A resurfaced video has emerged of Amanda Abbington praising Giovanni Pernice, shortly before she made a series of bullying claims about him.
The actress, 50, left BBC‘s Strictly Come Dancing during week six in October last year, later accusing her Strictly partner Mr Pernice of inappropriate conduct.
The former Strictly professional, 34, was cleared of the majority of allegations made against him by the star, while six were upheld, and is now moving on with his career plans.
However, a video has since resurfaced of the Sherlock actress gushing over Mr Pernice’s ‘amazing’ choreography skills during a studio rehearsal.
In the clip, the Sherlock actress is seen seated in car, speaking enthusiastically about her dance routine while complimenting Pernice’s ‘beautiful’ creative approach.
A resurfaced video has emerged of Amanda Abbington praising Giovanni Pernice , shortly before she made a series of bullying claims about him
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice was cleared of the majority of allegations made against him by his former partner, actress Amanda Abbington
The actress, 50, left BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing during week six in October last year, later accusing her Strictly partner Mr Pernice of inappropriate conduct
Ms Abbington, seated in her car while picking up her children, Joe, 18, and Grace, 16, discussed her day of rehearsals, mentioning costume fittings, spray tans, and press interviews.
She added: ‘We have to be careful, because we swear a lot, me and Giovanni. We are really bad swearers. We make each other laugh with our swearing.’
Ms Abbington continued: ‘We did our dance for the first time in the studio – three times for the cameras. I love our dance, it’s a beautiful thing.
‘He’s an incredible choreographer, Giovanni, he’s amazing. And he’s created something really beautiful, I think. So, we’re both very pleased.’
Despite appearing to first hit it off with Mr Penice, Ms Abbington abruptly left Strictly Come Dancing during week six, citing personal reasons.
Soon after her departure, she made a series of allegations against Mr Pernice, accusing him of verbal abuse and inappropriate sexual conduct during their rehearsals.
The BBC cleared Pernice of physical aggression towards Ms Abbington, but upheld six of 17 complaints.
In an interview with the BBC’s Newsnight programme, Ms Abbington alleged that two of the upheld complaints related to inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature.
The BBC conducted a probe after Ms Abbington, 50, quit the 2023 series after just five weeks before making the allegations
Mr Pernice’s spokesperson said the dancer is ‘pleased’ after the ‘overwhelming majority’ of claims against him were dismissed
Ms Abbington claimed the former Strictly pro would ‘outline his erection’ during their Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals.
She told the programme: ‘When I got a dance step right, he would outline his erection in his trousers and tell me that’s what my dance move had made happen, because I’d got it right.’
Ms Abbington described the experience as an ‘ongoing litany’ of verbal abuse and sexual misconduct.
Earlier this month, Ms Abbington revealed her relief that a cancer scare meant she could quit Strictly Come Dancing – and training with Mr Pernice.
Speaking to the Sun, the actress revealed that she had discovered two lumps in her breast on the morning of her Strictly exit.
Abbington returned to the stage in the summer, starring in the play When it Happens to You, while also making several TV appearances to discuss her experiences on Strictly
‘By my final week, on the Thursday morning, I was in the shower and I found two lumps. I’d got the all-clear after a mammogram a couple of months before.’
Ms Abbington went in for rehearsals, where she said she ‘just couldn’t concentrate’ as she worked on a cha-cha-cha with Mr Pernice, who she claims told her she ‘couldn’t get it’ and was ‘useless’.
She said her dance partner ‘refused to even look at me’ before she told him she found two lumps and would leave rehearsals to go to the hospital before quitting the show.
Pernice, who is now focused on his future, recently announced a 2025 dance tour with his close friend and fellow dancer, Anton Du Beke.
Abbington returned to the stage in the summer, starring in the play When it Happens to You, while also making several TV appearances to discuss her experiences on Strictly.