Police are investigating an alleged death threat sent to Amanda Abbington, demanding the actor withdraw her complaint about the dancer Giovanni Pernice.
In recent weeks Abbington has spoken out about her experience on the last series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was paired with the Italian before quitting in week five of the competition.
According to the Sun, the Sherlock star was sent an email warning her she would “die on stage” unless she retracted her complaint about Pernice, who left the show before the upcoming season.
Citing “medical” and “personal” reasons at the time, the actor went on to make a complaint about the teaching methods of her former dance partner, alleging she was subjected to “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying” while on the show.
Abbington told BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour that while there were “pockets of times” when she got along with Pernice, an ultimately tumultuous relationship prompted her to raise the alarm.
“I decided to just speak to the producers about it and say: ‘Look, I’m not comfortable. This is beginning to slightly get out of hand. And it’s a repeat pattern, it starts well, and then it starts to descend into chaos’.”
She also spoke about receiving extreme online abuse after making the complaint against Pernice. This abuse, which included death and rape threats, made her fearful of using public transport.
Abbington is now starring in When It Happens to You at the Park theatre in Finsbury Park, north London, and police said they were called to a theatre in the area on Friday afternoon.
A statement from the Metropolitan police to PA Media said: “Police were called at around 4pm on Friday August 2 by a staff member at a theatre in Finsbury Park following receipt of an alleged malicious communication.
“There have been no arrests, inquiries are ongoing.”
Abbington is the not the only former partner of Pernice who has made allegations about his behaviour. Laura Whitmore, who took part in the 2016 series, said she felt “extremely uncomfortable with him” and “cried every day”.
And Ranvir Singh said of her experience in 2020: “Don’t be fooled by his angelic face. He’s a fiery Italian, super-strict. I’m a bit scared of him.”
The 33-year-old Sicilian has rejected “any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour”, and believes he will be cleared by a BBC review.
Abbington’s representatives and the theatre have been approached for comment.