Laura Whitmore, a television presenter, has claimed that she was a victim of “inappropriate behaviour” during her time on Strictly Come Dancing. Partnered with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice in 2016, Whitmore says she spoke up at the time but did not name the individual that she accused of this behaviour. The 39-year-old has since said that six other people had come forward with evidence of “inappropriate behaviour they experienced similar to mine with the same individual”. While not officially making a complaint herself, she is supporting the BBC’s investigation by providing evidence of her experience.
The allegations made by Laura Whitmore come after Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington also accused Giovanni Pernice of “threatening or abusive behaviour”. The spokesperson for Pernice denies all allegations, stating that they are “co-operating fully with the BBC’s review process” and that they have provided all evidence needed.
The BBC has recently announced that they will be introducing measures aimed to “strengthen welfare and support” whilst on set. This includes the presence of a chaperone who will be present “at all times” during training room rehearsals. After complaints about alleged abusive behaviour from the celebrity contestants, BBC Director General, Tim Davie, apologised and said that “the BBC would never tolerate unacceptable behaviour of any kind”.
Giovanni Pernice has decided not to return for this year’s series, with Graziano Di Prima also leaving the show after admitting to kicking his partner, Zara McDermott, in a rehearsal last year. In a statement, Di Prima said he regretted “the events that led to my departure from Strictly” and that his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime”.
While the BBC is not commenting specifically on Whitmore’s claims, they maintain that they take any claims seriously and that they encourage individuals to come forward and report any instances of harassment or abuse
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