BREAKING NEWS: Amanda Abbington fires back at Giovanni Pernice over latest Strictly claims
Amanda Abbington has fired back at former Strictly Come Dancing partner Giovanni Pernice after he opened up about the severe impact their fallout had on his mental health.
The Sherlock actress, 53, was partnered with Giovanni, 35, on the BBC dance show in 2023 but left the competition after only a few weeks.
She later said she had experienced PTSD and accused the professional dancer of bullying and harassment. Giovanni has consistently denied the allegations.
The BBC subsequently investigated 16 complaints. Ten were not upheld, while six were upheld, and the broadcaster later apologised to Amanda.
Giovanni has now revisited the period in his memoir Taking The Lead, describing himself as a “burnt-out shell” and saying he fell into a deep depression as criticism intensified.
Amanda Says Giovanni Is ‘Mischaracterising’ What Happened
Responding to his latest account, Amanda told The Sun: “It’s sad, though not surprising, that Giovanni is continuing down this route.”
She added: “He took part in the BBC investigation that made findings against him, following which the channel paid me compensation.”
Amanda then accused her former dance partner of presenting events in a way that suited his own version of the story.
“He is grossly mischaracterising what happened to suit his own narrative, but I have no interest in engaging with that,” she said.
“My focus is on moving forward.”
A friend of Amanda’s also strongly defended her position, saying she continues to stand by the allegations she made.
The friend used highly critical language about Giovanni and claimed Amanda was not the only person affected by his behaviour.
Those comments represent the friend’s view and were not part of the BBC’s official findings.
Giovanni Describes ‘Moments of Tension’
In extracts from his memoir published by the Daily Mail, Giovanni offered his own version of the pair’s working relationship.
He said he had initially been impressed with Amanda’s dedication during rehearsals and claimed she sent him a thank-you message following their first training session.
According to Giovanni, there were “moments of tension” between them but “never any arguments.”
He portrayed himself as supportive and encouraging during their time together.
However, he said the relationship became more difficult as rehearsals intensified.
Amanda later withdrew from the competition and went on to accuse Giovanni of “unnecessary, cruel and abusive behaviour.”
Giovanni denied physically abusing her.
Giovanni Opens Up About Mental Health Struggle
Giovanni said the criticism that followed became increasingly difficult for him to handle.
He described struggling with what he called the “bile” directed at him and credited his then-girlfriend Molly Brown with helping him through the most difficult moments.
“She could see that I was spiralling and she was there to talk to me when I was down,” he said.
He also disclosed that there were times when his mental health became so severe that he feared he might harm himself without Molly’s support.
His comments come after an independent review into his conduct toward Amanda.
The investigation examined rehearsal footage and messages between the pair.
The BBC found that Giovanni had not been physically abusive, while some complaints relating to verbal bullying and harassment were upheld.
The specific details of those upheld complaints were not made public.
BBC Apologised to Amanda
Following the review, the broadcaster said it treated allegations of bullying and harassment “very seriously” and explained that the process had taken time because of its complexity.
“We have assessed the complaints, and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made,” the BBC said.
The statement continued: “We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part.”
The broadcaster also stressed that although Strictly is highly competitive and demanding, it should ultimately remain a positive experience for those involved.
The dispute between Amanda and Giovanni has now continued well beyond their time together on the dancefloor.
Giovanni’s memoir has brought his experience back into the spotlight, particularly his account of the toll the controversy took on his mental health.
Amanda, however, has made clear that she disputes his version of events and has no intention of reopening the argument publicly, insisting instead that she wants to move forward.
