The BBC has issued an apology to actress Amanda Abbington and upheld some of her complaints against her former Strictly Come Dancing dance partner, Giovanni Pernice. However, the most serious allegations of physical aggression made against Pernice were cleared by the broadcaster. The Sherlock star claimed that Pernice had been “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean” during rehearsals, an accusation that he denied.
Although her claims of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld, Abbington acknowledged the BBC’s apology as a “vindication” of her complaint. The actress said she hoped it would inspire others to come forward with confidence that they would be believed. A friend of Pernice’s stated that he was “pleased that this has been thrown out” and that the past nine months had been “torrid” for him.
In a statement, the BBC reported that the production team had already attempted to address the issues but accepted that “ultimately, these were not enough”. It apologised to Abbington, thanking her for speaking out. The network’s protocols have since been further strengthened.
Abbington has since claimed that she first raised her concerns about Pernice’s behaviour with Strictly producers and had numerous discussions with programme bosses. She eventually withdrew in week six of the competition, expressing “medical” and “personal reasons” for her decision to drop out. Abbington later lodged a formal complaint against Pernice with the BBC.
Chief content officer for the BBC, Charlotte Moore, apologised twice to the actress after it emerged that she and her family had been subjected to online abuse and death threats. Abbington stated that she had been accused of being a liar and a troublemaker but was vindicated by the BBC’s apology. She added that the network had invited her to meet with senior management, and she would be considering this
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