Amanda Abbington Questioned Again About Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice After New Evidence

Amanda Abbington has been questioned a second time by BBC bosses concerning her claims against Giovanni Pernice, following the emergence of new evidence.

Last month, it was reported that former Strictly Come Dancing pro Giovanni Pernice had been informed about the results of an investigation into his off-camera behavior. This came after Sherlock star Amanda Abbington, his partner in last year’s series, accused him of misconduct.

Abbington recently spoke to BBC bosses again, alleging that Pernice had made sexual comments during their rehearsals. The Independent has reached out to Pernice, who continues to deny all allegations.

The Sun on Sunday suggests that the findings of the investigation into Pernice’s conduct have been delayed due to the unrelated scandal involving former newsreader Huw Edwards. Edwards has pleaded guilty to producing indecent images of children.

In a recent Channel 4 News interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Abbington disclosed that the show’s producers had installed cameras in her rehearsal room after she voiced concerns about Pernice’s behavior.

“Every Friday, for the next five weeks, the producer informed me after reviewing the footage, expressing shock and horror, and offering apologies,” she said. “There is evidence in that footage, and I have no hesitation in letting others view it. However, Giovanni does not want it to be seen, which is suspect if he has nothing to hide.”

When asked whether the issue was a case of bullying, she confirmed, “Yes, it’s bullying and aggressive behavior, along with other deeply distressing incidents. As women, we often have to manage such situations in the moment, as the alternative feels impossible.”

Guru-Murthy, who was on the same series of Strictly as Abbington, mentioned hearing about humiliating behavior of a sexual nature from someone other than Abbington. A tearful Abbington confirmed, “Yes, that’s just one of the many distressing incidents.”

Abbington abruptly left Strictly five episodes into the 2023 season, citing medical reasons. Following her departure, she received “death threats” and “rape threats towards not only myself, but my daughter, and the threats of death to my son.”

A BBC spokesperson commented, “Everyone involved in a complaint is entitled to confidentiality and due process, making it inappropriate to comment on individual cases. However, when issues are raised, we take them very seriously and follow proper procedures. We urge against speculation. More importantly, the BBC and BBC Studios prioritize duty of care. Our processes for Strictly Come Dancing are reviewed and updated every year, and recently, we announced additional measures to further enhance welfare and support on the show.”

Pernice, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, responded to the Channel 4 interview through his spokesperson. “We are fully cooperating with the BBC’s review process, and all parties have been asked not to discuss the matter with the media until it concludes. We trust this review to examine all the evidence fairly.”

“The BBC has shared some substantiated allegations with us, but they do not match Amanda’s recent allegations presented to Channel 4 in any way. Giovanni firmly denies any accusations of threatening or abusive behavior and is confident the review will support his stance.”

On 10 June, the BBC announced that Pernice—part of the show since 2015—would not be participating in the 2024 season. Shortly thereafter, Graziano Di Prima was also dropped from the show following allegations of mistreating his celebrity partner, Zara McDermott, during the 2023 season. Di Prima has labeled these claims as “vile” and “false.”

Source: The Independent, The Sun on Sunday