Amanda Abbington has suggested there are 50 hours of footage which her ex-Strictly partner Giovanni Pernice “doesn’t want anyone to see” as she reiterated accusations about him during their training.
The Sherlock actress claimed the footage was from video cameras she alleges were installed after she raised concerns about the Italian professional dancer to producers in her first week on the TV series.
Pernice, who has since left the show, has strongly denied her claims of “unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean” behaviour and says he looks “forward to clearing [his] name” amid an ongoing BBC investigation.
Abbington – who appeared as a Strictly contestant last year – said the footage was being “blocked” and her lawyer was “not allowed it”.
In an interview with Channel 4 News, she said her lawyer was “trying to get a lift on that” but “he [Pernice] doesn’t want anyone to see it, which is quite telling if you’ve got nothing to hide”.
She said of the BBC footage: “I can’t review it and my lawyers can’t review it and they can’t make an assessment.”
“Fifty hours is a lot of footage and a lot of time spent in a room that was toxic,” she added.
File pic: AP
Abbington claimed that during the early weeks of the show, the producers said to her face they were “shocked” and “horrified” and “so sorry” after they reviewed footage of the pair’s rehearsals.
She said: “There’s evidence out there – what happened in that [training] room and I’m not the one who is blocking it.
Citing her allegations, she said: “It’s bullying and it’s aggressive behaviour. There were other things that happened that were very upsetting, that you manage in the room at the time, because you’re a woman, and you have to manage those things… because otherwise, what do you do?”
She was interviewed by fellow competitor on Strictly Come Dancing, Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who said: “I heard from somebody else about an incident of humiliating behaviour of a sexual nature – is that right?”
A tearful Abbington replied: “Yeah… one of the many things.”
Pic: BBC/Ray Burmiston
Abbington 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.
She also said she has been under pressure from “brutal, relentless and unforgiving” threats from fans of the Strictly Come Dancing programme.
She spoke about “rape threats towards not only myself, but my daughter and the threats of death to my son”.
Asked if these came from Strictly fans, she agreed and also alleged the behaviour came from supporters of Pernice.
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Abbington said she wants to encourage people who feel “bullied” or are in a situation they feel is “toxic and unsafe” to complain, despite the backlash she has allegedly received.
She said: “I know it happened because it happened to me. I am not a sensational person… I’m not hysterical. I don’t make things out to be bigger than they are.
“I know what happened to me in that room wasn’t acceptable. I complained about it and sort of have not been taken seriously.
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Abbington said that she knows of “three other women” who went through something similar during their Strictly Come Dancing experiences and there is “potentially” more people coming forward.
The actress, known for ITV drama Mr Selfridge, also clarified there are “five or six (other complainants) from what I can gather, but there’s three main people, who’ve made complaints, mine’s the official one”.
She said that after leaving the show she had “several messages… from some of the producers” but then “didn’t really hear from anybody again”.
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Asked if there was any after-care provided by the show, Abbington replied: “No, it would have been nice, I suppose.”
Earlier this month, professional dancer Graziano Di Prima announced he was leaving the show after claims about his treatment of reality star and documentary presenter Zara McDermott – including confirmed reports he kicked her during a rehearsal.
The corporation has announced a member of the production team will now be present “at all times” during training room rehearsals on Strictly.
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A BBC statement said that “when issues are raised with us we always take them extremely seriously and have appropriate processes in place to manage this”.
A spokesperson for Pernice told Channel 4 News he is cooperating with the investigation and “believe it is the right forum for all the evidence to be reviewed”.
The spokesperson added: “As part of the evidence-led review, the BBC has shared the allegations they have been able to substantiate with us. They do not resemble Amanda’s latest allegations, given to Channel 4, in any shape or form.
“Giovanni refutes any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour, and having provided the BBC with his evidence, is confident that the review will prove this.”