Amanda Abbington has claimed that the BBC knew about Giovanni Pernice‘s behaviour on Strictly Come Dancing for years.
Speaking in her first interview since quitting the show in October, actress Amanda, 50, said in a bombshell chat that Giovanni’s was ‘abusive, cruel and mean’.
Amanda abruptly left the BBC show citing ‘personal issues’ and hasn’t been seen on screen since, even quitting social media last month in the wake of her former dance partner’s sacking.
Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners.
And in an interview with The Sun, Amanda said: ‘I know the BBC have known about his behaviour for years, people had complained about him and flagged his behaviour to producers in the past and nothing was done.
Amanda Abbington has claimed that the BBC knew about Giovanni Pernice ‘s behaviour on Strictly Come Dancing for years
Speaking in her first interview since quitting the show in October, actress Amanda, 50, said in a bombshell interview that Giovanni’s was ‘abusive, cruel and mean’
‘It wasn’t an isolated experience with me. I should never ever have danced with him.
‘The BBC must have been turning a blind eye and the fact other people have come forward must mean there is something going on that is endemic.’
She said she had to ‘think long and hard about complaining’ and knew that there would be a backlash to her complaints.
It comes as BBC insiders have said that they think the show is now ‘fatally tarnished.
As well as Amanda’s claims it emerged last week that pro Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the upcoming series over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year’s competition.
It is not just male dancers who are now facing allegations of abusive behaviour.
A former dancer claimed over the weekend that a currently unnamed female Strictly dancer screamed in his face and berated him off-camera.
An insider has now told The i: ‘The culture of silence has broken and more former contestants are coming out and saying there’s something dark at the heart of Strictly.’
‘The 20th anniversary of the show this year was supposed to celebrate a great BBC success but instead the wholesome, family brand is tarnished.
Amanda abruptly left the BBC show citing ‘personal issues’ and hasn’t been seen on screen since, even quitting social media last month in the wake of her former dance partner’s sacking
And in an interview with The Sun, Amanda said: ‘I know the BBC have known about his behaviour for years, people had complained about him and flagged his behaviour to producers in the past and nothing was done’
As well as Amanda’s claims it emerged last week that pro Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the upcoming series over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott , 27, during last year’s competition
The fear is they can’t get the show back on track in time for the new series in September.’
A BBC spokesman told The Sun on Sunday: ‘The BBC does not comment on specific matters related to individuals. Anyone involved in a complaint has a right to confidentiality and fair process.
‘The BBC has duties of care to everyone – to those that have raised the complaint and to those that have been complained about.’
It comes as Paralympian Will Bayley has opened up about the daily pain he suffers after sustaining an injury during his time on Strictly.
The British table tennis player, 36, competed on the 2019 series of the BBC dancing show with Janette Manrara.
But he was forced to bow out early when he heard his leg ‘crack’ on his second attempt at jumping from a table in studio rehearsals – after claiming that Janette said his first was ‘rubbish’.
And a resurfaced clip aired during that year’s live shows has shown the devastating moment Will was curled up on the floor in pain after the jump.
The video heard Tess explaining that Will had been injured and would not be dancing that week, as it cut to the sportsman lying on the floor in agony with a medic crouched down helping with first aid.
Janette was also seen visibly distressed as she sat comforting her celebrity partner. In a later part of the video, Janette was herself consoled by fellow professional dancer Nancy Xu.
Amanda will soon learn the ruling of the investigation she triggered after complaining her Strictly partner Giovanni bullied her in training.
But regardless of the outcome, bosses are said to be furious at the actress, who they now believe is encouraging other former contestants to engage with her lawyers over their time on the programme.
In recent weeks they think she has been urging competitors who have taken part in Strictly over the years to speak to London-based law firm Carter-Ruck in a bid to find others with allegations of a toxic environment on the show.
One BBC insider said: ‘Amanda seems to be stopping at nothing to make sure that a dark cloud is left over Strictly.
‘She seems to have a real issue with the show. She has been open about not enjoying her time, but why spoil it for everyone else?
‘It’s not looking like there is a smoking gun in her complaint about Giovanni, so now she is getting others to come forward and then later it appears in the Press so the row keeps going and going.’
Amanda is understood to have contacted actress Laila Rouass to encourage her to speak to her lawyers following an incident in 2009 when her partner Anton Du Beke, now a judge on the show, described her as ‘looking like a p***’ after she had a spray tan.
Strictly staff are outraged and say that much of the behaviour that is not as serious as Graziano hitting and kicking Zara also risks diluting actual complaints.
One said: ‘How is Amanda whipping up incidents of a few raised voices or something that happened 15 years ago helping the real issues of bullying?’
Meanwhile, the Mail recently revealed that those aware of the details of the evidence-led probe into Mr Pernice say they believe the allegations are unlikely to be found proven.
It paves the way for the professional dancer, who has strongly denied any misconduct towards Ms Abbington, to be cleared three months after the inquiry began.
With judgement said to be just days away, Ms Abbington took the unusual step of speaking to The Sun on Sunday regarding Mr Pernice’s alleged behaviour.
Her critics believe that she did the interview ‘to once again damage’ the Italian dancer as he is widely expected to be cleared of bullying her.
Ms Abbington, who told the newspaper she suffered from PTSD as a result of the show earlier this year, claims Mr Pernice was ‘abusive, cruel and mean.’ However, she didn’t give any examples of his behaviour.
She said that she had made the complaint because ‘I couldn’t sit back and let him do that to other people’, despite knowing she would suffer a ‘backlash’.
She added: ‘I would not have been able to live with myself for the sake of future people going on that show.’
Mr Pernice hit back at her interview, with his spokesman telling the Mail: ‘The BBC has shared allegations from the inquiry with Giovanni, who has cooperated fully. None of the allegations carried in the Sun on Sunday are included in any shape or form.
‘Giovanni refutes these allegations and denies any accusations of abusive or threatening behaviour. He has provided substantive evidence to the investigation and he remains fully confident of clearing his name.’
One source said: ‘Amanda clearly feels very hard done by in all of this and is getting ahead of things in case the ruling doesn’t go as she wants.’
The fallout is set to rumble on this week as the professional dancers begin their training for the new series today.
Last week The Mail on Sunday revealed that Mr Di Prima was fired for gross misconduct after kicking and hitting Ms McDermott. His sacking was prompted by a group of production staff presenting BBC chiefs with a video of him assaulting her.
It comes as Paralympian Will Bayley has opened up about the daily pain he suffers after sustaining an injury during his time on Strictly
The British table tennis player, 36, competed on the 2019 series of the BBC dancing show with Janette Manrara
Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners (pictured in June)
Previous complaints had been made to the Corporation about his verbal abuse and he was warned twice, yet he was invited on the post-show tour and was unveiled as a member of the professional dancer cast for the forthcoming series.
Since then old footage of former pros James Jordan and Brendan Cole being abrasive towards their celebrity partners has re-emerged online.
In one clip Mr Jordan is seen threatening to drag actress Georgina Bouzova along the floor and scream at her if she didn’t stand on her left leg. Meanwhile Mr Cole was bellowing at actress Claire King back in 2006.
Pro dancer Nadiya Bychkova has also made a complaint about the show to BBC bosses.