Laura Whitmore has spoken out after the BBC unveiled the results of its investigation into former Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice’s behaviour.
The probe led to an apology for actor Amanda Abbington, competition early, after her complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld. The Sherlock star was paired with Pernice during the show’s 2023 season but dropped out of the competition early and later raised concerns about how she was treated behind the scenes.
The lengthy investigation also found that 34-year-old Pernice, who left Strictly earlier this year, was not physically aggressive towards his partner.
Former Love Island presenter Whitmore was paired with Pernice on Strictly back in 2016, and was later among those asked to speak to the BBC during the investigation.
“I hope this helps people realise they should not be subjected to abusive behaviour in the workplace,” the 39-year-old wrote on an Instagram story.
“Things can be twisted online and there’s so much more to this but in black and white there were complaints upheld and an apology made. And the perpetrator no longer works for the channel.”
The BBC said in a statement that the corporation had “upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made”, adding: “Strictly Come Dancing is a family show and we rightly expect very high standards. While competition can be tough, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience.
“It is a great shame if this hasn’t been the case for everyone who has appeared on the show. We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do.”
After the results of the investigation were released yesterday (30 September), a spokesperson for Pernice said the dancer was “pleased” that the report “has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour” by him, noting that he “is relieved that the overwhelming majority of allegations out to the BBC have not been upheld”.
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Abbington, meanwhile, said that the BBC’s apology “meant a lot” to her, describing it as “a vindication of my complaint” and “for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences”.
“I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed,” she added.
Ranvir Singh, who danced with Pernice during the 2020 series, also shared her thoughts on the verdict, telling her Good Morning Britain colleague Susanna Reid that she was “pleased” to see “that it ended with an apology to Amanda”.
“I was pleased yesterday to see that the BBC investigation had concluded – it had been going on for some time – and that it ended with an apology to Amanda. I was pleased to see that,” the presenter said. “I think that it can only be a good thing that these extra welfare measures have now been put in place on the back of this investigation because ultimately, Strictly is a show that everyone should be having a good time on.”
Earlier this year, Whitmore claimed that she had initially raised concerns during her time on Strictly in 2016.
“I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong,” she wrote in a statement shared on Instagram.
“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,” she wrote.
Whitmore first spoke out publicly about her time on the show back in 2018, when she revealed: “I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with – and in the end I felt broken. I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end.”