BBC apologises to Amanda Abbington and upholds 'some Strictly complaints'
Actor Amanda Abbington has received an apology from the BBC, ITV News Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda has the latest
The BBC has apologised to former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Amanda Abbington following a report into the behaviour of her 2023 partner Giovanni Pernice.
The broadcaster says it had assessed and upheld "some, but not all, of the complaints made".
In a statement, it said: "The BBC has now concluded its review into the complaints made by Amanda Abbington against Giovanni Pernice. We take any allegations of bullying and harassment very seriously and this review has taken time due to its complex nature and our desire to ensure a rigorous and robust process was undertaken.
"Strictly Come Dancing is a family show and we rightly expect very high standards. While competition can be tough, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience. It is a great shame if this hasn't been the case for everyone who has appeared on the show.
"We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made. We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do."
There were no findings relating to physical aggression, but complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld, the PA news agency understands.
Abbington responded in a statement, saying: "As the BBC has indicated today in its statement, my decision to come forward and complain about Giovanni Pernice’s conduct towards me was not an easy thing to do.
"In the days, weeks and months since I contacted the BBC, I’ve been accused of being a liar, a troublemaker and of being “mad and unstable”.
"I’ve also received rape and murder threats and a bomb threat was sent to my place of work. My family and children have also been subjected to threats and intimidation.
"Despite this vile abuse, I’ve never regretted coming forward, and today’s apology from the BBC is a vindication of my complaint.
"It’s not just a vindication for me, it’s a vindication for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences on Strictly Come Dancing.
"I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed.
"The BBC has invited me to meet with senior management and this is something I will now be considering.
"This apology means a great deal to me. So too does the fact that the BBC have acknowledged the steps that were put in place to support and protect me and past contestants were “not enough”.
"What matters most now is that lessons have been learned and that the BBC makes the changes they’ve promised, to ensure others don’t experience the same ordeal that I and others like me did."
In a written statement, a spokesperson for Giovanni Pernice said: “We are 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.”
Abbington left Strictly in October 2023 after five weeks' worth of shows, with the BBC at the time saying she had pulled out of the most recent performance because of "medical reasons". She then said her departure was because of "personal reasons".
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Abbington said in July she “would not have been able to live with myself” if she had stayed silent about her experience.
Another professional dancer, Graziano Di Prima, then also left the show after admitting to kicking his celebrity partner Zara McDermott once during rehearsals last year.
The dancer's spokesperson Mark Borkowski said that Di Prima "deeply regrets" an "isolated incident" involving himself and McDermott, adding that he had been left "in a very vulnerable state".
Following the string of complaints, the BBC announced that contestants on Strictly Come Dancing will now be supervised "at all times" by a production team member, including during rehearsals.
In a statement the corporation said that "concerns that have arisen in recent months have been fundamentally about training and rehearsals."
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