even now with Bianca I get frustrated, I think it’s a normal thing but then you get out the best and the results come forward. But I’m happy because none of this serious allegation has been upheld."
