LAURA Whitmore has confirmed she has spoken to the BBC regarding Giovanni Pernice’s ‘inappropriate’ behaviour on the show.
The presenter, who danced with the under-fire dancer in 2016, has said she hopes that by speaking out she will be helping to ‘stop a pattern of behaviour’ because what happened to her ‘was wrong’.
4
In a lengthy post today, Laura wrote: “I was trying not to comment on recent press speculation until the BBC review is complete but feel there is a lot of misinformation in the press and I want to help and show support by setting the record straight.
“I was asked to speak to the BBC along with six people that I know of (who deserve anonymity as they don’t want to be dragged through the press), about inappropriate behaviour they experienced similar to mine with the same individual. I initially raised concerns back in 2016. “
She continued: “I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong.
“The aim of this is to show a pattern of behaviour that I believe needs to stop. My evidence is to support other people’s experience. It’s a shame it takes this for someone to be heard.
“I am not looking for anything just an acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and that it won’t happen to anyone else again,
“Because I have not made an official complaint, and am providing evidence of my experience to support the investigation, not all the communication will be passed on to all parties involved. “
She added: “Misinformation is being put into the press so I want to set the record straight.
“Victim blaming must stop or we will never get better. I’ve tried to speak up in the correct way. I know the BBC and all outlets continue to do their best to be better, but for that to happen we must speak up.”
Amanda’s experience
Laura was asked about her experience after Amanda Abbington said in January she had been “diagnosed with mild PTSD” after appearing with Giovanni on the show.
She withdrew from the competition in week six citing “personal reasons”, but gave no further detail until revealing she had made a complaint about the show this month.
This week the actress, 50, claimed she was as subjected to “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” in a “toxic environment” while rehearsing for the BBC One show.
Her former professional partner, Giovanni – who has left the celebrity dance programme, has strongly refuted her allegations.
A decision into the BBC internal investigation is expected at the end of next week.
4
4
Laura Whitmore’s Strictly statement in full
I was trying not to comment on recent press speculation until the BBC review is complete but feel there is a lot of misinformation in the press and I want to help and show support by setting the record straight.
I was asked to speak to the BBC along with six people that I know of (who deserve anonymity as they don’t want to be dragged through the press), about inappropriate behaviour they experienced similar to mine with the same individual. I initially raised concerns back in 2016.
I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned 1 was wrong. The aim of this is to show a pattern of behaviour that I believe needs to stop.
My evidence is to support other people’s experience. It’s a shame it takes this for someone to be heard. I am not looking for anything just an acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and that it won’t happen to anyone else again,
Because I have not made an official complaint, and am providing evidence of my experience to support the investigation, not all the communication will be passed on to all parties involved.
Misinformation is being put into the press so I want to set the record straight. Victim blaming must stop or we will never get better. I’ve tried to speak up in the correct way. I know the BBC and all outlets continue to do their best to be better, but for that to happen we must speak up.
Laura’s tears
Speaking previously about her time in the competition, ex-Love Island presenter Laura said she was “broken” by her time with Giovanni.
And she revealed her time on the show with him reduced her to tears.
She said: “I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with and in the end I felt broken, I cried every day.”
Speaking on Private Parts podcast, she added: “What I didn’t like was being removed from everybody and having to spend 12 hours a day with this one person.
“It did not become about the dancing. I just wanted to dance.
“I did not want to play the game of doing red carpets with your dance partner and stuff like that, which a lot of people thought you should be doing. I did not want to do that.”
Strictly’s Full Scandal So Far
Strictly Come Dancing’s scandal has been growing over the past few months, with several major players speaking out about what went on. Here are the key moments of what’s happened so far
16th May: Giovanni Pernice sensationally quits Strictly Come Dancing after nine years on the show.
17th May: Giovanni becomes the centre of an official investigation after three former partners – believed to be Amanda Abbington, Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh – make complaints to the BBC.
16th June: Giovanni releases an official statement vowing to clear his name and denies any wrongdoing.
8th July: Strictly confirms Aljaz Skorjanec will return to the series, replacing Giovanni, after initially quitting the show two years ago.
10th July: Amanda Abbington launches fresh legal proceedings to get the rehearsal footage from her time with Giovanni, after allegedly he refused to release the videos.
13th July: Graziano Di Prima is axed from Strictly for “gross misconduct” after footage of his treatment of Zara McDermott is brought to the attention of the BBC.
Graziano quickly broke his silence, apologising for his behaviour in a statement and saying he “deeply regrets it”, adding his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected his training regime.”
15th July: Strictly bosses implement new duty of care protocols, including having a chaperone present throughout all rehearsals.
16th July: Zara McDermott speaks out publicly for first time. She states while the production team were “amazing to work with”, she found the rehearsal room “completely different”, confirming there’s footage of “certain situations”.
19th July: Anton Du Beke is put under the spotlight for his “1970s attitude” and treatment of female celeb stars, particularly after allegedly referring to 2009 partner Laila Rouass as a “p***” after getting a spray tan.
21st July: Paralympian Will Bayley, who has limb condition arthrogryposis, revealed he was encouraged to leap from a table during a dance routine, despite fears. The stunt caused an injury that forced him to withdraw from the show.
22nd July: MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace admits he broke down in tears and got a nasty stress rash on his face during his time on Strictly in 2014.
23rd July: Celebrity agent Melanie Blake claims she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed pro dancer while backstage on the show, and claims she witnessed ageism, rudeness and a rough treatment to the point of injury.
23rd July: BBC boss Tim Davie breaks his silence on the ongoing allegations against Strictly, saying he is ‘deeply sorry’, adding: “Hundreds of people, be they pros, contestants or crew have been part of it and had a brilliant experience.
“At the same time if someone thinks there was something wrong or they want to talk about their experience then of course we want them to raise that with us. Be in no doubt we will take it seriously, listen and deal with it as appropriate.”