Janette Manrara has spoken out amid Strictly’s bullying probe.
The BBC show has been dogged by scandal this year, with pros Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima leaving the 2024 line-up under clouds. And, more recently, Janette’s husband Aljaz Skorjanec faced allegations that he left in 2022 after an altercation with a female dancer.
Janette, who used to be a pro and now presents spin-off It Takes Two, addressed all the controversy on the Postcards From Midlife podcast, saying that people shouldn’t feel afraid to speak out if they were in a bullying situation, but also that she hoped Strictly’s legacy would remain.
READ MORE: Strictly star Janette Manrara reveals new career after quitting life as pro dancer
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“For me personally, Strictly has been nothing but joyful and wondrous,” she said. She went on: “I think when you hear and read the things you’ve been reading lately, of course you can’t help but feel for the people involved.
(Image: PA)
“First and foremost, I have to start by saying that people should not be afraid to talk. If you feel something is wrong, or if you feel uncomfortable or if you’re in a bullying situation, especially in a work environment, you shouldn’t be afraid to talk. So I’m very happy that the people who have spoken, have come out and spoken.”
“Then second to that, it’s so hard when you see things online that are trying to destroy all the wonderful stuff that Strictly has brought,” said the star. “The show is growing. Of course, times are changing. You can’t expect behaviours that are not acceptable now to have been the same 20 years ago.
(Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
“I mean, we’re still learning and accepting pronouns and the correct way to speak to people and what is the correct etiquette or incorrect etiquette in certain situations.”
“I think for me personally, it’s important people don’t forget all the wonderful things that Strictly has brought over the last 20 years,” she said. “Because 99 per cent of it is positive.”
“And then you have incidences of things that come up that are very serious and should be brought up and should be looked at, but not at the detriment of destroying all the wonderful things that the show has done,” said Janette, adding that she hopes people still tune in.
(Image: PA)
The Strictly saga started after Amanda Abbington alleged that her 2023 pro partner Giovanni’s behaviour was “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean”. However, the dancer has previously denied the allegations against him and has made it clear he looks forward to clearing his name.
The it emerged that Graziano was alleged to have kicked his 2023 celeb partner Zara McDermott. He said sorry, with his spokesman telling the BBC: “He knows he’s made a mistake. He apologised at the time.” The dancer later told the Daily Mail it was an accident, saying: “The only thing I can think of is the time I kicked the floor in frustration… I wasn’t meaning to kick her,” he said.
The latest claim involved Aljaz, who quit as a pro in 2022 but is returning this year. It was reported that he agreed to leave after an incident with another dancer but he shut it down, with his representative saying it was “untrue to say or suggest he was forced out or that he acted in an aggressive manner at any time”.
Aljaz and Janette welcomed daughter Lyra last year. He recently told the BBC he left the dancefloor “to be a great dad and a great husband”.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
