Amanda Abbington has spoken out after the BBC issued a groveling apology about her stint on Strictly with pro dancer Giovanni Pernice.
The Beeb’s report, dropped earlier today did uphold complaints of verbal bullying and harassment. But said there were no findings relating to physical aggression. The broadcaster issued an apology to the 50 year old Sherlock star, who described her experience as being in a “toxic environment” and enduring “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying”.
Reacting to the report, Amanda insisted she “never regretted coming forward” and felt the apology was a “vindication” for her grievances. She also disclosed that she’s been asked to have a sit-down with top brass at the BBC, an offer she’s mulling over.
Read more – Strictly’s Giovanni Pernice cleared of physical abuse but did verbally abuse Amanda Abbington
Amanda shared in her statement: “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.
(Image: ITV News)
“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.”
‘Militant’
Amanda abruptly left the BBC show in October, citing personal reasons for her departure. She later revealed that she had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which she attributed to Giovanni’s “militant” training style.
Following her official complaint, the BBC initiated an internal probe into the treatment of Strictly’s celebrity contestants, gathering evidence from rehearsal footage and interviewing backstage staff. Giovanni, who has consistently denied all allegations against him, left the show in May.
Just two months later in July, fellow professional dancer Graziano Di Prima was dismissed within 48 hours of bosses reviewing footage of his incident with celebrity partner Zara McDermott.
In the same month, Amanda gave two television interviews to provide more details about her allegations against Giovanni. During her Channel 4 interview, she publicly accused the Sicilian-born professional of ‘sexual bullying’ for the first time. She also alleged there was ’50 hours of blocked footage’ from her training sessions.
Giovanni has vehemently denied all accusations against him and was reportedly determined to clear his name, with his team claiming they had ‘bombshell’ evidence that could ‘prove Amanda was a liar’. BBC chiefs were reportedly in a state of ‘meltdown’ over how to handle the situation, particularly as they tried to secure celebrities for the upcoming series.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
